Before Montreal
Collage included in the Montreal Launch Press Release showing editorials Raphael did in England when he was the Raphael of Raphael & Leonard fame. Note he worked with the best…
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Raphael Santarossa passed away on October 16, 2006. I was his 2nd wife and can say he was one of
a kind. A handsome man who still had women chasing him. He painted after he retired from cutting hair. His son in Montreal and I have a great relationship and he is a very talented young man. rp
Rosina – good to hear from you. Yes, I found out from Raphael’s son he passed away. I have heard good things about you for a few years, from Raphael his son. and am pleased to have “met” you.
Tell me, tell me some of what he told you, Harry – either here or let’s speak. He would have loved to have done what you did in America, but I guess London was the city that made him famous. He stopped me one day on the island crossing 57th and Park Avenue, a few years after I left him, and he was at Cinandre then. Told he a very funny story. Not sure for publication. We’ll swap stories ….
when i first moved to NY from London 1974 i worked at Cinandre on 57th st. A hair emporium!
Soon after I started Raphael came there to work, fascinating for me because i would hear soooo many stories about him when I worked at Michaeljohn as both M and J knew him.
He was a swarthy handsome fly by night guy, still rockin’, he told me lots of stuff about his London days
Yes, Raphael was one of the hairdresser characters of all time! Of course, I remember when you worked with him!!
Note everyone – the Raphael Santarossa who has Commented here is the son – who just found my website with his Father’s work. We spoke for an hour …
I´m the young Raphael´s brother. Sure my brother was very particular person….at first he was really a great artist !
Renato. Good to hear from Raphael’s brother. I never knew he had a brother until recently. And i never saw
paintings. But his hair art was famous. Not sure if you found some of his latest work, from his time in Montreal when I worked with him. Click: https://www.helenoppenheim.com/raphael-portfolio-page/
Raphael certainly was a character wasn’t he Helen?
As you’ll remember I was one of the stylists who worked with him in his Montreal salon on St. Catherine Street in the early 1970’s. I had known him in the 1960’s in London when he was partners with Leonard, in their salon, first on Duke Street and later on Grosvenor Square.
Indeed Mitchell, my father was one of a kind. Would love to hear more about his Montreal days.