1 HighHair 1980
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
HighHair -Mimi
Hair will be high on top for the 80s, predicted Vidal Sassoon USA, and it was.
Hair was not high on top during this era, so HighHair, a new direction for
Vidal Sassoon, and everyone, became the look to influence hairstyles in the
80s, and beyond. The publicity was enormous, and this campaign really put
Vidal Sassoon USA on the hair map. (Up to this time, all Vidal Sassoon trends
came from the UK.)
Months of experimentation went into perfecting the techniques to achieve
height and volume on top – with no teasing, a big no-no at Sassoon!
The innovative cuts and perms were often done on clients with their heads upside down!
To achieve different textures and effects, HighHair could either be
dried naturally with lamps or fingers, blown dry, finger-waved or wave clipped.
The soft waves or soft curls rise above it all for cloud-like, romantic, dreamy looks.
Hair: A. Vernon Keach, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1980
Perm: Allie Galizia and Edward Moore
HairCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Makeup: Ted Nadal
Clouds: Ansell Adams
Art: Avram
Model: Mimi Young
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: HighHair was a name I invented and one that many copied!
Anecdote: To inspire the Vidal Sassoon hairdressers to come up with high hair cuts, I made
collages of high hats and evening styles high on top, mostly from Italian Vogues,
and put them up on staff room walls. Vernon Keach was the first to come to me with an
idea for the haircuts, and I remember we did sketches on my office lightbox together.
I still have them, a bit the worse for wear but if anyone is interested let me know and I
will put them up on this album.
Note: there is different text under each photo.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment2 HighHair 1980
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
HighHair – Mimi
The soft waves or soft curls rise above it all for cloud-like looks.
HighHair cuts and styles in these photos were pulled out or up to different
degrees of “highness.” Less for day. More for evening. Or to one side, asymmetrically.
Hair: A. Vernon Keach, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1980
Perm: Allie Galizia and Edward Moore
HairCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Makeup: Ted Nadal
Clouds: Ansell Adams
Art: Avram
Model: Mimi Young
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: Vernon wanted to cut the sides short. I wanted the look to be soft
and romantic. He said, it won’t work if we don’t cut the sides short. I said it will
and that I refused to photo his style if the sides were cut short. Think about it overnight,
I suggested. He did. And we left the sides long. It worked as can be seen in these photos.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment3 HighHair 1980
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
HighHair – Mimi
This is the asymmetric version of the Vernon Keach HighHair cut.
Allie Galizia and Edward Moore defied gravity with their new perm,
part of which was wrapped with the client’s head upside down!
Hair: A. Vernon Keach, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1980
Perm: Allie Galizia and Edward Moore, Vidal Sassoon NY, 1980
HairCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Makeup: Ted Nadal
Clouds: Ansell Adams
Art: Avram
Model: Mimi Young
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment4 HighHair 1980
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
HighHair – Margo
Romantic, dreamy, soft HighHair was inspired by the romantic fashions of and a soft watch by Salvador Dali.
Here is Graham Wren’s version. To achieve the new, irregular waves, he used Vidal Sassoon Blow Styling Lotion before waving and clipping hair up around hairline and the hair was left to lamp naturally.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1980
Perm: Allie Galizie (La Mauer Heat Wave Perm)
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Dress: Patrick Wise
Soft Clock and Necklace: Avram (Inspired by Salvador Dali)
Model: Margo Fletcher, ITM
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: Avram, who had a degree in Fine Arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in made this amazing clock and the necklace for this and another photo, not shown.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment5 HighHair 1980
Photo: Gérard Gentil
HighHair – Vivienne
This is Tom Principe’s asymmetric up version of romantic, dreamy HighHair.
There is no teasing. Two rats were placed inside the hair, which could be worn
as high or low as one likes, asymmetric or simply going up.
Hair: Tom Principe, Vidal Sassoon NY, 1980
Hair Products: Vidal Sassoon Blow Styling Lotion, Non-Aerosol Mist
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Clouds: Ansell Adams
Art: Avram
Collage: Jan Kosarin of Norman Kosarin, Inc.
Model: Vivienne
Photo: Gérard Gentil
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: We photographed this HighHair version later and the clouds
were added to the photo after the shoot.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment
6 HighHair 1980
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
HighHair – Vyctoria
This version of romantic, dreamy HighHair, by Graham Wren, was photographed
with some Magritte-inspired clouds and curtains, designed by Avram.
Again, there is no teasing, the sides are not cut short over the ears so the
hair can be worn down when desired.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon NY, 1980
Perm: Edward Moore
Hair Care: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Dress: Patrick Wise
Background: Apologies Magritte’s “Le Beau Monde” (“High Society”)
Art: Avram
Model: Vyctoria
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: Avram and I had very heated discussions on which clouds to use
for the HighHair campaign. The shade of grey was argued about over and over!
We knew we wanted Ansell Adams clouds, but which was another matter.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © COPYRIGHT HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment7 HighHair 1980
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
HighHair – Vyctoria
Higher version of short HighHair cut by Graham Wren, with a side part.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon NY, 1980
Perm: Edward Moore
Hair Care: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Dress: Patrick Wise
Background: Apologies Magritte’s “Le Beau Monde” (“High Society”)
Art: Avram
Model: Vyctoria
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © COPYRIGHT HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment8 HighHair 1980
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
HighHair – Vyctoria
Backview of Graham Wren’s version of a short HighHair cut.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon NY, 1980
Perm: Edward Moore
Hair Care: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Dress: Patrick Wise
Background: Apologies Magritte’s “Le Beau Monde” (“High Society”)
Art: Avram
Model: Vyctoria
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment