1 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
THE P-P-PUFF – Danielle
The big new silhouette from Vidal Sassoon Salons USA in 1981 was injected with a healthy dose
of fresh…air. Very new then, a very different and high fashion direction for Vidal Sassoon.
The look was voluminous, the effect airy, fresh, very natural, casual, with carefully cut-up hair
p-p-puffing…flicking and flirting around the silhouette, framing the face, in soft, flattering ways.
It was big. And soft. And sexy.
For more on The P-P-Puff see interesting different stories and anecdotes under most of the
following photos.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Ted Nadel
HairCare/SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Dress: Ellen Gleason
Earrings: Ken Begun
Model: Danielle, Filor Agency
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ANECDOTE: Most of the Vidal Sassoon die-hards didn’t want to go in a new direction or
cut any hair but the precision geometrics they had done since the 60s and still do to this day.
They gave me a hard time and didn’t really get what I was doing…
Note: there is different text under each photo.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
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2 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
THE P-P-PUFF – Danielle
“The formality is gone,” said Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon’s International Art Director in 1981.
The hair is freed of its solid form, and layered throughout, with all ends wisped. Everything is
very natural, casual, soft.” He added: “To make puffier and fluffier, puff-dry hair upside down with
your fingers.”
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Ted Nadel
HairCare/SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Dress: Ellen Gleason
Earrings: Ken Begun
Model: Danielle, Filor Agency
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment3 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
THE P-P-PUFF – Danielle
Another version of Vidal Sassoon’s P-P-Puff in 1981. With a Chinese theme.
We have taken our superb precision cutitng a step further, said Graham Wren in 1981.
“In the same way the fashion innovators are offering a variety of lengths and moods,
said Avram, Vidal Sassoon’s articulate Art Director in 1981, “we are shattering the myth
that only short haircuts can offer form, gesture and volume. Many of our newest looks
are refreshingly long. We are going to all lengths to show that soft,voluminous hair is
the perfect balance, the perfect accessory to fashion this season.”
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Ted Nadel
HairCare/SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Dress: Ellen Gleason
Jewelry: Margaret Bailey, Vidal Sassoon
Model: Danielle, Filor Agency
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment4 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
THE P-P-PUFF/Ragtime – Danielle
“Miracles can be worked in 20 minutes,” enthused Graham Wren, who rag-wrapped
the entire head when the hair was dry for a voluminous, soft airy effect which
would work for short as well as for long hair.
Graham used five-and-dime-store rags in this photo and one could, of course,
sleep in the soft rags overnight, but see under the next photos about the “rags” we made, glamorous enough to party in. In the original press release, we gave a whole page of details about doing a rag set. If anyone wants more information, let us know!
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Ted Nadel
HairCare/SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Nails: Teresa, Vidal Sassoon
Robe: Ellen Gleason
Model: Danielle, Filor Agency
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment5 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
THE P-P-PUFF/ Rags to Riches – Kay
These glamorous rags were hand-made by Avram and Vidal Sassoon staff, of
Gold Lamé, pretty enough to walk around the home in and even to party in.
We also made a collection – in animal and camouflage prints – and we were published in
a lot of major magazines like Bazaar (a full page), Vogue, New York, even Playbill Magazine, as well
as The New York Sunday Times, the Daily Mail in the UK, major newspapers across the
US and all the hair magazines world-wide, including a cover in Peluquerias Magazine of
Spain (see Photo No. 10 below this one.)
The “rags” had wire and foam inside for an easier set. I had wanted Sassoon to manufacture
the idea and sell the rags since we got such massive publicity for them in all the best magazines
but that didn’t happen.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Mariella Smith-Masters, Beauty Bookings
SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Robe: Ellen Gleason
Model: Kay Romero
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment6 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
THE P-P-PUFF – Kay
This is the short version of The P-P-Puff, voluminous, airy,
with carefully cut-up hair p-p-puffing…flicking and flirting around the silhouette,
which was injected with a healthy dose of fresh…air. The look was very natural,
very casual, very new in 1981 and the start of a major trend very few now recognize
as coming from Vidal Sassoon.
One could go from rags to riches to get this look. It could be set with rags or
the P-P-Puff perm, by Edward Moore, was wrapped with more than one layer and size of
roller in some areas; in others, tiny sections were weaved and permed for an airy yet
controlled quality.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Perm: Edward Moore, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Mariella Smith-Masters, Beauty Bookings
HairCare/SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Dress: Ellen Gleason
Earrings: Ken Begun
Model: Kay Romero
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment7 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
THE P-P-PUFF – Kay
Short version of The P-P-Puff by Graham Wren in 1981 was injected around the silhouette
with a healthy dose of fresh…air.
The look, which got publicity all over the world, started a trend for more casual silhouettes
few recognize today as coming from Vidal Sassoon.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Perm: Edward Moore, Vidal Sasoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Mariella Smith-Masters, Beauty Bookings
HairCare/SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Dress: Ellen Gleason
Earrings: Ken Begun
Model: Kay Romero
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
ANEDCOTE: The lovely model for the short looks was the wife of the President of the Vidal
Sassoon Salons USA. I think she is half Japanese, half Dutch or something exotic and wonderful
and she had done some modeling.
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment8 P-P-Puff 1981
Photo: Lorraine Sylvstre
THE P-P-PUFF – Meggan
For this version of The P-P-Puff, by Vidal Sassoon’s Art Director Avram, the silhouette was injected
with a positive dose of fresh…air, and the “hair is cut aerially, layered superficially with all ends
wisped for a soft new look. It was cut in C-shape around the cheekbone, giving extra volume when
waved away from the the face, extra openness when worn down.”
The message was all-over volume, whether the hair was left alone to dry naturally, blown dry,
with or without a brush, or puff-dried upside down with fingers.
Hair: Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1981
Makeup: Mariella Smith-Masters, Beauty Bookings
HairCare/SkinCare: Vidal Sassoon Treatment Products
Bustier: Perry Ellis
Model: Meggan
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ANECDOTE: The model was one of my assistants at my Sassoon office, she was not a
model but the photographer, Lorraine Sylvestre, made her look like one in this photo.
Megan had bright red hair, see color photo # 13 in this album.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
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