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
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