Big Hair Then 1975- Big Hair Now 2023
Photo Left: Serge Beauchemin. Runway Photo Right: Zigen
In 1975, Elmer Olsen of La Coupe Salons, then in Montreal and New York, created this big hair, crimped with the first use of a crimper in the modern age – a fifty year crimping machine found in his Grandmother’s attic. The Collection was called “Sleeper” and it started the crimped hair trend which is still happening.
Hair: Elmer Olsen, La Coupe … Makeup: Electa, Electa and Corrado … Fashion: Renato Balestra Couture Gown/Jacket, Holt Renfrew Canada … Model: Rudi Maciukas … Location: The Royal Suite, Chateau Champlain Hotel, Montreal … Photo: Serge Beachemin For more on the Collection, CLICK HERE
In 2023, Tadashi Harada created his big hair for the Hiroko Koshino Rakuten Fashion Week Tokyo A/W 2023 Show – “A Magical Mystery Hiroko Tribe.”
Hair: Tadashi Harada … Makeup: Setsuko Suzuki … Runway Photo: Zigen
For more hair and fashions, see the following Blog or CLICK HERE:
The Big Sleep /Crimped HaIr – 1975
Photos: Lorraine Sylvestre / Collage helenoppenheim.com
The Big Sleep 1939 book by Raymond Chandler is being re-issued in 2022 in paperback. I loved this book, the way Raymond Chandler wrote, and I loved the 1946 movie with Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. In 1975, I art directed a Hair Collection for La Coupe in Montreal and I used a copy of the book as a prop in some photos. This is the short Cleopatra look.
Hair History was made with this Collection because we used a 50 year old crimping machine La Coupe’s Elmer Olsen found in his Grandmother’s attic – see it in action bottom right. These were the first crimps of the modern era. It wasn’t long before the modern crimping machine was invented and it is still popular today, as are crimps. To see the whole iconic Collection and the US Vogue article recognizing the innovation CLICK HERE
Hair: Lesley Walden, La Coupe, Montreal 1975 … Makeup: Electa, Electa & Corrado … White Satin Sheets, The Flower Garden. … Book: The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler … Model:Melanie Bishop … Photos: Lorraine Sylvestre … Art Direction/Styling: Helen Oppenheim
CommentHair Olympiad – 1976
As I watch the Olympic swimming events for 2021, I am reminded of the Olympic Collection I art directed and produced for La Coupe to celebrate the 1976 Olympics in 1976. The model in this photo, Elmer Olsen, wearing 8 gold medals, was channeling Mark Spitz, who won seven gold medals for swimming in the 1972 Berlin Olympics. To see more of the collection and hair, which got massive PR coverage, including in US Vogue with one of the photos, click HERE.
Hair: Kim Lepine, La Coupe, Montreal/NY … Medals: Olympic Coin Jewelry …
Model: Elmer Olsen … Graphics: Georgine Strathy … Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre …
Concept/Fashion Styling/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
That Iconic “Sleeper” Wide Hair Photo – 1975
Photo: Serge Beauchemin
Reposted. This famous image is from La Coupe’s iconic “Sleeper” Collection by Elmer Olsen in 1975, when he had found two 50 year old antique crimping machines in his Grandmother’s attic. And this was the result from using one of them – very wide hair, flat on top, with a new texture. To see all 17 photos archived in the “Sleeper” album, with the first crimps of the modern era, including crimps from the second machine, much copied, still relevant today, featured in American Vogue CLICK HERE. I use this image on my Facebook Helen Oppenheim Biz Buzz Page ( CLICK HERE) and on my @HelenOppeheim Instagram Page ( CLICK HERE )
Hair: Elmer Olsen, La Coupe Montreal, 1975 … Makeup: Elect, Electa & Corrado … Fashiion: Renato Balestra Couture, Holt Renfrew Montreal … Model: Rudy Maciukas … Photo: Serge Beachemin
CommentUnruly Naturally Curly Hair With Wisps – 1977
Photo: © Lorraine Sylvestre
1977. This La Coupe photo made US Vogue. They probably loved the earrings as much as the unruly naturally curly hair of this star performer. There was a new-looking volume at the back and charming little wisps flirting on the forehead. The earrings were by Niky, an award-winning Jewelry Designer, who created the super modern spray to fit over the ear with assorted-sized diamonds on 18 carat gold. For more on this collection and more details on the hair, click HERE
Hair: Elmer Olsen, La Coupe, Montreal, 1977 … Makeup: Electa & Corrado … Model: Lillian De Freeze … Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
CommentRUFFLE HAIR WITH GLASSES – 1977
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Short ruffle cut looking like an upswept chignon for with the Fall 1977 fashions of ruffles, frills and high necks. By Elmer Olsen, for La Coupe. Worn with big glasses.
ANECDOTE: I was in the NY office of Diane Von Furstenberg’s then PR, Mary Blake, who liked La Coupe’s photos, and she gave me a box of sunglasses by the designer and said: “See if you can use any of these in your next photo shoot.” I used this pair, called “Bliss” for Diane von Furstenberg’s Optique du Monde Collection. Still have them somewhere, and some of the rest of the great glasses. From more from this collection, click HERE
Hair: Elmer Olsen, La Coupe , 1977 … Makeup: Sherry, Electa & Corrado … Ruffles: Marilyn Brooks … Glasses: Diane Von Furstenberg for Optique du Monde … Model: Sherry Diekrager
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre. Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Romantic Wisps Whisper – 1977
Photo: © Lorraine Sylvestre
For pure romance, long wisps whispered on the cheek, tickled the temple, kissed the nose, caressed the neck on this lovely look, just one innovative idea from La Coupe’s 1977 Wisp Cut Collection. This one was so new-looking then, who knew it would be the beginning of wisps falling all over the place because perfect hair was what everyone wore at the time.
Fine wisps were pulled out from the hairline here and there, and precision-cut into a shape, using the natural growth patterns to romantically frame the face and neck. Elmer Olsen, who created this style, advised “for long wisps to be left out for this look,the hair has to be a good length before one can start.” More, technical details, click here:
Hair: Elmer Olsen, La Coupe, Montreal … Perm: Tanya Pawley/Wella Firm and Gentle … Makeup: Electra & Corrado … Corselet Top: Pat MacDonagh … Soft Body Jewelry: Doris May … Model: Josée St-Jacques … Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre. Produced by Helen Oppenheim
CommentHair History, Wide Crimped Style – 1975
Photo: © Serge Beauchemin
I am using this as my cover photo on Twitter and Google+. I am not very good at either! Don’t do them enough. Any encouragement if you Follow me on either or both would be good. Hope to see you here: https://twitter.com/HelenOppenheim Or there: https://plus.google.com/+HelenOppenheim/posts
Do you know your hair history? This photo features the first crimped hair of the modern era, literally created with a 50 year old crimping machine from the 20s – in 1975. It is a photo I love, from the iconic La Coupe Sleeper Collection. For more of this wider than wide look, and more crimped styles, click:
Hair: Elmer Olsen, La Coupe, Montreal … Makeup: Electa, Electa & Corrado … Model: Rudy Maciukas … Photo: Serge Beachemin … Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
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