Fabulous Bridgerton Masks & Wigs – 2026
Photos by Helen Oppenheim. Netflix. Collage:helenoppenheim.com
Sophie’s mask in Episode 1, Season 4 of “Bridgerton” was romantically fabulous and Queen Charlotte’s wigs as outrageous as ever. Her Season 4 wigs include hidden meanings, such as orchids representing fertility and “two love birds” signaling her enduring love for King George.
This season, Nic Collins is the hair and makeup designer responsible for the intricate, period-inspired hairstyles and wigs featured in the series. She works alongside a team to create the elaborate looks for the cast. The styling includes detailed looks, such as those worn by Francesca and the Wicked Stepmother (bottom left) and all the intricate, mask-friendly styles for the season’s marvelous Masquerade Ball for which 160 custom wigs were created to match the “eclectic” and “fanciful” theme of the event. Specific characters, such as Ruth Gemmell (Lady Bridgerton), had hair styled by artists like Adam Cooke, and for earlier seasons, Marc Pilcher was the designer (Season 1 being the best for the hair.) For the show’s lead, Yerin Ha (Sophie) Collins created a viral “bright pink” stained lip using three layers at the Masquerade Ball.
Love “Bridgerton, the Regency fashions, for her and him, the male lead this season, Benedict (Luke Thompson) and the way desire builds, as it has in every season. It is all so well done, unlike any other tv series. No wonder the Netflix tv series is so popular. Congratulations to Shonda Rhimes and Shondaland. I just wish the 8 part series was not split in two, and we have to wait almost month (February 26) to see the more episodes …
CommentThe Golden Swan Heads Czech TV Series
Photos Helen Oppenheim. Collage helenoppenheim.com
A Czech historical drama, The Golden Swan is a PBS Masterpiece TV Series by Water Presents with two seasons currently on Amazon Prime.
Most of the action takes place in a luxury department store in Praque as the Nazis occupy the country. There’s danger, secrets, sibling rivalry, romance, forbidden love, blackmail. With a third season not available on Prime yet.
And there’s inspo with hair and heads of the era – 1939, early ‘40s. Many are wigs. There’s lots of rolls, some great headwraps, a lovely low on the nape chignon, some curly curls.
The actresses shown in this collage, with photos taken by me from the tv, are Kristyna Podzimkova (aka Krystyna Ryska), as Irena,. Simona Lewandowska as Alena. Kamila Trnkova as Marta. Barbara Bockova as Marketa. Marta Matova as Sophie. The lead actors are Marta Dancingerova as Bara and Adam Vacular as Petr, the man and woman seen in the ads here.
The story can be a bit wobbly at times, and one has to wonder how someone with tb, coughing up blood, can be allowed to put everyone at risk for so long, and no one is scared, but it is something different, interesting and addictive. Also known as Zlata Labut, the series is produced by Dramedy Productions and has English subtitles.
CommentBeauty With Disability, Passion For Fashion – 2025
Beauty With Disability, Passion For Fashion – 2025
Anahita Khailian has a passion for fashion. And a disability The beauty, an Iranian/Canadian who lives in Toronto, has SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy.)
“One thing I want people to know about living with my neuromuscular disorder is that although it has limited me physically, it hasn’t limited my drive, style or impact.” All were evident as she sat in her wheelchair at the Padina Bondar New York Fashion Week Presentation for Spring/Summer 2025, held at the DTR Modern Gallery on West Broadway in Soho.
There she was wearing a gorgeous art dress by the designer, beautifully made up by herself, hair colored by herself, just a big slash of a subtle green color to match her dress. (She used Arctic Fox hair dye, originally Virgin Pink and once faded she added Phantom Green over it.)
The backward writing tattoo intrigued. “Make a change” is tattooed on my shoulder so that when I look in the mirror I can read it. From Michael Jackson’s song “Man in the Mirror” … if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a change.”
Recently she collaborated with a photographer for an art series, deeply personal through the lens of fashion identity and disability. It was around her passion for fashion and her disability using some of her bold high heel shoes” – (Stepintomyshoes.ca). “I love makeup and use my face as a canvas to be free and creative with makeup. Some of her unique creations can be seen on her Instagram page – @anahita.khlin. Anahita Khalilian. You are inspiration to all.
To see the Pandina Bondar Fashions with Peter Gray Hair, CLICK HERE
Photos: Helen Oppenheim
CommentWenny Han Debut Collection @ NYFW SS2026
Wenny Han Debut Collection @ NYFW SS2026
The debut collection at New York Fashion Week SS 2026 by rising star Wenny Han was wearable art, a welcome change from all those glam evening dresses dominating on social media. The Chinese-American showed reimagined classic garments, through a cubist lens for her and him, at a Global Fashion Collective (GFC) event held at The Glass House.
Unconventional tailoring, asymmetric silhouettes, layered organza, sheer fabrics, soft knits, cottons, bold material contrasts, the young designer’s fashions focused on the idea of identity as fragmented and evolving, the collection transforming everyday clothing into conceptual forms that shift with each angle.
The eye makeup on both sexes featured stunning beautiful brush effects, by Key Lead Cristina Cuellar, Instituto Cristina Cuellar. The hair by the Odete DaSilva Hair Team (Lead Trish Apostolides) for Goldwell US and Varis Pro Hair Tools, featured neat smooth buns with some interesting movements at the back. To see the album with more fashions, makeup and hair archived on the website, CLICK HERE
Hair: Odete Da Silva Hair Team, Lead Trish Apostolides … Products: Goldwell US, Bodifying Control Mousse, Dry Texture Spray, Strong Hairspray … Makeup Key Lead: Cristina Cuellar, Instituto Cristina Cuellar … Photos: Helen Oppenheim
CommentFashion Art By Pandina Bondar – 2025
Photos:Helen Oppenheim. Collage by helenoppenheim.com
Pandina Bondar, Designer and Creative Director, explores the space between art and and fashion. Her immersive New York Fashion Week SS 2026 Presentation at the DTR Gallery in Soho transformed reimagined textiles and forgotten artworks into one-of-a-kind pieces. Each garment became a moving canvas on the body, and a celebration of craftmanship and sustainability.
The handcrafted reclaimed jewelry art was by Angel Pai, Illumin Designs, the tattoos by the visual artist Kozo
The hair by Peter Gray for Cutler Salons with Pamela Devlin with was modern, dressed hair which included a combination of gel and gel dressed hair with a mix of wet and dry textures and finishes to emphasize the individuality and modernity of each look. The makeup was by Deney Adam and Christian Mitchell using Mac Cosmetics
To see archived album with more photos and fashions, CLICK HERE
Lead Hair: Peter Gray for Cutler Salon, Pamela Devlin … Lead Makeup: Deney Adam, Christian Mitchell … Jewelry: Angel Pai, Illumin Designs … Tattoos: Kozo…
Photos: Helen Oppenheim
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Remembering John Sahag 20 Years – 2025
Photos Helen Oppenheim. Collage helenoppenheim.com
It is 20 years since the legendary John Sahag left us to do the hair of the angels (January 2, 1952 – June 15, 2005). The Lebanese-born Australian-raised Armenian became famous in Paris as the first internationally-recognized freelance hairdresser. He worked his magic on the heads of the supermodels and superstars of his era and made The Dry Cut famous in his John Sahag Workshops on Madison Avenue in NYC from 1985, active until recently.
This collage shows just some of his magic which made him so famous. It was the last time I saw him, at the IBS Fuse Show in New York, 2003, when I photographed his futuristic butterflies backstage.
Hair was braided, wrapped, twisted, knotted, in butterfly shapes. Meticulously engineered couture hairpieces (which took 4 hairdressers and 4 assistants 4 weeks to create) were cut-up, colored, entwined, tied with elastics and attached to heads, with seams showing, some sprayed with more color, a crazy abstract playful hair mix. Sahag was inspired by the butterfly theme of Gaelyn & Cianfarano’s stunning summer fashions, some in latex, and leather-look recycled bicycle rubber inner tubes.
To see more magical photos by Sahag, to read about him, how-to’s, all with plenty of inspiration, go to Hair Then/John Sahag on this website, helenoppenheim.com
Hair: John Sahag, The John Sahag Workshop, NYC, 2003 … Makeup: Jun Funahashi/L’Atelier … Butterfly Tattoos: Stephanie Tomaz … Fashions Gaelyn & Cianfarani … Fashion Styling: Lisa Von Weise … Photos: Helen Oppenheim
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Impressive Sargent And Paris @ The Met – 2025
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Photos: The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Helen Oppeheim. Collage: helenoppenheim.com
The must-see Sargent and Paris can be viewed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue April 27 to August 3, 2025. The major exhibition of approximately 100 works of art by John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) coincides with the 100th anniversary of his death, and includes many preparatory sketches for the then daring masterpiece of Madame X, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau (1859–1915). which created a scandal when first shown in Room 31 at the Paris Salon. Included in this collage, Madame X, far left, and just a few of the impressive Sargent paintings, watercolors, and drawings from his early career in Paris and portraits when he was famous.
Top Row, Left to Right: Entrance to the Exhibition and Self Portrait John Singer Sargent, 1886 … The artist in His Studio with the painting of Madame X, Virginie Amélie Avegno Gautreau ca. 1884
2nd Row: Beggar Girl, 1880 … La Verre de Porto (A Dinner Table at Night) 1884 … In the Parisienne Room, a work of by Léon Bonnat of Contessa Potocka (Princess Emmanuela Pignatelli di Cerchiara) 1880 (note the Jabot, a fashion trend for Fall 2025)
3rd Row: La Carmencita (La Carmencita (Carmen Dauset Moreno) ca. 1890 … Dr Pozzi at Home, 1881 … Madame Ramón Subercaseaux (Amalia Errázuriz y Urmeneta) 1880
Photos: Entrance and Self Portrait: © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
All Other Photos: Helen Oppenheim … Collage: helenoppenheim.com
To see more photos, and bigger, go to my Facebook page, CLICK HERE
Easter Parade Fabs 5th Avenue NYC – 2025
Photos: Helen Oppenheim. Collage: helenoppenheim.com
Here are some of the fabs photographed at the Easter Paradeand Bonnet Festival on Fifth Avenue in NYC 2025.
I love the fun everyone has, the joy, and the work that must have gone into these amusing, creative outfits, especially the bonnets, hers and his, on which so many must have spent hours and hours, probably days, concocting. To see more photos, and all the photos bigger, go to my Facebook and Instagram pages.
Photos: Helen Oppenheim
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