Trend Alert. Hair Orbits Again- 1969

Posted by on Feb 18, 2018 in Helen's Blog | 0 comments

Trend Alert. Hair Orbits Again- 1969

Photos: Bob Fisher. Collage by helenoppenheim.com

Do you know your hair history?  ’60s hairstyle orbits in  2018.  Again. This look was very popular in the late ’60s.  Similar looks were done by many, first popularized by Vidal Sassoon, but I prefer this one by Charles Booth owner of La Coupe Salons from 1967 to early 90s and introduced as The Orbit in 1969, the year the US first  landed on the moon.  Now, Redken’s Guido has designed his version for Marc Jacobs F/W New York Fashion Week Show, colorized for the 21st century by Josh Woods, so there is another trend  alert for the look, which could catch on this time. It’s not flattering to all, but is for some, as it was here for Keitha McLean, at the time the Fashion and Beauty Editor of The Montreal Star, later  a reporter at WWD, and still  later the first Editor in Chief of Miss Chatelaine now known as Flare in Toronto.   Face on, it was just a cap of hair, with a heavy round smooth fringe rising up to a soft point in the middle of the forehead. It was cut  right from the crown and the hair orbited  all around.  The back was short and the  cap graduated to a “V” on both sides. For more details and a longer  version CLICK HERE

Hair: Charles Booth, La  Coupe Montreal, 1969 … Model: Keitha McLean … Photos: Bob Fisher, ARB

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60s First Long Layered Look – 1968

Posted by on Nov 15, 2017 in Helen's Blog | 5 comments

60s First Long Layered Look - 1968

Photo: Bob Fisher, ARB

Do you know your hair history?  Charles Booth created the first long layered look, in 1968, by placing a short wig over long hair, blending the wig and longer hair together imperceptibly to get the effect.  The bottom was long with soft curls cascading down the back, encircling the neck, the top was short, sculptured, shaped, framing, flattering the face. This iconic image made headlines and is now recognized for the trendsetter it is.   For more 60s hair, CLICK HERE

Hair: Charles Booth, La Coupe, Montreal … Model: Nicole DesLauriers … Photo: Bob Fisher, ARB

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Cadette Chignon – 1978

Posted by on May 27, 2017 in Helen's Blog | 6 comments

Cadette Chignon - 1978

Photo: Larry Nichols

REMEMBERING ALL WHO SERVED ON THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

The Cadette Chignon was designed for an Armani fashion show in Toronto, by La Coupe, in 1978. It was worn with hair half up, half down, or all up. Jerome Pinsonneault, George Karkoulas and La Coupe’s staff made khaki-colored, satin-covered forms and the hair was tucked under, with an Armani medal added at the front. For more, HairThen, La Coupe, 70s, Hat Chignons on www.helen oppenheim.com

Hair: Jerome Pinsonneault, La Coupe, Toronto … Makeup: Stace Long … Blouse: Holt Renfrew …Model: Danielle Carbonneau … Photo: Larry Nichols …Produced by Helen Oppenheim

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La Coupe Dancing Hair – 1986

Posted by on May 13, 2017 in Helen's Blog | 0 comments

La Coupe Dancing Hair - 1986

Photo: Geoffrey Hargraves Thomas. Collage: Pascalain Gianello

This is Dancing Hair.  By the then King of Chignons, Antonio da Costa Rocha.  I produced the famous La Coupe Collection in 1986 and the talented Pascalain Gianello made this gorgeous collage in 2013, a surprise gift. The lovely Carol Dlugos, a La Coupe muse and favorite, is the model.  I said at the time, there was a return elegance and romance.  And now is the time to forget all the greasy hair, the wisps flying all over the place and make that return too!  For the how-to  archived on the website, click HERE.  To see more Dancing Hair, all inspired by Ginger Rogers dancing with  Fred Astaire  in the movie, “Top Hat” click HERE

Hair: Antonio da Costa Rocha, La Coupe, 1986 … Finish: La Coupe Glossing Wax, Fixatif Plus … Makeup: Honey Twigg … Fashion Stylist: Aleta Joy Wolfe … Dress: Oscar de la Renta … Photo: Geoffrey Hargrave Thomas …  Collage: Pascalain Gianello

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Gone OrientMental! Ping Pong Hair – 70s

Posted by on Aug 9, 2016 in Helen's Blog | 2 comments

Gone OrientMental. Ping Pong Hair – 70s

Graphics: Eric Neill Weiss

Gone OrientMental! With Ping Pong Hair in the 70s, an idea which coincided with a Chinese table tennis fad, now playing at the Rio Olympics in 2016. La Coupe first introduced Ping Pong Hair at designer John Warden’s Fall Fashion Show in the 70s, featuring Chinese fashions. Ping pong balls were covered in matching hair, and added in various designs to heads, many with matching chopsticks in black, burgundy, some with flowers, all in colors matching the fashions. Some of the balls used in the show were made of real silver and gold, designed by jewelry designer/Olympic bob sled champ, Hans Gehrig. Fun. fun.

Hair: La Coupe, Montreal, 70s … Graphics: Erik Neill Weiss … Faces/Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim

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Wishing US Olympians Wins in 2016 – 1976

Posted by on Aug 2, 2016 in Helen's Blog | 0 comments

Wishing US Olympians Wins in 2016 – 1976

Photos: Lorraine Sylvestre. Graphics: Georgine Strathy

The Olympic Games start Friday, August 5 in Brazil. Here’s wishing the USA teams success as imagined here for winners in photos from La Coupe’s 1976 Olympic Hair press release, early 1976, before the Montreal Olympics. I wrote that the girl on top might have been winning the 800 metres on a hot day, with a time of 1:58.2, beating West Germany’s Hildegard Falck’s 1972 record of 1:58.6. Our hero might win the 5,000 and 10,00 metres faster than Finland’s Lasse Virren. How times have changed! Both for the atheletes’ times and for the hair styles we would have made hair winners for La Coupe’s atheletes today.  I sewed all the vests myself, added names, numbers, trimmings for La Coupe’s athletes, having trudged in sub-zero Montreal January weather to find the plain vests and all the additions. Talk about dedicated! More from this famous collection, click HERE

Top Hair: Charles Booth, La Coupe 1976 … Model: Debbie Keyes. Bottom Hair: Kim Lepine, La Coupe, 1976 … Model: Elmer Olsen.   Graphics: George Strathy … Photos: Lorraine Sylvestre. Concept/Fashion Styling/Produced by Helen Oppenheim

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Hair Olympics Remembered – 1976

Posted by on Aug 1, 2016 in Helen's Blog | 0 comments

Hair Olympics Remembered – 1976

Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre

As the 2016 Olympic Games start on Friday, August 5, 2016, I remember the 1976 Olympic Games held in Montreal and La Coupe’s Hair Olympics Collection.  “I dreamed I was Mark Spitz and won my eighth gold medal,” I wrote for this photo which showed a wet-hair look. (For those who don’t know, Mark Spitz was the Michael Phelps of his era and had won seven gold medals at the Berlin Olympic Games 4 years earlier.) To see hair history and more of this famous campaign, released at the beginning of the year, in time for maximum press, which included one of the press photos published in US Vogue, check the album, 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

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Soft, Fashion-Forward Wearable Hair – 1987

Posted by on May 26, 2016 in Helen's Blog | 0 comments

Soft, Fashion-Forward Wearable Hair - 1987

Photos: © Geoffrey Hargrave Thomas

This 1987 hairstyle is the straight version of the Angelic Looks from La Coupe’s Innocence Collection to help launch a new La Coupe Hair Care product line which was Fragrance Free, hypo-allergenic, dermatologist-tested, pure and gentle. Charles Booth, owner of La Coupe Salons and Hair Care products at the time (and  making some great products now as well) gave some basic gems of advice,  valid today, often not known, still.   “Where, how and when to use which hair product is key and they can alter the texture and quality of the hair, making it fuller, curlier or straighter, softer or stiffer, shinier. The trick,” he continued, “is to use the right product in the right place, in the right way to help achieve that magic.”Amazing how many  do not know this, even today!  The magic here was by Kim Lepine who had that magic touch with all her hair work, making it pretty and soft, wearable, also fashion forward. At the time, most long hair was one length, so this inteesting haircut was new’ish then. To see more magic, for a romantic curled version, and an evening version, click HERE
Hair: Kim Lepine, La Coupe, 1987 … Makeup: Nadiya Nottingham … Fashion Styling: Arianne Phillips/Creative Workforce  … Empire Dress: Melissa Chatain … Ribbon Bow: Hyman Hendler … Model: Krista/Giovanni, Montreal … Photos/Tinting: Geoffrey Hargrave Thomas (Collage by Helen Oppenheim)

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