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Neville Ramsay from Sunderland-based salon Ramsay & Johnson, says celebrities have certainly helped remove the stigma associated with wigs. "Celebrities are synonymous with what's new and what's hot in hair and fashion, and because everybody wants to emulate their favourite celebrity hairstyle, more people are using wigs," he says. "Celebrities are like walking billboards - they promote a positive image that wigs are trendy and can change your look instantly without any commitment."...
The biggest revelation to come out of London Fashion Week in February was that this is definitely the season to be having fun and experimenting with your hair. Dull, flat, poker-straight hair is so last season and the fashionistas of the world are now encouraging us to embrace your own style and be individual. It's finally acceptable to be different, and what better way to express your style than with a wig?
Young fashionistas
It's not just old school celebrities like Barbara Windsor and Joan Collins who are fans of the wig - a little bit of extra hair in a cut or colour that you simply can't achieve naturally has become the must-have accessory.
For clients who fancy a cute sharp bob or sexy long waves for one night only, a wig is the perfect solution. Lady Gaga, Pixie Geldof and Britney Spears are all happy to openly wear a wig.
But there is, of course, a more serious side to wigs, and for clients who have lost their hair through illness the more acceptable wigs become, the easier it will be for them to wear one for non-cosmetic reasons.
Neville Ramsay from Sunderland-based salon Ramsay & Johnson, says celebrities have certainly helped remove the stigma associated with wigs. "Celebrities are synonymous with what's new and what's hot in hair and fashion, and because everybody wants to emulate their favourite celebrity hairstyle, more people are using wigs," he says. "Celebrities are like walking billboards - they promote a positive image that wigs are trendy and can change your look instantly without any commitment."
Look good - feel better
While it's easy enough to buy a fashion wig in department stores or on the internet, what about those people who need a wig because they have lost their hair through illness? Very few salons offer wig services and if professional hairdressers aren't offering to cut and style wigs, then who else can help?
Neville was so disappointed by the lack of professional wig services he launched My Designer Wig, a service for clients wanting a bespoke wig, cut, coloured and tailored to suit/'My service is used by those suffering from alopecia, side effects from cancer treatments, and for those using wigs for fashion purposes," he says.
Neville offers a private, discreet room away from the main salon and says that for many it's not merely a wig service, but a therapeutic experience.
His service has been so successful, he has since trained eight salons to handle wigs."I use two models, one an alopecia sufferer and one with hair so I can demonstrate how a wig fits on each type of client/'he says.
"The secret to a realistic looking wig is all in the cut -because hair is woven through a mesh and not the scalp you should never cut in bold straight lines as this will make it look false. I always razor cut wigs for a softer, more natural textured cut."
Neville isn't the only hairdresser to have pioneered a wig service. Trevor Sorbie launched the My New Hair initiative, a non-profit service for clients suffering medical hair loss. He offers advice and wig customisation for clients suffering medical hair loss and has now been joined by 175 salons offering the service.
Trevor says wig technology has improved greatly in the past decade."The only way you can spot a wig these days is if it is really bad," he says.
An avant-garde essential
While wigs clearly have their place for clients who need them, either for hair loss or as a fashion statement, they are also essential for avant-garde hairdressing.
Greater London hairdresser Darren Ambrose from D&J Ambrose is renowned for his avant-garde styles and regularly uses wigs." When you are using professional models you are very limited to what you can cut and colour, so using wigs gives you more freedom creatively," he says.
However, if you're really thinking outside the box and want to create an avant-garde style Darren advises recycling old wigs and pieces/'You can be eco -friendly and use old wigs and wefts to make a new shape. Many pieces are reusable. If you pay more you generally get a better quality of hair," h e says.
While it might be tempting to always use the cheaper synthetic wigs for avant-garde work, Darren prefers to use real hair."Synthetic hair looks synthetic. It is the real hair that gives the image its realistic edge."
As more and more celebrities wear wigs, it's only a matter of time before the trend trickles down to the high street.
"One aspect we can always change about ourselves is our hair and even if we don't have the hair that we want we can always create it by wearing a wig," says Trevor.
