The Alternative Hair Show 2011 raises the roof at the Royal Albert Hall
The 29th Alternative Hair Show triumphed yet again at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 16th October 2011, presenting awesome shows and raising £190,600 for Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research, a terrific sum to augment the £8 million raised over the past 28 years.
18 creative show teams from England, Australia, Ireland, Russia, Italy, France, Japan and Hungary took to London’s Royal Albert Hall stage to present their individual interpretations of the 2011 Alternative show theme: Illusion.
Dedicated this year to the late, great Honorary President of Alternative Hair, Joshua Galvin, the event saw the introduction of a new annual initiative – the Joshua Galvin Award – to be presented to someone whose efforts are truly outstanding; someone going the extra mile.
Joshua’s brother Daniel Galvin announced the first recipient of this esteemed award: Dmitry Vinokurov of Russia for his extraordinary efforts working with Russian authorities to ensure the Alternative Hair Show premiered in the country notably at the State Kremlin Palace on 28th September 2011.
Daniel said,
Joshua was a massive supporter of the Alternative and a great inspiration to us all. He did more than anyone to unite us all as an industry and he’d have been so proud to know there’s now this award in his honour.
Alternative Hair founder Tony Rizzo said,
Get ready to see incredible hair, incredible shows and incredible costumes presented by the best artists in the world!
He gave profuse thanks to the show’s many manufacturer and media sponsors.
Alternative Hair President Anthony Mascolo had equal praise for the show teams,
Thank you so much for generously giving your time, money, passion and energy to share your artistry with us all, while raising awesome amounts of money for the charity.
The 2011/2012 Association Internationale Presse Professionnelle Coiffure (AIPP) Award Winners were also announced at the event. 400 entries from 21 countries were received this year and the winners were awarded by AIPP President and Estetica Network Publisher, Roberto Pissimiglia.
The 2011/2012 winners are:
- Best Commercial Category: é Salon, Australia
- Best Avant-Garde Category: Angelo Seminara, UK
- Best Photo Category: Antonio Bellver and Roberto Robbie, Mexico
- Best Men’s Category: Anne Veck, UK
- Best Video X-Presion, Spain
To compete for the Alternative’s International Visionary Award (which showcases fresh creative talent), 15 models presented a myriad of outstanding avant-garde creations, from huge furballs and exaggerated Mohicans to sleek colourful geometrics and asymmetric towers of hair. First place went to Marco Lamberti, Italy; second place to Bruno Marc Giamettei, UK; and third place to Sonia Danaher, Ireland.
Presenting a cheque for £190,600 to Leukemia and Lymphoma Research Chief Executive, Cathy Gilman closed the evening,
Children’s treatment can last between two and five years, so your help is unbelievably appreciated – all the teams, hairdressers, sponsors, Tony, Anthony – everyone and every single penny is massively appreciated by us all.
THE 2011 ALTERNATIVE SHOW TEAMS’ PRESENTATIONS
SASSOON, UK
Impossibly glossy, precise geometric haircuts on models with impossibly lithe, semi-naked bodies sheathed in ink black net and bands of fabric.
Pirouetting, demure white swans with HUGE white hair de-robed to transform into black-clad vixens with stacks of attitude.
ALES INTERNATIONAL, JAPAN
Taking a circus theme, models in primary colour wigs and undressed crinolines were entertained by a hoop acrobat cart-wheeling around the stage.
DAVID MURRAY, IRELAND
Full of Phantom of the Opera theatricality, extraordinary avant-garde girls wore exaggerated costumes and metallic face-painted masks.
FILIPPO SEPE, ITALY
A gentle interpretation where My Fair Lady met Pygmalion, elegant models spurning their lesser-shod sister until she morphed into a captivating beauty.
LASZLO HAJAS, HUNGARY
An intriguing parade of ethereal beauties whose matador-style tossing skirts vied for attention with the shiny soft air bubbles which trailed in their wake.
MIKEL LUZEA, SPAIN
Dressed head to foot in black PVC, this array of sexy sirens marched to the tune of pulsating music with a dominant air.
É SALON, AUSTRALIA
An energising presentation where white plastic ballet-skirted models moved to the groove of Didgeridoo inspired club tunes.
Exquisite long hair models in synched-in trench coats shrugged off their coats and released their one pin updo to reveal long, glossy, tumbling sexy manes.
GUY KREMER, UK
Fire hot and glowing scarlet, models were head to toe in RED, their hair in loose dreads, dressed high in ponytails or crocheted into shapes and balls.
MAHOGANY, UK
Models in soft ash grey-green chiffon to match their soft ash blonde hair infused with caramel tones and textured dressing.
BUNDY BUNDY, AUSTRIA
Presenting the ambiguity of sexuality, models were shown as half man, half woman – an intriguing take on boy, girl, girl, boy, boy girl...
KLAUS PETER OCHS, GERMANY & FRANCE
Amazonian beauties showed the current zeitgeist with their jungle fevered tribal dancing whipping up into a hot fervour of style.
SACO, UK
Exploring the wonders of overt sexuality, cropped haired models oozed lustful thoughts in their black PVC bondage-inspired garb.
TIGI CREATIVE TEAM, UK
Exaggerated futuristic costumes and ahead of its time hair colluded with metallic fabrics and obscure makeup to conjure up an illusion of an incomprehensible future.
TIM HARTLEY, UK
Presenting iconic looks redolent of the '60s but with a very modern twist, deep black cowl neck garments served to emphasise the stylishly dressed hair.
DMITRY VINOKUROV, RUSSIA
An entertaining piece of storytelling, where models transformed from gliding marionettes to sumptuous sirens of the highest order.
SANRIZZ, UK
A wonderfully colourful, Picasso-inspired vignette where models in dip-dyed monochromatic dresses wore brightly coloured hair in fruity shades of cherry, orange, lemon and blackberry.