The Art of the Wig

“An undescript head of hair is the most difficult thing to accomplish.” 

Raffaele Mollica has been making wigs since the 1970s. The New York Times stepped into his studio, where he weaves "the hair one strand at a time" to create pieces that sell for thousands of dollars. “It’s tremendous labor and all that labor is art.”

In their accompanying piece about wig-making in New York City, The New York Times tells us about other artistes, such as Nicholas Piazza. It is the story of a fascinating but dying world – one that I have wondered about for some time because I have walk past the numerous, cubbyhole shops selling human hair in midtown for years.

Wigs at Nicholas Piazza’s studio in Manhattan. CreditDemetrius Freeman for The New York Times

It's great to see the writer included the deeper, political story of hair by referencing the work of Emma Tarlo and the FTC's brief regulatory guidelines (1970-1995) on labeling hair.

Fleas in My Hair

WWII U.S. Army Corp Nurses Washing Their Hair, 1945.
from the collection of U.S. Army nurse Joy Lillie at Grand Rapids.Historical Commission
"Joy went for 30 days without taking a bath when she first arrived."

 

"I do not mind not washing for a week or more, but I do hate getting fleas in my hair." 

Clare Hollingworth,
the war correspondent who broke the news of the outbreak of World War II, in her memoir.
Ms. Hollingworth died at 105 on Tuesday, January 10, 2017.