Alternative Hair Show
From LoveToKnow Hair
The only event of its kind, the Alternative Hair Show draws the attention of thousands while raising money for an outstanding cause.
About the Alternative Hair Show
Founded in 1983, the Alternative Hair Show is the brainchild of Tony Rizzo, a leading hairstylist from England. The show was created to raise funds and awareness for Leukemia Research following the death of Rizzo's son, Valentino. In the early '80s, awareness and understanding leukemia was not strong, and Rizzo's goal was to spotlight the disease, help find a cure, and honor his son all at once.
The Challenge=
Since its inception, the show has established itself as one of the world's most prestigious events for hairstylists. Each year, a number of teams of various stylists from different hair institutions around the world are invited to attend the show. Attendants arrive from the United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Scotland, Italy, and more. The team members are given a concept to work with, and their challenge is to create a hair theme based on this concept. For example, the concept for 2008 was "emotion," thus challenging teams to create styles based on their interpretations of the word.
The Celebrities
The show also honors renowned stylists and presents the coveted Visionary Award to the hairstylist voted "most creative." In addition to this playful side of the show, there is also celebrity entertainment involved. During the 2008 show, Italian opera star Francesco Malapena closed the festivities with a riveting performance. During the show's 25th anniversary in 2007, singer Delta Goodrem was introduced as the face of the program and performed live at the show.
Supporting the Cause
The show is held annually in various parts of the world, ranging from Chicago, Illinois to London, England. Since its inception, the show has raised more than seven million pounds (GBP) for leukemia research. It's also important to note that the teams who present at the show do so at their own expense.
Donations
Donations made by hairdressers are put to excellent use. In addition to going directly to leukemia research, the funds also go toward the Alternative Hair Family Weekend. Thanks to the generous donations received each year, the weekend allows children who suffer from leukemia to enjoy time with their family at a fun travel destination, such as Disneyland Resort Paris.
The purpose is, of course, to allow the families some down time and the children a chance to relax, but it's also an opportunity for these families to mingle with one another and share their experiences. The weekend includes over 100 people, and Tony Rizzo and his wife, Maggie, also accompany the group.
The Alternative Hair Collection
Though no longer in existence, Tony Rizzo and Alternative Hair did offer the Alternative Hair Collection for a limited time. These products were available in limited quantities at salons in the United Kingdom, as well as at UK health and beauty retailer Superdrug. The lineup included shampoo, conditioner, treatments, repairing formulas, styling tools, and shine enhancers. With the sale of each product, 10 pence was donated to the Leukemia Research Fund.
The Visionary Award
The Visionary Award was launched in 2004 by Alternative Hair president Anthony Mascolo. Through this exciting event, hairdressers are invited to submit an image to the Visionary Photo Image Award competition. Ten winners are chosen, and they are then invited to present one model at the Alternative Hair Show. The models are an interpretation of the hairdresser's unique vision, and everything – from the makeup to the clothes to the hair – is styled magnificently and enigmatically.
Express Yourself
It's not just the Visionary Award that allows hairdressers to go all out, though. The show itself is a massive celebration of creativity and imagination, uniting stylists from all over the world and inspiring them to do virtually anything they desire to put on display for show attendants. This creative freedom is especially appealing to stylists, and that, combined with the chance to attend such a highly reputed event and donate to a worthwhile cause, makes the show a success year after year.
Learn More
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© 2006-2009 LoveToKnow Corp.
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