TONI&GUY students locked in an avant-garde hairstyling skirmish this week to see who could leave cable viewers gasping for Oxygen.
Five students from the Toledo, Ohio TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy produced fantasy hairstyles that are set to air in promotional commercials on Buckeye Cable Systems touting the Oxygen Network’s latest reality TV show “Hair Battle Spectacular.” Scheduled to premier today, the show piles on the drama and creativity as 10 stylists tangle to see who can create the most fantastic fantasy hairstyles – and win a $100,000 grand prize. The commercials are set to air on Oxygen Network, MTV, Bravo, E! and TLC.
Jennifer Bates, Nikki Bloom, Chelsey Jones, Cydney Wayne and Jill Zawacki were chosen by their peers to represent the academy based on the fantasy styles each created earlier in their programs, showcasing originality, creativity and aptitude in manipulating hair to create artistic styles not seen every day in a salon.
Senior student Chelsey Jones
used a live model – her classmate Lexi Veller – to showcase a nature-inspired
theme. She used a bushy nutmeg-coloured wig, large rubber craft stamps and body
paint to transform her model’s wheat-blond hair into that of a nature nymph.
“The most challenging aspect
for me was making sure to keep my ideas on track,” Jones said. “I sometimes
tend to go over the top and not know when to say when. The most rewarding thing
was knowing that my classmates voted for me to be put in such a great
situation.
“It’s a very exciting opportunity to put yourself out to the public,” she said. “My model Lexi was game for anything and when you have trust like that it was easy to let myself get lost in my art.”
Jennifer Bates sparkled with creativity in her recreation of a fireworks scene on a mannequin head. With all-black makeup, rhinestone stars on the face and tall bursts of orange, blue, red and green representing fireworks, Bates said she hopes her designs inspire others to see a different side of hairdressing.
“There is so much more to it than I ever imagined,” Bates said.
The junior student also created a hair-hat reminiscent of those worn by ladies to the Kentucky Derby. Made entirely of hair, the hat brim fanned away from the mannequin head in a rippling wave of red and gold woven together.
Just as these TONI&GUY student pushed the limits of traditional hairstyling with their designs – like Salon Ready Student Nikki
Bloom creating an art deco red-and-black diamond lampshade hat entirely of hair– the competitors on “Hair Battle Spectacular” will treat audience members to a blow-by-blow peek into how they build their crazy, and potentially
catastrophic, sculptures.
Contestants will complete
challenges wherein they coif a combination of creativity, execution and overall
presentation. Fantasy hair designer Derek J.,
celebrity stylist Lindsay Albanese and a special rotating guest judge are slated to judge the creations. The TONI&GUY students’ styles will be showcased each week in conjunction with the show.
Two TONI&GUY artists drew inspiration from different spectrums of a classic children’s tale – the hero and the villain from the film “Alice in Wonderland.”
Junior student Cydney Wayne painted her rose of a model white, not red, and used a deep auburn wig, rhinestones and stark white makeup to transform her classmate Tori Ebli into the eerie likeness of the Queen of Hearts. Jill Zawacki, a junior student, used cardboard,
wire, hair, ribbon, tubes of glue, a teacup and saucer and more than a lump of ingenuity to recreate Johnny Depp’s character the Mad
Hatter on a mannequin head.
“The most challenging part about the project was constructing the hat using the hair. It took a lot of time and patience,” Zawacki said. “The most rewarding aspect was being voted to
even participate in the photo shoot. I was surprised and honored to represent the school.
“Plus maybe Johnny Depp will see and want to meet me,” she added with a grin.
Check back at toniguy.com each week to
see that week’s featured fantasy style commercial. For more information on “Hair Battle Spectacular,” visit the Oxygen Network Web site.
To learn more, contact Toledo Recruiting Director Kristin Reichardt at kreichardt@toniguy.com.
