Combining Hair fare with Fashion

by Prasad Abu Bakr

The recently concluded SLAHAB Hair and Beauty Fair and Hair Asia Pacific 2007, besides focusing upon hair and beauty that were two of the main ingredients the event also had the L'Oreal Hair Extravaganza playing a major part this year together with clothes fashion as a part of the show.

When asked how this hand in glove combination came into play this year? Nayana Karunaratne explained that it was not all together a novel idea. "We have always had fashion shows included in our annual hair and beauty shows even on earlier occasion. But this year we extended it to give designers an opportunity to become a major part in this whole operation" she said.

She further stressed that it was only natural that women always looked at their clothes with the same interest they paid to their hair and make-up. "It had become a natural thing to have a fashion showing at our events in the past and it was also happening globally, to tie-up hair and beauty with dress fashion at major hair and beauty fairs".

So this years planning of this mega annual happenin g by SLAHAB, had fashion as a major subject which came to be discussed during the initial stages and right throughout to the end.

"We actually had a big response to our call but we were able to accommodate only a few and the most important people who work as designers today, to show their creations at this years show" said Nayana who also spelled it out with a great sense of pride and honour that the designers who did participate did a great job and the association is extremely thankful to each of them for participating with the uttermost professionalism in all aspects of their work.

Nayana also stressed that today most of the cosmetic companies and agents for beauty and hair care products are using themes in their annual product output to match the trends of large fashion houses both in Europe and Asia. As in the case of year 2006 and 2007 most of the make up and hair styles are associated with nature and animal life.

Colours ranging from birds to various animals are being used in a wide range of make-up and hair colouring and tints.

Most of these products are raised to match today's trends in clothes. If one looks around it is evident that animal skin prints and fabric prints, influenced by the colours of exotic birds like the peacock are widely seen appearing on catwalks around the world.

Nayana also stressed the need to keep up the tempo in this regard even locally because she thinks it is difficult to divorce clothes fashion from hair and make-up, specially in today's context where women are looking for that 'total look' when grooming their appearance.

So she seriously thinks that both hair and make-up have to be closely knitted at all times if the entire beauty industry and the women's fashion industry is to steer ahead to greater heights in the future.