POPaganda Mind Factory

By Stephanie Zografos

Hairstylists in Windsor let their creative side take over to produce unusual looks for a hair fashion show called POPaganda.

POP Hair Gallery Ink held the show to celebrate their sixth anniversary in business.

More than 50 people gathered at POP to experience the unique styles of creative minds who work there had come up with. The theme for the show was “Mind Factory,” so the looks being showcased were bold and unusual.  Some looks shown had models wearing antlers, heavy fringe covering the eyes, big white wigs and vibrant rainbow hair.

Jennifer Lopez, costume designer of the “Mail Order Bride” look, said the hardest and most exciting thing about the experience was taking the first step in her design. She said what inspired this look was her own feelings toward marriage.

“I have never been married,” said Lopez. “People have accused me of being a mail order bride and I kind of wanted to play on that and make myself a wedding dress.”

The show had 12 looks showcased by 11 stylists and four tattoo artists. According to Tracy Paterson, POP’s co-owner, the event took roughly six months to organize but set up happened just two days before because they had to take apart the entire hair salon and tattoo parlor.

The show is held annually with a different theme each year as an outlet for the stylist’s creativity.

“It is a chance for our stylist to do want they have been wanting and waiting to do for either the whole year, or in some cases their whole careers,” said Paterson. “It a chance for them to create something from head to toe and present it to the public.”

The models who performed that evening were family and friends, as well as clients of POP. Some had been working on the production for two months prior to the event. Several models performed dances, while others walked the catwalk.

Meera Carolynyakopich, one of the models, did a belly dance on the stage as a “lioness goddess”. She said she wanted the audience to walk away from the show feeling the essence of her character. Her favourite part of the experience was transforming into something completely out of the ordinary.

“This just took me into a whole other level of creation,” said Carolynyakopich. “So it was great to work with my partner, who had the most fabulous idea for me.”

For more information about POP visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Pop.Hair.Gallery.

“We all get into this business because we are artists,” said Paterson. “So we make art out of hair.”