Bringing together the best levels of creativity, talent and competitive spirit, the OMC Hairworld is an annual championship for hair, make-up and nail professionals from world wide.   

Generally known as the ‘Olympics of Hair’, contestants are judged in categories starting from Classic Fade Cut to Fantasy Style, from Body Painting to Casual Bridal Make-up as they compete to turn into World Champions of their field.

Happening at Porte de Versailles, Paris, stylist Elisa Zaccanti and photographer Luca Anzalone were there to report on the scenes. Initially, stunned by the wildly creative, unconventional styles, by the top of the competition each Zaccanti and Anzalone left transformed by what that they had seen. “I learnt appreciate what was happening there,” says Anzalone. “The undeniable fact that were no rules or specific aesthetic countries needed to commit to, made their creative process freed from any limitations and ultimately real.”

Zaccanti agrees. “No matter my taste, the extent of their execution was extremely high and also you couldn’t do anything but appreciate that celebration of beauty,” she says. “I left the show moved by those looks.”

Here, the pair muse over the competition and what they saw at this 12 months’s edition.

How did you first come across the OMC Hairworld?

Elisa Zaccanti: I got here across a bunch of OMC images by probability while I used to be researching one other project. I used to be intrigued by the mannequins’ similar faces, so I got curious and commenced searching for the source. It looked like something quite obsessive and I’ve at all times been considering other people’s compulsions.

I discovered it was a hair and sweetness world championship and for the reason that images you possibly can find online were purely business, I assumed they’d make the right subject for a fashion reportage from someone with a really distinctive vision – so I reached out to Luca Anzalone.

Eventually, I discovered that what looked like a weird obsession was actually certainly one of the competition rules: just one mannequin brand (the sponsor’s) is allowed. Even so, the undeniable fact that you might be surrounded by similar faces that slowly begin to be transformed right into a kaleidoscope of various shapes and color by the hand of the participants makes it for a extremely fascinating – and barely surreal – show.

The looks are quite extreme. Are you able to describe a few of the stuff you saw that stood out to you?

Luca Anzalone: Wow, it’s very hard to inform. The entire experience of following the making of the looks blew me away repeatedly. Each competitor was there to impress jurors and present essentially the most shocking while still perfectly executed look anyone could ever imagine. From 3D printed face mask to over sculptured hair, from laborious dying techniques to tedious obsession for nail details, from extravagant costumes to fantasy characters. The backstage was pure chaos, some looks took roughly six hours prepping time and you possibly can see the ultimate piece coming to life, it was something I’d never seen before to that extent all happening in a single place. 

What were the trends that emerged from the competition?

Luca Anzalone and Elisa Zaccanti: Trends were highly depending on the category people were competing. You may see how each category would shape the aesthetics down i.e. fantasy category you’ll see fairies and warriors, for fade cuts Punk style looks were the bulk. Body painting was essentially the most chaotic in style, referencing anything from ancient goddess, sea creatures, divinities to fashion icon reminiscent of Karl Lagerfeld. Fashion Bridals dresses were hyper influenced by high fashion collections from designers reminiscent of Galliano, Iris Van Herpen, and McQueen. Bridals looks were a combination of Carnivalesque references and culture-based influences from each country. Nails were a totally different chapter, with a few of the most bizarre ideas could ever consider, from nail-candles or nail birdcage look or butterfly nails to Chinese dolls hanging from the nails. 

Do you’re thinking that any of the looks will turn into the subsequent street hair trend for the general public?

Luca Anzalone: After I first walked contained in the exhibition I ran straight backstage as I used to be curious to follow the prepping. Looks were so extreme and outwardly seemed so detached from the general public eye and even from the style industry I’m a part of. Nonetheless, I actually have to be honest, throughout the day I learnt appreciate what was happening there. The undeniable fact that were no rules or specific aesthetic countries needed to commit to, made their creative process freed from any limitations and ultimately real. And I could see the audience appreciating that too, the authenticity of those creations in addition to their mesmerising beauty, that just about felt unachievable for the general public to recreate. I think that might be the beginning of the transition, wherefrom the intense may be diluted and mixed into the overall understanding of what you possibly can achieve together with your skin and hair, body. It’s only a matter of time when things start becoming acceptable and inside this process there shall be a change over the present trends, preferring now less wealthy details looks and natural look.