Thursday night’s second annual "Orlo Goes Global" hair show was a first-rate success. Models and stylists from the Orlo School of Hair Design and Cosmetology strutted across the stage to a sold-out room, their hair piled and wound into ambitious and daring creations, while impressed judges from Wella, Milady, Time Warner and Sebastian looked on.The audience was taken on a whirlwind trip around the world, with looks inspired by the seven continents. The show started with Karan Dhiman’s model, whose hair was modeled on the landscape of Africa's Serengeti. Orlo students and alumni had been assembling their looks and perfecting their technique weeks before the contest. “I think it’s a great assignment,” says Dhiman, 23. “It teaches you not only about hair and makeup, but about cultures. I think this is an awesome project.”
Jennifer Charon, 28 originally went to school for fashion design and has already participated in five fashion shows, but she says, “I never had the hair to go with all of the clothing, so now I get to do both.” Her model wore a zebra-striped mohawk of see-through rolls, and upside-down waterfall braid. “I’m just excited because I love to be front and center, and have everybody looking at my stuff,” says Charon.
After Africa, models from Asia strutted across the stage. Nina Gage, 29, was inspired by Memoirs of a Geisha. Her model’s hair towered above her head, a shining stack of buns, wound with braids, jewels, and orchids. “I got all the pieces, the Styrofoam from Joann’s Fabric store, and then I went and got hair just from a normal discount store. A hot glue gun and some jewels, and this is the result,” says Gage proudly.
The show continued, and before the night was over nearly 50 models sported looks from Australia, Europe, North America, South America, and Antarctica while awed crowds cheered and applauded. DJ Trumastr kept the room pumping with an eclectic soundtrack featuring songs from around the world.
“It’s so exciting,” says student Caitlin Miles, 24. “I’m really excited because when you get out and you’re in a salon, unless you’re doing shows like this, you really don’t have an opportunity to do things like this, to kind of explore and be creative. It’s amazing.”
