16 hairstylists vie for crown, title of 'Hair Apparent'

Melanie Graves wove a hodge-podge of music paraphernalia into her daughter's hair Friday. Clad in a sequined dress and go-go boots, IU freshman Marli Haddan wore a three-pound phonograph horn from an antique record player, 45s and disco balls atop a mountain of synthetic hair as Grave's model for Curl Up and Dye for the Arts.\nGraves, owner of Hair at Melanie's, 105 1/2 N. Dunn St., spent six hours crafting the music-themed hairstyle. Her creation won her a crown and the title of Bloomington's first "Hair Apparent" at a sold-out John Waldron Arts Center Friday night.\nThe council announced the event in an October media release as a "runway extravaganza where professional hairstylists and amateur hair artists compete to see who can create the most fantastical hairstyle."\nThe competition was a fundraiser for the council, a nonprofit group that supports public participation in the arts by developing, strengthening and promoting cultural resources, according to its Web site.\n"Hair is something not traditionally considered art, but if you think, there is a lot of creativity and artistic talent involved -- It's just a nontraditional media," said Jocelyn Robertson, director of performance and events at the council.\nRobertson said she pitched the idea for bringing a fantasy hair event to Bloomington after a chance discovery. \n"I read an article about a hair show in New Hampshire. It had a great photo of the winner, and we were inspired by that," she said. "It's in the realm of what we do to encourage artistic and sculptural creativity." \nSixteen local stylists, representing 10 different businesses, created hair sculptures: Studio 6, Perfect Illusion, Mondo Salon and Spa, Be Hair Now, Hair at Melanie's, Elan Salon, Mira Salon, Hair Masters, Om Studio and Exoskeleton Cabaret.\nThe council brought in Jo Ratkovich, owner of Mondo Salon and Spa, 222 S. Walnut St., as a fantasy hair specialist who has traveled to Italy, London, Paris and Puerto Rico, among other places, to participate in competitions throughout her career.\n"I can't tell you how excited I've been. This is what I love, what I've done for 30 years. It's been a long time since something like this has been done (in Bloomington)," said Ratkovich, whose salon entered six women models and the show's only male model. \nNine Mondo stylists contributed to some of the night's innovative hair concepts. One Mondo model and regular customer, IU junior Kaela Mahoney, was dressed in an "industrial Renaissance" look, complete with a silver period-themed dress, mesh facial covering and mounds of designed hair pieces and extensions. \n"Besides having to be (at Mondo) at 8 a.m. to get ready, it's been fun so far," said Mahoney, whose mother was a hair model for Ratkovich in the '70s. "I always let them do what they want, but they've never done anything like this before."\nFollowing an introduction by the event's Mistress of Ceremonies Heather Lynn, Ratkovich took the runway to say a few words before the walk-off got underway.\n"Fantasy hair means anything you can dream up, whatever inspires you, a nightmare the night before, anything you can imagine and come up with," she told the packed audience. "Part of all of this is you'll never have clients let you do this type of thing to their hair, so that's what makes something like this fun. ... You can break all the rules."\nThe models hit the runway to the music of DJ Festus. The intricate nature of the designs made it apparent that each competitor had been through an arduous transformation process. Peacock designs, a Bloomington tree, natural beauty, a chandelier, a fairy godmother and an out-of-control vine were just a few of the fantasy ideas brought to life. \nJudges for the night included former Miss Gay IU Bianca Defy, Miss IU Pageant Executive Director Lindsay Shipps Etienne, County Councilwoman Sophia Travis and John Waldron Art Center Custodian Graham Montague. \n"This is my first time judging anything like this," said 2006 IU graduate Shipps Etienne, who has styled hair for pageants for five years.\nThe judges chose Graves' musical masterpiece as the best of 16 entries, while Exoskeleton Cabaret came in second with a glow-in-the-dark, Slinky-esque hairstyle. Exoskeleton Cabaret (www.exoskeletoncabaret.com) is a Web site maintained by IU alumna Libby Bulloff and dedicated to the production of synthetic hair and wearable art. \nGraves wore the highly sought-after Bloomington Hair Apparent crown, made partially of hair rollers, after her win. \n"I'm in shock. I'm so happy. We worked so hard," Graves said of the effort she and her model and daughter, Haddan, put into the competition.\nStill wearing the antique record player on her head, Haddan, who sported the winning music-themed design, said she was also in disbelief of the outcome.\n"I had no idea this would happen; I was completely shocked," she said, going on to explain the sentimental value of the winning design. Haddan's grandfather had given her the phonograph she wore on her head, she said. \n"My grandpa gave us the 45s for the costume," she added as the crowd surrounded the winning duo.\nBefore the audience members filtered out of the auditorium, Lynn offered them a friendly reminder.\n"Before you go, remember to tip your stylist," she said.