Wholesale Hair Systems - Hair Replacement Education

PASADENA, CA - Hair Replacement Innovator Richard Farrell created a stir in the Hollywood Film Industry at the 8th annual International Makeup Artists Trade Show in Pasadena, California held on June 12 and 13. With some of the film industry's top talent on hand, Farrell, president and founder of Farrell Hair Replacement headquartered in Los Angeles, demonstrated his craft that has earned his company the title of "Best in the World" in the hair replacement industry for the past seven years.

Performing under the banner of world renown makeup and special effects product manufacturer Premeire Products Inc. (PPI) of California, Richard Farrell teamed up with Academy Award-nominated and Emmy-winning makeup artist Richard Snell (Artificial Intelligence, Amistad, Lethal Weapon 3, The Last Samurai) to demonstrate the stunning illusions of a bald cap topped with a "full-cap" hair replacement system.

PREMIERE PARTNERSHIP

Premeire Products' association with Richard Farrell began in 1996 when Eric Heinly of PPI saw Farrell's demonstration at the American Hair Loss Council Trade Show in San Francisco. Farrell was introducing - for the first time anywhere - lace hair systems for daily wear.

"Richard is a great talent and when I first saw his work many years ago at an AHLC show in San Francisco, I was really impressed," said Heinly. "I can spot a hair system a mile away and Richard's work was completely undetectable."

PPI, which also develops and markets advanced products for the film, theater, health care, and medical industries, observed as Richard Farrell not-so-quietly branded his mark on the hair replacement industry, growing his small Los Angeles salon to a company with locations in all areas of the continental United States with affiliates in Europe and New Zealand.

Richard Farrell, left and makeup artist Richard Snell backstage at the 8th Annual IMATS in Pasadena.

Over the past two years, Premeire Products has officially created an alliance with Richard Farrell, formulating and manufacturing a complete line of ultra-custom hair replacement products exclusively for Farrell Hair Replacement, including adhesives, removers, shampoos, conditioners and skin care treatment products.

Looking to fill a void in the Hollywood makeup industry for custom wig making, Heinly arranged a meeting between Farrell and makeup artist Richard Snell, noted in the makeup industry for his undetectable bald caps. The two artists shared instant chemistry and rapport and the planning for Premeire's dazzling product and talent demonstration at 8th annual IMATS show began.

DAZZLING DEMONSTRATION

In an age of computer generated movie special effects and makeup artists who can effortlessly make a twenty year old man appear eighty, it still remains a challenge to create an undetectable bald cap and an undetectable hair system cut short into a "buzz cut."

Richard Snell, left, on-stage as he begins his bald cap demonstration at the IMATS.

While Richard Snell's demonstrations of his bald cap applications have been a mainstay of past PPI exhibits for years, the artists and PPI set up a new demonstration that would solve both challenges: Snell would transform an actor with a full head of his own hair to being completely bald, followed by Farrell who would then apply an ultra-custom hair replacement system to the bald cap, giving the now-bald-appearing actor a full head of hair. The ultimate challenge: Could Richard Farrell accomplish the feat of buzz cutting the hair system right down to the skin while maintaining the system's undetectability?

As a hair replacement artist of over twenty years, Farrell knows something about restoring hair to bald heads. In days of old, fine lace hair systems were, ironically, limited to movie actors on movie sets. Max Factor, who revolutionized hair and makeup techniques for the movies, created lace hair systems for such actors as Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne. It was Richard Farrell who first created fine lace hair systems for the general public for daily wear.

The challenge of creating a lace hair system that can be buzzed short is nothing new to Richard Farrell. Clients of his award-winning hair replacement salons have been wearing Farrell's revolutionary "Short Cut" hair system for more than two years. The Short Cut hair system - created for daily wear - is hand crafted and utilizes many proprietary knotting techniques that are virtually unknown to the rest of the hair replacement industry. These special knotting techniques allow a perfectly designed hair system, with perfect density, to disappear on the skin, even while exposing the scalp.

Farrell clients have been believers for years. But could Richard Farrell make believers out of the Hollywood movie makeup industry already noted for their own shocking illusions?

SHOW TIME

On Saturday morning, as Richard Snell and Richard Farrell made the final preparations for their dazzling demonstration, a steady stream of makeup industry artists and trade show guests were already streaming into the convention hall. PPI's stage, their featured artists and exhibits attested to their high profile in the movie makeup industry.

As Richard Snell began his colorful and informative bald cap demonstration to a dense trade show audience, there was a buzz in the convention hall that none other than Academy Award-winning makeup pioneer Dick Smith (The Exorcist, The Godfather, Amadeus), would arrive to watch Richard Farrell's portion of the demonstration at the Premeire Products stage.

Richard Snell's demonstration went off without a hitch as he showed conventioneers the craft of an Academy Award nominated and Emmy-winning makeup artist. Utilizing PPI's arsenal of award-winning makeup products coupled with his amazing makeup skills, Snell transformed the actor from a full-haired look to a completely bald look right before the eyes of the trade show audience, explaining each step along the way.

Under the bright spotlights of the convention ceiling, with the trade show crowd already amazed at the breathtaking transformation, Snell announced that Richard Farrell would now come on stage and complete the demonstration, doing what he does best - and what he has done for so many individuals - restore the hair and restore the natural look.

Richard Snell, left, applying the bald cap to a model at the IMATS in Pasadena, CA.

"… SO BE PREPARED!"

Richard Snell's finished product of an undetectable bald cap at the IMATS in Pasadena.

As the charismatic hair replacement artist Richard Farrell began his own preparations for the remaining part of the demonstration, all eyes shifted momentarily from the stage as "The Godfather of Makeup" Dick Smith and his entourage approached the PPI stage.

While trade show guests jockeyed closer to the makeup pioneer to request photos and autographs, another makeup artist leaned over and whispered to Farrell, "Dick Smith is here to watch your demonstration. Just so you know, Dick can be brutally honest in his criticism of someone's work, so be prepared!"

Such a warning could have made any other artist a tad bit nervous, but Richard Farrell is one who knows something about pressure. "Of course, I wanted to make the best impression I could," said Farrell after the show. "But my thousands of clients all over the world are tough customers to please."

"High definition TV demands that movie make up and wigs be even better. But life, too, is high definition," added Farrell. "My everyday hair system clients demand total undetectability in their everyday lives, from intimate settings to high pressure business meetings. This is what I do."

The stage now set - and Dick Smith sitting stage left in a specially positioned chair that would allow him watch the demonstration up close - Richard Farrell began his presentation with the words he so often utters from salons, stages and industry trade shows the world over: "Okay, we have here a bald individual and we're about to perfectly restore this person's hair and appearance."

"THIS IS FANTASTIC!"

Performing a "buzz cut" on a hair replacement system presents a great challenge to wigmakers. In order for this cut to look natural requires that every knot look as if it is growing right out of the skin. Densities - how close each hair is tied to the base - need to be perfect as well.

Throwing cause and caution to the wind, Farrell voraciously displayed the talent and abilities that has made him the most sought-after speaker in the International hair replacement arena. "To withstand the challenges of daily wear, these systems have to be durable," stated Farrell as he pulled and cut away the long strands of hair from the hair system.

Many in the crowd yelled out questions, with the witty hair restoration artist's answers drawing both laughs and gasps from the enthusiastic crowd. For his part, Dick Smith sat with his eyes firmly fixed on the hair system, as the illusion was nearing completion. Richard Snell hovered nearby watching Farrell's cut and urging Farrell good naturedly to keep cutting the system shorter and shorter.

Richard Farrell, right, begins his demonstration at the 8th Annual IMATS in Pasadena.

As is his way, Farrell answered the challenge. Roughly one hour later, the hair restoration artist stood triumphant on stage, the model sporting a buzzed cut short head of hair. The crowd applauded their approval as they moved in close to see the finished product on the head of the model. "This system rocks, Rich," exclaimed Snell enthusiastically while Dick Smith, who had been looking on closely said simply, "This is fantastic!"

A style emerges as Richard Farrell, left, performs his demonstration at the IMATS.

Richard Farrell, left, adds water to the "Short Cut" hair system as his wife Laura, right, watches at the IMATS in Pasadena.

Observing the enthusiastic crowd that amassed around the Premeire Products stage, PPI's Eric Heinly said, "I knew that Richard Farrell would impress people at the IMATS and after several years of telling him about it, I'm glad that everything came together to make it work this year. This is undeniably a successful performance."

Scott Heinly of PPI added "Richard Farrell made a big splash in the movie industry today and he definitely held the attention of the industry's top artists. It was a win-win situation for everyone: it's a win for Richard, it's a win for Premeire Products and, most importantly, it's a win for the movie makeup industry because wigs and hair have now been brought to a much higher level."

The Heinly's predictions for Richard Farrell's Hollywood success may come true even sooner than expected. Richard Snell's newest major motion picture project will again test the unlimited boundaries of Richard Farrell's hair systems.

As for Richard Farrell himself, with the crowds ebbed and a peaceful moment to survey his handiwork, Farrell offered his own assessment: "It's ironic, really," Farrell mused, "because the hair replacement industry has resisted this level of craftsmanship and artistry to help the average person suffering from hair loss, but fellow artists recognize the value right away."

"Godfather of Hollywood Makeup" Dick Smith, right, is astonished at the undetectability of Richard Farrell's Short Cut hair system at IMATS in Pasadena.

Richard Snell, top, expresses is approval of Richard Farrell's (not shown) finished product at the IMATS in Pasadena.

"Where are the new Max Factors?" Farrell asks rhetorically.

"We have to return the hair replacement industry to an industry of artists again," he adds with a look on his face and a tone of voice that would convince anyone that he is passionate about his craft and his desire to help those suffering from the devastating effects of hair loss.

"Helping people," he says with conviction, "is really what this is all about."

Story and Photos by Scott M. Diehl