Hair Unlimited with Michael Wolf

Michael Wolff is a Sydney based hairdresser and the owner off the infamous Michael Wolff salon on 35 Orwell Street, Potts Point. Over the past few decades, Michael has been working as a commercial and creative freelance business doing hair and make-up.

Over the years Michael has worked on many fashion shows and graced the pages of many fashion magazines, he has also been responsible for the imagery of many DeLorenzo campaigns and beauty editorials.

This is what I now have to tell you! Says Michael…

Having left school at the age of 16 I really didn’t know how my life was going to turn out.

My favourite subjects at school were the entire creative subjects based around the arts. So, from an early age I was influenced by fashion, music, books, and magazines. My passion for this was to pave the way of what was to become.

I became interested in hair after being offered a hairdressing apprenticeship at the age of 17.

Having lived in two different states of Australia and two different continents, I was beginning to grow confidence and was influenced by a wide range of cultures. I only ever worked in 4 other salons. I chose the salons I wanted to work in and enjoyed every one of them equally.

London calling! In 1980 I moved to London to continue my dream and passion and through this dedication I was able to work alongside some of the best hair stylists in London.

On my return to Australia the time had finally come for me to open my first salon, launching it in Sydney in 1990, forging my passion and professional career in the enchanting world of hair, fashion, and beauty.

My reputation in the industry is one of a wealth of knowledge and creativity. My work is renowned for cutting edge vision, it’s of real-life feminine beauty adding a personal stamp to all of my work. Michael Wolff Salon remains the creative headquarters for the commercial and creative divisions still today.

Returning from Europe at the beginning of 2016, my decision was to put all health checks in place. Shockingly I was diagnosed with colon cancer.

Immediately I began cancer treatment but still remained working in the salon and doing freelance hair and make-up. July 29th, 2016, I had come through 9 hours of surgery at St Vincent’s hospital in Sydney. During my time in hospital and convalescing at home I decided that I wanted to make some awareness for other people to make regular health checks for their own health and wellbeing.

Being a hairdresser, I could use my skill sets and knowledge to drive this message forward. Also, I could give something back to the incredible medical industry for further research, and this would be my appreciation for the wonderful care I received at St Vincent’s hospital in Sydney.

Deciding on doing a beautiful hair book was my goal. I have many contacts in the industry with a list of great photographers I could work with. James Mills was to be the man for me to work on this project with. And then Hair Unlimited was born.

I had a definite idea of how I wanted to do this book. Mapping out and planning this project was considered in detail. I wanted timeless appeal, so that meant natural hair styling and corrective makeup. I would make notes of real-life emotions and write words to create this book.

James and I would book all the talent who were of all nationalities, they were all beautiful young people. We would shoot 3 or 4 models a day and spend 2 hours with each one of them and create as many different looks as possible. Shooting would go over 2 days at the beginning of every month, then we would break so that the looks would remain fresh, new, and different.

My task each shoot day that I set myself would be to only use a limited number of tools and product. This enabled the hair to stay fresh and moveable. The make-up was all mono toned and about fresh glowing skin. I had made some hair accessories myself and that would be the only styling I would require. I particularly didn’t want the clutter of any styling with these beauty images to allow each page in the book to be able to breath. runway shows to fashion and beauty shoots. This experience enabled me to take on the art direction and lay outs for the book. James and another great creative friend Julie Ewington would help also oversee each stage of this process.

James would keep me inspired with his fabulous lighting and he would create 3 different set ups in the studio each time. He’d motivate me to move the hair and tell a story within the way I would use my hands or to even put some wind through the hair creating real life moments.

Finally, all the shoots were completed over a period of many months of working. We had a bank of 2300 images to edit down to 173 looks. With the wonderful help and great eye of Julie Ewington, we had the excruciating task of editing. I thought there was something missing and I needed to find a young First Australian person to photograph and then I would be satisfied that the job was well done. And so, we did.

At this point of time Covid 19 had hit Sydney and we were in lockdown, this then slowed down the process of the production of the book. It’s now 2021. I have made a great recovery from stage 3 cancer, and I have a book Hair Unlimited ready to go. Hair Unlimited is a limited edition retailing at $130 a book. I intend to donate all profits to the Curran Foundation for future research for bowel cancer at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney. Book sales will be available through selected bookstores and at Michael Wolff Salon. A formal launch is on hold until lock down restrictions permit.

HAIR UNLIMITED CREDITS:

Hair and Makeup by Michael Wolff @MichaelWolffSalon

Photography by James Mills

Published by Wolff and Mills Beauty Publishing.

I especially thank all of the talent who donated their time for awareness and the cause. Thank you, all of my assistants and production team. And thank you St Vincent’s and the Curran Foundation.