Origins

Sri Venkateswara Temple, Tirupati India¹ - The heat and humidity so oppressive it wraps around you like a hot dripping wet towel, the moisture leaking into the threads of your clothes and sticking the chocking cloth to your gasping skin. The viscous scent of spices rents the air numbing the senses. Everywhere you look, colours so gaudy like a Polaroid of a psychedelic kaleidoscope taken with a fish-lense. A crowd of people wait in line. Whether it was to cast away their sins or a token of gratitude, this was the timeless tradition of “offering one’s hair” to Lord Vishnu.

A seventy year old farmer sits cross legged in front of the temple’s barber. His red-brown skin a privilege of his kinship with the soil and sun. The deep lines on his face and hands a statement that he’s forgotten more than you have learnt in your life. He sits still, serene in his surrender of his pride and vanity. Then he unfolds his frame and stands tall, slowly running his wizened, unyielding fingers and furrowed palms over his bald head. His thin brown lips stretch into a delicate smile that cracked his pleated face, as he feels the smooth sleekness of his new beginning.

Privilege, Ibiza - The heat and humidity so oppressive it wraps around you like a hot dripping wet towel, the moisture leaking into the threads of your clothes and sticking the silk to your pulsing hot skin. The viscous scent of frangipani rents the air numbing the senses. Everywhere you look colours so glittery like a split-second Polaroid of thousands of rainbow coloured sequins quivering. A crowd of people wait in line. Whether it was to cast away their worries or a token of gratitude, this was a timeless tradition of celebrating one’s birth.

A young woman stands in front of the mirror in the ladies room. Her angelic face a tranquil canvas, devoid of guile. Her eyes glimmer with excitement as if her dreams were telling here the secret wonders of turning seventeen. The white Swarovski crystals on the fake eyelashes catch the false light and sparkle for the attention of its owner. A present from her mother. A custom-piece from India specially designed and crafted from the highest quality hair. With deliberate dainty fingers, she slowly brushes over the fine texture of the seductive extensions. Her plump coral-pink lips stretch into the sweetest of smiles at her own new beginning…

¹ Sri Venkateswara Temple – The most visited temple in India with a history that dates back 1200 years.

² Privilege, Ibiza – As at 2008, the largest dance club in the world.