The "Fall in Love with Wella Show," presented by 11 hair salons from Shanghai and Nanjing, demonstrated that the stylists are drawing inspiration from everything from retro movies to shock art that approaches visual vandalism.

Stylist Wang Lei, who has already set up his salons here and is to open his own hair academy in the city, played up Chinese elements - the traditional costume and coiled hair style with chopsticks - in his presentation and drew strong applause.

Stylists from Nanjing-based Dasson Hair Salon took their cues from the country's traditional architecture and furniture. Chinese "steelyards" and "windmills" found a home in the coiled hair of their models.

Shanghai Bazaar Hair Salon cut and teased out styles that harked back to the Shanghai of the 1930s and 1940s in a presentation titled "In the Mood for Love," which featured the "qipao" dresses and background music from the popular movie.

Some international hair cutters who attended the show were impressed.

"Personally I loved the show by stylists from local salon EXY. They placed such stress on cutting skill," said Tennessee from London, an instructor at Vidal Sassoon Academy in Shanghai.

The short hair styles by EXY featured lots of layers, but the shocker of the night came from "top stylist" Li Jiaxing from Shanghai Xinxin Hair Salon, which claims to be a leader in the Chinese hair trade and the "No. 1 beauty salon in the Far East."

Wearing dark sunglasses, Li began combing the shoulder-length, dyed-blond hair of an unsuspecting young model.

All of a sudden, he pulled together a sheaf of her hair, whipped out scissors and cut the handful to half its original length, leaving the rest untouched.

Li's quick cut not only surprised the audience but the model herself, who, clearly close to tears, kept glancing down in disbelief at the golden debris at her feet.

(Eastdat.com 04/03/2001)