craft
Updated: 08/30/23 – 19:59
From September 6th to 11th it’s Broadway instead of Grünstrasse for Raffaele Bianchi.
© Christian Beier
The Solingen master hairdresser Raffaele Bianchi has to achieve perfect results in the shortest possible time in the “Big Apple”.
By Manuel Böhnke
Solingen. New York instead of Ohligs, Broadway instead of Grünstrasse. This is Raffaele Bianchi’s motto for next week. As one of 33 German hairstylists, the master hairdresser from Solingen is traveling to the US metropolis with the initiative Grenzlos to prepare models for their big appearance at the Fashion Week there. “I’m really happy and I’m curious to see if I can handle the pressure,” says the 39-year-old.
It is not his first flying visit to the fashion world. A few years ago he took part in an event organized by the Breuninger chain at Areal Böhler. The commitment in New York is of course a different matter – the fashion week there is one of the most important in the world alongside London, Milan and Paris.
Raffaele Bianchi owes the adventure to his hairdresser colleague Cindy Beck. “She asked me if I would like to do it,” he says. The unequivocal answer: yes. Born in Wermelskirchen, he contacted an agency and came into contact with Grenzlos. In the end it was clear: he’s going to the “Big Apple” from September 6th to 11th. The 39-year-old has to bear the costs himself, he does not receive any remuneration. That’s not bad, it’s about something else anyway: “I want to gain experience.”
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This process has already started before departure. Raffaele Bianchi and his 32 colleagues recently took part in a workshop with Gary Baker in Hanover. The creative director of New York Fashion Week spent two days preparing them for their assignment. The encounter left an impression on Bianchi: “At first I thought I couldn’t do anything – until I understood what it was really about.”
“I want to gain experience.”
Raffaele Bianchi, master hairdresser
And that is, above all, speed. The 39-year-old is not allowed to reveal which brands he will be working for during fashion week. However, he can give an insight into his everyday life in New York. The alarm clock rings at 3.30 a.m. – an hour later the transfer is waiting. Closing time is only after the last of the up to 20 shows of the day – the end is open.
Braids, braids and updos, curls – the techniques do not pose any problems for Raffaele Bianchi. “That’s our usual portfolio.” Rather, the required accuracy and the necessary speed are challenging. “You have to achieve the perfect result in the shortest possible time.”
A maximum of 15 minutes is available per model. That’s why two hairdressers work on one head at a time. “The tone can get rougher at times,” says Raffaele Bianchi. Especially since he doesn’t know whose side he’s working with: “But it’s crucial that everyone knows which hairstyle we have to implement.”
Is his fur really as thick as he claims? What is his resilience in extreme stressful situations? Raffaele Bianchi wants to find out in New York and also make new contacts. And bring impulses for his salon on Grünstrasse.
He started his own business there in 2019 and now has three full-time employees. The 39-year-old’s goals are ambitious: He wants to be one of the top dogs in Solingen, and the name of his company should stand for high quality standards.
Bianchi has been working on these since school days. As an eighth grader in Wermelskirchen, he realized that he wanted to be a hairdresser. His mother gave the impetus for this – involuntarily. When she returned from cutting and coloring one day, the result was not well received by the junior. “I didn’t want other women to walk around like that,” Bianchi recalls with a laugh. That’s why he not only started cutting his siblings’ hair, but also began an apprenticeship in Wuppertal in 2002. Shortly after his master’s exam, he moved to Mallorca in 2008 to gain new experiences.
Raffaele Bianchi came to Solingen three years later because of love – he put down roots in Aufderhöhe and found his professional home in Ohligs. His motivation has remained the same over the years: “I want people to leave my salon happy.” Or step confidently onto the New York catwalk.
2023-08-31 22:53:00
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