BATTLE OF THE BLONDS
Whose blondness looks better, Ivana Trump’s or Madonna’s? And what is the state of the art in cities between Hollywood and New York?
Stylist Gina Furth, whose own hair is flaming red, turns out to be an expert on the subject.
Furth, based at the Yuki Salon in West Hollywood, recently made an informal study of blond variations during a cross-country trek as part of a television project on the Judds, the mother-daughter country music singing team. CBS was filming the singers, Furth was styling their hair. Hers is a highly personal vision of the state of blondness across the nation.
Q: Have you seen much change in blonds over the last few years?
A: I’ve been doing this for 25 years. The blonds have really evolved. The California blond is like nothing else in the world. It’s the best blond there is.
Q: Why is that?
A: Ours is a warmer blond, with more tones. It is a blond-on-blond look instead of one all over color.
Q: Have you found people are asking for a specific blond?
A: Candice Bergen. They want that color hair. It’s elegant and it’s not flashy. It has a beige or taupe background and there is no flash. No one ever asks me for Madonna. But the two process blonds (bleach and toner) are having a big revival since Madonna did hers.
Q: What about the time Ivana Trump had solid yellow blond, did anyone ever want that?
A: That butter color? That color in this city’s light is so hard and offensive. Nobody wants to look like that.
Q: What kind of hair styles do Los Angeles women want?
A: Hair is much messier here than anywhere else. It’s much sexier. It’s wilder, but on purpose. It’s not like a tossed salad.
Q: What color did you see on the East Coast?
A: In New York there are pretty Connecticut blonds, but in the city they are all brunettes.
Q: Why? A: It works better in the city’s natural light, and it’s the more formal side of dress. Brown hair lends itself to a more pulled together look.
Q: If they go blond what color do they choose?
A: Same as here, blond-on-blond, that Bistro Garden look. Except we use a deeper, richer color base with brighter highlights. The color is similar in New York but the contrast between the highlights and base is not as extreme. Or they go for the Grace Kelly East Coast blond look, cool and elegant.
Q: Who is a good New York blond, Ivana?
A: She looks fabulous, but it’s a more Hollywood look. I didn’t see any good blonds in the city. They are all brunettes, like Carolyne Roehm and Donna Karan, the fashion designers. They wear great blazers and swingy brunette hair. It’s a rich look. In New York, women are not as pretty as they are put together. They look drop-dead.
Q: That takes care of the fashion capitals, what about points in between.
A: In Washington, the women are not concerned with fashion. They talk about issues.
Q: You can’t be blond and talk about issues?
A: You can’t be focused on fashion. They don’t want to look too flashy or stylish because people will want to know how they did that on a politician’s salary--which is a legitimate concern.
Q: How about Nashville?
A: Nashville is real glitz. Everyone there is done to death. It’s a look all its own. Higher heels, wider shoulders and taller hair. They take a trend and run with it.
Q: How would you describe their hair?
A: That Southern belle look. They all have hairdos. Usually a magnified version of the old shag, really jacked up in front and big . And there are tons of blonds. Nashville is loaded with bright blonds, either golden yellow or that white blond. Everybody gets their hair done. These women, I’m telling you, are pretty. They have small noses and wholesome looks like Miss America.
Q: Are the country stars you work on in Nashville different from the rock-’n’-rollers from Hollywood?
A: I love these people. They are very much not in the princess mode of Hollywood. They work out of tour buses. They take on a whole different demeanor when it comes to real life. Theirs is far more real, they eat at truck stops not Spago, Motel 6’s as opposed to the Hilton’s. They are pretty self-sufficient.
Q: Is there a blond mentality?
A: I think for girls who come to Hollywood thinking of being stars, being blond is part of the fantasy.
Q: Were you ever a blond?
A: I was blond for years. I was younger then and it only looked good if I was tan and rested.
Q: Are you doing more blonds these days?
A: I’ve taken a lot of blonds to red recently, to a lighter strawberry red. You can’t be sure if it’s blond or red. As you get older, it is a good idea to soften the hard reds or yellows. The more colors you put in the hair the easier it is to maintain. Plus, it’s more flattering.
Q: Who would keep mousy brown hair?
A: Nobody. They’d go blond.
