Wig maker

Jeremy Stevens

Theatrical wig maker Annette Miles left the bright lights of London’s theatre scene 24 years ago to travel. Landing in Sydney, she quickly found work in stage and film, crafting a reputation as one of the best. She is currently working on the Priscilla, Queen of the Desert stage show.

“In the early days I worked from home alone doing small productions in theatre and some television. I later took big productions and 20 staff, premises and we got very busy. The business was named 3am Wigs for good reason,” Miles jokes.

Miles began studying at the London College of Fashion in an introductory fashion course that incorporated make-up and hair science. Wig making was a specialist field within the wider, artistic studies program.

“I was lucky, as my teachers were old school and gave me a strong foundation in the mechanics of hair and a clinical approach,” she says. “To make a wig you have to have patience and focus. To sit quietly and really work with the hair … you can’t think about which celebrity is coming in. You have to have a dedication to perfect sewing.”

A production usually has rehearsal fittings, meeting individual cast requirements. “After opening night I leave it, but we do look after repairs and cast changes,” Miles says. “Film is very immediate and they want everything yesterday. Theatre is far more civilised. “People get star struck and think how fabulous it is because I work with interesting people, but that’s only 15 per cent of the job.”

Qualifications: To become a wigmaker, working in either theatre and film or with private clients, you usually undertake a Make Wigs module as part of the broader course of Advanced Hairdressing Skills — Statement of Attainment. This course articulates to the Certificate IV in Hairdressing. Entry requirements are a Certificate III in Hairdressing or equivalent.

Course description: The module deals with the competencies required to select hair/fibre types and preparation of materials involved in making wigs and hairpieces. Skills learned include correct knotting, tying and weaving application tasks to meet various client requirements.

Costs: The module costs $328 annually or $164 per semester.

From the inside: Annette Miles says the profession has been good to her but deadlines and pressure are ever present. “There are short-cuts but they are not worth taking,” she says. “I like to use highest quality hair and double knot everything so it stays in. You can use cheap materials and make things that won’t last, but what’s the point? “I prefer to make things that last, so I can move on to something new rather than be constantly repairing an old piece. It’s not good for your reputation.”

More information: tafensw.com.au

By Jeremy Stevens, The Daily Telegraph, November 18,  2006.