Latest news with #RachelWalker
ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Wigmaker Rachel Walker spends up to 450 hours on wigs for medical hair loss
Master wigmaker Rachel Walker can spend up to 450 hours painstakingly attaching human hair, strand by strand, to a Swiss lace base to create a single wig. The time-consuming process has become a passion for her after seeing the impact a wig can have on the self-esteem of people experiencing medical hair loss. Ms Walker, who has been a hairdresser for 36 years, expanded her skills to wig-making 10 years ago, when she became frustrated by the lack of options available to her clients. She largely relies on hair donations to keep wig costs as low as possible, but her wigs still cost thousands of dollars because of the skill and time required to make them. Even the simplest wigs can take close to 100 hours to complete. "Sometimes I get in a real zone and can ventilate [the process of hand-tying hair strands] for five to six hours," Ms Walker said. Other options are available for people experiencing medical hair loss, including a service by the Cancer Council, which provides free wigs for people suffering hair loss due to cancer treatment. Ms Walker, one of just a handful of human-hair wigmakers in Australia, was inspired to learn the skill when she realised the range of wigs available to her clients did not reflect their identities before they started losing their hair for medical reasons. Seeing no training opportunities in Australia at the time, she relocated to New York, where she studied under two master wigmakers. "I've been going strong ever since," she said. Sitting surrounded by boxes of hair in her home studio in southern Tasmania, Ms Walker said the only downside was finding strands of hair everywhere. "I have hair in my food, I have hair in my washing, I have hair in my hair — my house is full of hair," she said before laughing. Today, she is working on a topper, a piece made to blend with a client's existing hair. Looking through a magnifying glass, she skilfully adds a single strand of hair to the lace. This topper will take an estimated 98 hours to complete. The clock starts ticking before Ms Walker even picks up the Swiss lace, as she must first match donated hair to her client's existing or lost hair in density, texture and colour, if maintaining their former look is what they desire. For clients who had, or still have, the beginnings of white or grey hair, Ms Walker individually selects grey or white strands from her compendium of hair. She said silver and white hair was the most difficult to source because people with those hair types generally wear their hair short or colour it. Ms Walker receives "bunches of packages" of donated hair from all over Australia and New Zealand. A recent donation of a brown ponytail of hair was cut 37 years ago and kept by a parent, who was willing to part with their daughter's hair in the hope that it could help someone else. The donation arrived with its 1980s plastic, hair-bobble ties still intact. "For somebody to donate it and to willingly cut off that adornment … to share what they have and to give [it] out of the loveliness and generosity of their own heart … it's just beautiful," she said. Barb Jeffery of Western Australia bought one of Ms Walker's toppers after years of living with extensive scarring alopecia, a permanent type of hair loss. She and her friends call her topper Moira, after a character from the television show Schitt's Creek who has a wig for all occasions. Ms Jeffery says Moira is a celebrated member of her family and community, and is "known about town by lots of people … she has a personality". "I've noticed a huge difference. When I'm out with my normal hair, people will say hello and immediately look at the top of my head," Ms Jeffery said. "That used to upset me. I didn't want to be in family photographs — now I take a photo any time I have Moira. "It makes you feel good again." Ms Jeffery said wearing the topper for the first time was overwhelming for everyone. When unable to meet a client's needs through local donations, Ms Walker buys ethically harvested hair, but said she was facing difficulty in accessing ethical hair because of the war in Ukraine, where her supplier was based. Anthropologist Assa Doron, of the Australian National University, has spent more than a decade exploring the global trade of human hair as part of a larger project on waste. He said the trade was built on the exploitation of labour, primarily in the Global South, and was largely unregulated because of its "fragmented" and "informal" nature. In 2013, Professor Doron travelled to India, where he observed waste pickers, people who collect refuse from gutters, collecting hair in unsafe conditions and with minimal protection. He also traced the supply route of temple hair, which is cut by religious pilgrims as a sign of devotion but then collected and sold for profit, in his co-authored book Waste of a Nation. Professor Doron said there was no standardised certification, like the Fair Trade certification, that verified ethically sourced hair. Until such mechanisms existed for hair, ethical sourcing would remain difficult, and conditions would not improve for "the most vulnerable in this trade". Ms Walker said she refused to buy hair from temple hair sources and had a stance against unethically sourced hair. Free wigs are among options for those experiencing medical hair loss. The Cancer Council offers access to a wide range of synthetic wigs and turbans for free to anyone who has lost their hair due to cancer treatment. Claire Prior, the council's Tasmanian director of supportive care, said the wigs could be tailored to suit a client's face. The Cancer Council accepts donated wigs, and other organisations, such as Sustainable Salons — who sort and send hair to wigmakers and charities across Australia — accept donations of plaited natural or coloured hair ponytails of 20 centimetres or longer. The Australia Alopecia Areata Foundation offers wig advice online for children and adults living with alopecia. "You don't have to donate to me … you can donate to any wig-making charity that supports people who have medical hair loss," Ms Walker said.
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Major update after missing woman, 34, disappeared from Sydney suburb over a week ago
A Sydney woman who disappeared over a week ago has been found after her worried friends begged the public for assistance. Rachel Walker, 34, was last seen in Newtown, in the city's inner west at about 12pm on Tuesday, May 20. Police were notified of her disappearance on Sunday when her family and friends were unable to contact or locate her. 'It's not like Rach not to be in contact for this length of time, we're all worried sick,' close friend Hannah told NewsWire earlier on Tuesday. 'Anyone with any info please contact the police as soon as possible. 'Rachel is so loved by so many people. We just want to know she's OK.' Another friend shared the appeal for information on Facebook. 'I am super worried about her also... horrible news,' one wrote in the comments. 'Fingers crossed,' another said. NSW Police said Ms Walker had been located in an update at 3.18pm on Tuesday. 'A 34-year-old woman reported missing from Newtown on Tuesday (20 May 2025) has been located,' a statement read.
7NEWS
27-05-2025
- 7NEWS
‘Please come home safe': Search for 34-year-old Rachel Walker, missing from Sydney's innerwest for a week
Concern is mounting for a woman who has not been seen in a week. Rachel Walker, 34, was last seen about midday on May 20 in Newtown, in Sydney's innerwest. Police were notified she was missing on Sunday and are investigating her whereabouts. A friend told NewsWire it is out of character for Walker to go quiet for so long. 'It's not like Rach not to be in contact for this length of time, we're all worried sick,' the close friend said. Another friend pleaded via social media for people to spread the word: 'Any friends in Sydney and Australia please share!' 'Rachel you are so loved, please come home safe.' Loading Facebook Embed Someone else also urged others to share the post, adding: 'This is absolutely heartbreaking to see.' Walker is described as Caucasian, about 165cm tall, with a slim build and blonde hair. She has tattoos on the base of her neck and foot. She is known to frequent the Coogee and Erskineville areas. Anyone with information is urged to contact Newtown Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Heartbreaking message from friend of missing woman as the frantic search continues: 'Worried sick'
The worried friend of a missing Sydney woman last seen a week ago has issued a desperate plea for information. Rachel Walker, 34, was last seen in Newtown, in Sydney's inner west about 12pm on Tuesday, May 20. Police were notified of her disappearance on Sunday when her family and friends were unable to contact or locate her. 'It's not like Rach not to be in contact for this length of time, we're all worried sick,' close friend Hannah told NewsWire. 'Anyone with any info please contact the police as soon as possible. 'Rachel is so loved by so many people. We just want to know she's OK.' Another friend shared the public appeal for information on Facebook as Ms Walker's loved ones expressed their concern in the comments. 'I am super worried about her also... horrible news,' one wrote. 'Fingers crossed,' another said. Inquiries began into her whereabouts on Sunday with police and Ms Walker's family concerned for her welfare. She remains missing as of Tuesday morning, police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia. The Sydney local is known to frequent Coogee and Erskineville. She is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall with a thin build and blonde hair. Ms Walker also has tattoos on the base of her neck and foot. Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to call Newtown Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
News.com.au
26-05-2025
- News.com.au
Friend's heartbreaking message as search continues for missing woman Rachel Walker
A friend of missing woman Rachel Walker has pleaded for help in locating the inner western Sydney local, who hasn't been seen or heard from in almost a week. Friends and family of Ms Walker, who was last seen in Newtown about 12pm on Tuesday, hold concerns for her welfare after being unable to get in contact with the 34-year-old. 'It's not like Rach not to be in contact for this length of time, we're all worried sick,' close friend Hannah told NewsWire. 'Anyone with any info please contact the police as soon as possible. 'Rachel is so loved by so many people. We just want to know she's OK.' Ms Walker is described as being of caucasian appearance with blonde hair and blue eyes, with tattoos on the base of her neck and foot. She is about 165cm tall with a thin build, and is known to frequent the Coogee, Newtown and Erskineville areas. Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to call Newtown Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
