ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Nigerian wigmaker, Helen Williams, has achieved a remarkable feat by crafting the world’s longest handmade wig, measuring an astonishing 351.28 meters (1,152 ft 5 in).
Helen dedicated 11 days and over two million naira (ÂŁ2,031; $2,493) to bring this extraordinary creation to life.
To construct the record-breaking wig, Helen meticulously built the underlay using wig-cap netting and black fabric attached to a bicycle helmet.
The impressive hairpiece was then completed with 1,000 bundles of hair, 12 cans of hair spray, 35 tubes of hair glue, and 6,250 hair clips.
Reflecting on the challenging process, Helen said, “Finding the materials to make the longest wig was not an easy task. My experience as a wigmaker helped a lot.”
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With eight years of professional experience, during which she has produced between 50 to 300 wigs per week, Helen is no stranger to the art of wig making.
Despite her extensive background, creating this record-breaking wig posed its own difficulties. “At some point, I felt exhausted,” Helen revealed. “However, friends and family encouraged me. I did not want to let them down, so I maintained my focus. The outcome is the longest handmade wig in the world.”
The main challenge Helen encountered according to her, was finding a suitable location to lay out the wig in a straight line for accurate measurement. After exploring various venues, including several running tracks, none proved long enough. Ultimately, she chose the Lagos–Abeokuta Expressway, a vast road connecting Lagos and Abeokuta, for this purpose.
Helen now proudly keeps the monumental wig in her office, inviting anyone interested to view it at their convenience. Overwhelmed with joy, she expressed, “It will take a while for me to digest. This achievement is one of the best things that has ever happened to me. I still cannot believe it.”
Helen concludes with advice for others: “My advice to everyone out there is: dreams are attainable. However, the journey is a very rough one.”
The world’s widest wig was made by Dani Reynolds (Australia) and measured to be 2.58 metres (8 ft 6 in) wide on 12 November 2022.
Emilio Minnicelli (Italy) made the world’s tallest wig. It was modelled in the main square of the Bologna Piazza Maggiore on 15 May 2004, where it was measured to be 14.3 metres (46 ft 11 in) tall.
Also, the world’s longest hair extension was made by Nikola Kulezic (Serbia) and measured a length of 820.29 metres (2691 ft 3 in) on 26 June 2013.