About Us
-(Our Founders, Our Studio & Our Team)-
A Behind-The-Scenes Look Inside A Premiere Custom Wig & Facial Hair Studio
Of The Motion Picture & Television Industry.
Dept. Head Hair/Key Hairstylist
IATSE Local 798 Journeyman.
Voting Member Of The ACADEMY OF TELEVISION ARTS AND SCIENCES.
Head Of Faculty Of Wig & Makeup Design And Technology At The Theater School At
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY,
CHICAGO.
HERO HAIR’s Founder, Erin Kennedy Lunsford, is a classically trained, IATSE Local 798 Journeyman in her 20th year in the entertainment industry at large.
From her early beginnings in New York City, running tracks as a"swing," directly out of The University of Minnesota Theater Program, and moving soon thereafter into professional wig, hair & makeup design Off, and on Broadway, to
OUR FOUNDER
& HEAD WIG DESIGNER
ERIN KENNEDY LUNSFORD
motion pictures & television, Erin's formal wig & hair credits span the entire academic, and entertainment industries; having personally worked with, and applied her skills to such actors as Micheal J. Fox, Katie Holmes, Winona Ryder, and Academy Award® winners/ nominees, and Emmy® Award winners/nominees as the late Angela Lansbury, Kathleen Turner, and Robert Redford amongst countless others. Erin also has the distinction of personally creating the first custom wig ever worn by America Ferrera.
While Erin also spends significant time, and resources, training the next generation of Broadway, motion picture & television industry wig & facial-hair makers, as the current Head Of Faculty Of Wig And Makeup Design And Technology, At The Theater School, At DePaul University, Chicago, she splits that time by maintaining a consistent presence in her field in the motion picture & television industry, across the country, and connects every opportunity of elevating the craft of wig & facial hair design within it to her fully staffed brainchild, HERO HAIR: The REEL Wig Experience™ (formerly conceived as far back as 2010, under the moniker of “When Wigs Fly.”
36-Year Veteran (Former) Motion Picture And Television Storyboard Artist, IATSE Local 839 Animation/Live-Action Industry Journeyman.
Guest Lecturer Vancouver Institute Of The Arts (Van-Arts)/ Guest Instructor The Vancouver Film School, Vancouver, British Columbia
Guest Lecturer Of Wig & Makeup Design And Technology At The Theater School At
DEPAUL UNIVERSITY,
CHICAGO.
Digital Wig & Facial Hair, Post-Production Visual FX (CGI) Consultant.
HERO HAIR’s Co-Founder, Travis Cowsill, is a renowned, global entertainment-industry, multimedia/multi- medium artist.
A 36-Year Veteran (former) Motion Picture And Television Storyboard
OUR CO-FOUNDER
& CREATIVE DIRECTOR
TRAVIS COWSILL
Artist, and former IATSE Local 839 Animation/Live-Action journeyman for animation houses from Disney, to Warner Bros., and Marvel's original animation studio in Los Angeles, CA, and live-action productions from independent film, to big- budget releases from New Line Cinema, and worldwide, on-location assignments, traveling as far as the cradle of civilization in Cairo, Egypt for The Discovery Channel, he now commits his vast array of talents to our studio over several departments.
In addition to having a direct supervisory and physical role in all wig and facial hair visual design-through-creation, Travis is also responsible for all visual and infrastructural aspects of THE HERO HAIR brand-proper; from our website design, product, and site photography, and editing, to producing all video productions, from 1- minute clips to full-length documentary featurettes, and our entire catalogue of online content creation on our robust social media platforms, from Instagram, to Facebook and beyond.
HERO HAIR has completed our full studio-relocation from our long-time location in NYC, to Chicago, IL!
In a move nearly 2 years in the making, HERO HAIR has transplanted our entire studio operation to the beautiful Gold Coast, Lake Shore Drive,
Chicago, IL, and is in full production on an array of projects for 2023!
We will be updating this page soon, sharing images and video of our UNBELIEVABLE new studio space, located 100 feet from the shores of Lake Michigan.
While we were sad to part ways with our Brooklyn home of nearly a decade, Chicago came calling, and the quality-of-life-elevation of the "Windy City" was something we could not turn down.
Welcome to the all-new "REEL wig experience!™"
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WELCOME TO
HERO HAIR's fully furnished rooftop overlooking Lake Michigan. Ten minutes from Downtown, Chicago.
HERO HAIR's main Chicago, IL studio, located on The Gold Coast's historic Lake Shore Drive, is run by Founder /Head Wig Designer ERIN KENNEDY LUNSFORD (IATSE Hairstylists & Makeup Artists Local 798/ member of the Academy Of Television Arts And Sciences) and Co-Founder/ Creative Director TRAVIS COWSILL.
Staffed by our local, core-creative team, Monday through Friday, with our additional long-time satellite artists Zooming in virtually from their ateliers, from NYC, to L.A. & PA, for our non-local film & television actors located in the three general production hubs of the industry, this primary, sprawling studio space features complete, on-site film and television pre-production wig & facial hair creation capabilities, from your actor's first head-wrap, to their final fittings before our delivery to HMU, performed either virtually, or in-person on-site when local to Chicago.
HERO HAIR'S CHICAGO STUDIO
STUDIO RELOCATION UPDATE!
HERO HAIR's historic lobby, with 24-hour concierge desk, & discreet security access to upper floors for our industry guests, when local to our studio.
Full, DISCREET security guest-access to our studio location's unique amenities, including our two full gyms, and on-site upscale bodega (vegan, and organic-friendly, with fully stocked wine and liquor bar for takeaway) and, yes, our fully furnished rooftop are all available to our visiting actors, department heads, producers, and directors when visiting locally to HERO HAIR.
During the warmer months, the rooftop's full 360% view of Chicago, and front-row, birds-eye view of stunning Lake Michigan are fabulous and relaxing after a long flight for HERO HAIR meetings, or winding down from our time together over whatever you like to eat or drink. Conveniently located 100 feet from beautiful Lake Michigan, and ten minutes by car from Chicago's downtown.
HERO HAIR is nearing our ninth year in operation, and we would be nowhere without the talented artists behind our banner. Meet our core team below in their bios! You can also learn about just some of the amazing television and film productions our studio has been fortunate to be a part of by visiting our official Instagram @officialherohair.
MEET THE HERO HAIR TEAM
SENIOR FOUNDING ARTIST: Ventilation & Color Specialist. Original HERO HAIR Founding Team-Member. IATSE Hairstylists and Makeup Artists Local 798. Full Bio Updated Soon! Bio coming soon.
SENIOR FOUNDING (GUEST)-ARTIST: Cut & Styling Specialist. Original HERO HAIR Founding Team-Member. IATSE Hairstylists and Makeup Artists Local 798. Full Bio Updated Soon! Bio coming soon.
LEAD ARTIST: Custom Wig Technician, Color Specialist & Key Stylist. Full Bio Updated Soon!
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT to the Founder. Full Bio Updated Soon!
Please visit the HERO HAIR DIFFERENCE™ page of this website for a behind-the-scenes look
at what sets HERO HAIR apart from any other wig & facial hair studio in the industry.