ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 31, 1996 TAG: 9610310068
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES STAFF WRITER
Much like John H. Johnson, whose Chicago-based empire is behind the famous Ebony Fashion Fair, Gregory Addison is an entrepreneur. Though the owner-stylist usually can be found at his Hair Attitudes beauty salon on Peters Creek Road in Roanoke until about 9 at night, don't look for him there tonight after 5.
Addison will be closing early to get ready for the 39th annual Ebony Fashion Fair. The fund-raiser, sponsored in Roanoke every two years by the Young Adults of St. Paul United Methodist Church, will be held tonight at the Roanoke Airport Marriott.
"Roanoke's fashion scene could be much better," Addison said. "We're close-minded to fashion, very conservative. Most of the time I have to go out of town to buy what I want."
He hopes to change all of that.
A regular at the Ebony Fashion Fairs for the past six years, Addison said he always enjoys the traveling runway shows, which are produced and directed by Johnson's wife, Eunice Johnson. This year's production will display 11 female and two male models wearing more than 200 garments and accessories by American, Italian, French and British designers such as Carolina Herrera, Donna Karan, Enzo Russo, Gianni Versace, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Bruce Oldfield and Michiko Koshino.
The theme of this year's show will be "The Great Fashion Mix," and according to Eunice Johnson, the show will feature a clever mix of textures and shapes with many body-hugging styles that emphasize the figure without restricting it. Some of these styles will include deep V-necks plunging into skin-tight evening dresses; snug jackets with billowy skirts; and daytime wool suits in plaids or animal-inspired motifs.
"The clothes can be a little fantastic," Addison admitted. "And where would you wear them, especially in Roanoke?"
He laughed.
"Although they have some far-out clothes, you can also get ideas. Like I've seen models in really sharp suits with wild accessories. You can adopt what they do to your own style," he said.
Addison will not only enjoy tonight's show, but his entrepreneurial side also will be busy seeking ideas for his own fashion and hair shows, which he began staging in 1995. His next show is scheduled for Feb. 23 at the Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center.
Addison's shows use hair models, ages 4 to 60-something, from among his own clientele at Hair Attitudes, as well as out-of-town models. He also uses clothes from local stores and styles from both local and out-of-town fashion designers.
The first half of his shows emphasize hair styles. So Addison said he'll pay special attention to the fashion fair models' coiffures as a barometer of upcoming trends.
"Hair is fashionable just like clothes," he explained. "Two years ago, when the fashion fair was here, they were doing a more tailored look from like the '60s. Then, sure enough when those clothes came, the hairstyles like the soft waves and flips came along with them."
The second half of Addison's shows feature clothing. Addison said he's noticed that in more metropolitan areas, such as Los Angeles and New York, there isn't much difference in the way different ethnic groups dress.
"But there is a definite difference, especially here," he said. "I think that now, more than ever, [black people] are getting into big names like Donna Karan and Jones of New York. And we're into more of a tailored look, whereas we're not into that lacey, country flowers look. We're into a dressier look.
"I wish more merchants and buyers from some of our larger stores would attend more shows so they could see the fashions that are out there now and we could get a better choice of clothes here."
He said that if he could make a major change in the local fashion scene it would be to make both men and women less inhibited about what they wear. He noted that when it comes to dressing up, the seniors, who comprise a large part of this area's population, are probably some of the sharpest. Middle-aged people tend to be more reserved about their dress, he said.
Unlike Ebony founder Johnson, Addison is still far from a millionaire. But the 27-year-old bachelor is surprising even himself with his success so far. A native of Exmore, on Virginia's Eastern shore, Addison said he's been interested in hair and fashion for as long as he can remember. After graduating from Northhampton High School, he decided to make cosmetology a career and moved to Roanoke to attend Virginia Hair Academy.
His first job out of cosmetology school was at Lifestyles beauty salon, where he worked as a stylist until October 1993, when he purchased the shop and renamed it Hair Attitudes. His younger sister, Angie Addison, also a Virginia Hair Academy graduate, now works as one of his eight stylists. His mother, Linda Addison, is his receptionist and manager.
"Everything has fallen in place for me. It's nothing but the grace of God," Addison said. "I had no idea when I started out that I would be owning my salon within six years of being in business or have the clientele that I have. But I don't think it could have worked out any better if I'd planned it.
"I really like dealing with people. I kind of get like a personal high when I make someone feel good, when people come in and they're a little depressed and I fix their hair and they leave smiling, it makes me feel good."
* Ebony Fashion Fair tonight at 8 at the Roanoke Airport Marriott. Tickets are available from Gregory Addison at Hair Attitudes (call 562-1540 before 5 p.m.) or from members of St. Paul United Methodist Church (call church representative Diann Clark at 362-5528). The $25 ticket includes a subscription to Ebony, EM or Jet magazine.
LENGTH: Long : 108 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: 1. - 3. Among the 200 outfits to be featured atby CNBtonight's Ebony Fashion Fair are (from left) a black lace and
striped knit skirt, camisole and bolero jacket by Christian LaCroix;
a peach silk crepe gown with matching cape (with a mohair collar) by
Christian Dior; and a satin and velvet ball gown by Torrente. color
4. ROGER HART STAFF Gregory Addison, owner of Hair Attitudes beauty
salon, styles Rose Murdock, one of his longtime customers. Addison
is helping promote tonight's Ebony Fashion Fair color.