FRANCE: PARIS: LAST WIGMAKER IN CAPITAL SHUTS UP SHOP

Описание: (30 Apr 1998) French/Nat

The last wigmaker's in Paris has shut up shop.

It had been the only shop in the French capital to make wigs by hand and had supplied world famous operas, cabaret and theatres.

But now high taxes and foreign competition have forced the wigmaker's out of business.
Denis Poulin's workshop was spending its last hours in operation on Wednesday.

The craftsman blames high taxes and the lack of orders for his decision to close down a business founded in 1900 as 'Maison Bertrand'.

Poulin bought the workshop in the quiet courtyard of the 9e arrondissement in 1983.

With at one point more than thirty employees, he was providing wigs for a whole range of costume drama.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"Our work involved cinema, television, theatre and music-hall. Obviously we cover the Crazy Horse, the Moulin Rouge, the Lido. There is a lot of business with television, opera. The demand was rather strong but since 1990, the activity has been reducing more and more, because taxes have been increased more and more."
SUPER CAPTION: Denis Poulin, wigmaker

He also lost clients to cheaper competitors in the United Kingdom and Italy, who often hire workers in Asia.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"We are becoming European, that is true. But more than 'Europeanisation', there is globalisation. Nowadays, with faxes, computers and high speed plans you go and chase your workers in Asia rather than Europe."
SUPER CAPTION: Denis Poulin, wigmaker

Denis Poulin started his career as a hairdresser and worked for the likes of Maria Callas and Liz Taylor.

But he found his niche making wigs by hand - and is sorry the service will no longer be available in Paris.

SOUNDBITE: (French)
"Now clients will have to go on Eurostar to London, Turin or Milan to find wigs. There is still a little stock at France Costume, at the SFP (French state production house) and that's all."
SUPER CAPTION: Denis Poulin, wigmaker

Poulin believes his remaining six-thousand wigs have cultural value - but it was not possible for the French Ministry of Culture to take them.

Instead, the stock has been sold to a British costume designer.

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