The Guinness World Records (GWR) has officially recognized Helen Williams, a talented Nigerian hair maker, as the new record holder for the widest handmade wig.
In a recent blog post, the renowned British reference book announced that Helen crafted an impressive hairpiece measuring 3.65 meters (11 feet 11 inches) wide, trailing down to the floor.
This width is comparable to the length of a Mini Cooper, which measures 3.63 meters (11 feet 10 inches).
Helen’s journey to achieving this remarkable feat began in February when she embarked on her third attempt to break the record.
After a month of dedicated work, she completed the wig using more than 800 bundles of auburn hair, investing over N4 million ($2,719; £2,150) in materials.
The 31-year-old professional wig maker meticulously crafted the wig mostly by hand, employing a sewing machine for some parts. She stitched the wig together on a framework with needle and thread and adorned it with over 1,000 rhinestones.
“Helen makes wigs every day, but this was such a huge project that it took her months to plan and design,” GWR noted in its post. The blog also highlighted that Helen was inspired to take on the challenge by actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore, who was involved in creating a previous record-breaking wide wig.
Reflecting on the challenges she faced, Helen said, “I encountered many problems. The first few days of the attempt were difficult because I couldn’t walk or sit properly anymore. I was feeling pains everywhere, I had to deal with neck pains, back pains, and pains in my thighs. Putting the wig on my head was also very tough because of the weight. But I am very happy I completed the project.”
Helen’s achievement adds to her impressive list of records. Last November, GWR certified her as the record holder for the longest handmade wig.
She also holds the record for inserting the most hair clips (90) in a wig in 30 seconds.
