Raffaele Mollica: Business Story

Born in Sicily, Raffaele Mollica immigrated to New York City in 1956. After attending the Fashion Institute of Technology and breaking into the New York City fashion scene, he was quickly promoted to in-house wig-maker for Vidal Sassoon, Kenneth and then Elizabeth Arden. In 1975, he founded Raffaele Mollica, Inc., a small, family-oriented business dedicated to making handcrafted custom wigs and hairpieces. With full creative control, he incorporated his signature design and philosophy into a vision that ensured each of his handcrafted wigs would be as unique as the intended client. Endowed with painstaking attention to detail and old-world craftsmanship, he revolutionized the industry by introducing a product that did what no other daily-use wig had ever before done -- mirror the natural appearance of a living head of hair.

With his charismatic personality and bold ideas about the transformative powers of a wig, his success was founded on the product's high-quality workmanship, superior comfort, and uncanny organic appearance. Now known simply as a "Ralf," his flagship handcrafted wig has been celebrated in print in publications such as Vogue, The New York Times, and People Magazine, among others, and on television on both HBO and PBS (see our press section). Almost four decades since he opened his first shop on Manhattan's iconic 57th Street, Raffaele Mollica's intimate, couture approach to the art of wig-making has earned his work a highly discerning clientele that spans the globe.