Francesca Allen documents Lithuania’s legendary long-hair contest

Once a year, hundreds of women flock into a Lithuanian arena. Trailing behind them: thousands of feet of hair. Their locks falls in thick, straight sheets flowing down their backs, or else tied into plaits and adorned with bows. These women are here for the Long-Haired World contest, where contestants walk the runway, get measured by gloved judges, and take part in a ritualistic finale.

Photographer Francesca Allen tried to access the event for years. This year, she finally travelled to the gathering with a Lithuanian friend to document the competition firsthand. The result is Plaukai (Lithuanian for “hair”), a photo series capturing nearly 200 participants congregating to celebrate their love, and length, of hair.

Across generations, long hair holds significance. It’s historically a symbol of power and spirituality - especially in Lithuanian folklore. ”Lithuania has a strong history of paganism and witchcraft,” she says. ”Speaking to some of the contestants, it was often believed that women with long hair had magical powers.” In line with this ritualism, the finale sees every participant gather onstage, turn their backs to the crowd, and shake their hair in unison.

While the event might resemble a pageant, Allen describes it as something closer to a shared ritual. ”Everybody was brushing their hair, keeping it in braids until the last moment,” she recalls. ”You could see the work and time that goes into having such long hair. It was more than just allowing it to grow – there was a real nurturing commitment and connection between these girls and their hair.” Shot in a mix of colour and black-and-white film, Allen’s images capture both the meticulous measuring of hair and the quieter moments backstage – brushing, braiding and waiting. Here, Allen talks to Dazed about the creation of Plaukai.

How did you see ideas of girlhood play out through the participants?

Francesca Allen: The contest itself felt like a display of girlhood, regardless of the age of the contestants. Long hair has always been seen as a sign of youth and fertility, being carefree and joyful, so there’s something inherently girlish about the women who keep long hair throughout adulthood. Some of the older girls seemed to have become less attached to their hair, and spoke about cutting it when they were ‘grown up’. The decision felt like a rite of passage that these young women were about to go through.

Long hair carries strong folkloric associations in many cultures – how do you think about this?

Francesca Allen: I think hair is folkloric around the world, on a personal and interpersonal level. Hair is so deeply tied to identity and in many cultures it is viewed as sacred. For me, it’s an expression of who you are, but it can also be a safety blanket. I was never allowed to grow my hair long when I was younger, so it’s always felt like this forbidden act of rebellion. Hair influences how we are perceived by others – how professional we are, our gender identity, our religion and culture. Hair plays a huge role in our own self-performance, and also our discrimination against others.

How was the atmosphere of the event?

Francesca Allen: Ultimately there was an incredible sense of care and pride. But the event itself was really fun and much less serious. There was a presenter on the stage speaking to the audience and interviewing the girls, women measuring their hair, and pop music all day long. I would have happily sat and watched the event as a spectator.

How did you want the hair to look or feel in the pictures?

Francesca Allen: I gravitated towards shooting black-and-white film with a flash; I wanted to capture the texture and shine to the hair. I combined these textural shots of the hair with portraits shot outside. I think there’s a vulnerability to the portraits, whereas the images of the hair are faceless. In the photos of the hair, it almost becomes a separate object or being, yet it is so deeply tied to the identity of each person.

Can you talk about the ‘ritualistic’ finale – what did this involve?

Francesca Allen: The finale involved all of the participants gathering on the stage, turning around and shaking their hair at the audience in unison. This seemed to be something everybody was prepared for and knew exactly what to do, they had been waiting for this moment. There was something so fascinating about this big sea of hair in front of me.

Plaukai will be exhibited at Allotment 18-25 June 2025, accompanied by a limited-run publication designed by Adam Ridgeway Office featuring a text by Frankie Dunn.