This photo series delves into the surreal, ritualistic world of Lithuania’s long hair competition

If photography has a singular purpose, it’s perhaps to document the lesser-known, the niche, and gloriously bizarre aspects of our world. That’s precisely what British photographer Francesca Allen achieves in her latest series, ‘Plaukai’, which chronicles the ‘Long-Haired World’ competition in Lithuania – locally known as ‘Konkursas Pasaulio Ilgaplaukes’. Allen’s invitation-only exhibition runs from June 18-25 2025 at Allotment in London, and will coincide with the launch of a limited-edition publication.

‘Plaukai’ – which is the Lithuanian word for ‘hair’ – was conceptualised when Allen happened across an archival image of the competition from 1992. Allured by its eccentricity, she travelled to Lithuania to experience the event first hand.

There, nearly 200 women of all ages gather annually for a showcase that is, at its core, a love letter to hair: Allen’s images show endless feet of it – straight, wavy, curly – cascading in lustrous gradients. Contestants have their hair measured by gloved judges (past winners have boasted tresses over two metres long) and parade down runways (categories include ‘most creative hairstyle’ and ‘best costume’ as well as ‘longest hair’). The day culminates in a surreal finale: participants turn their backs to the audience and whip their hair in unison, creating what Allen describes as a ‘sea’ of hair.

The competition is part beauty pageant and part folkloric ritual, echoing the deep cultural significance of hair in Lithuania. It is a symbol of vitality, spirituality and feminine strength, rooted in pagan traditions and beliefs of long-haired women possessing magical powers.

At the same time, the event is unabashedly fun, with pop music blaring throughout. Allen sees it as a celebration of girlhood, despite the fact that older women compete too. Some of the younger participants, she says, view cutting their hair as a rite of passage into adulthood.

What makes Allen’s images so arresting is the profusion of textures of hair, which she captures on both colour and black-and-white film. Cropped close-ups become almost abstract, while portraits highlight the intimate relationship that each participant has with her hair. She also captures the competition’s quiet moments: the backstage brushing and braiding, the anticipation, the pride.

'Plaukai' is a document of a singular tradition – but, moreover, it’s a meditation on beauty, identity and the enduring cultural power of hair.