I wore my first Alice Project hair three years ago this month. Alice Project holds a special place in my heart for scaring me the first time I put on an all white hair that I applied a texture to. I am certain there was an involuntary squeak or two before I realized I had not broken it and just had to add the hud and click. We are friends on Plurk and I don’t think I will be telling any deep, dark secrets if I tell you she has a wicked, sardonic sense of humor. And as you can see from her favorite photo, “Nobody parties like Alice Demonia.”

Hair Fair may be closed, but you will be able to find these styles in the stores. I have some remaining profiles to do, so on we go.

Nobody Parties Like Alice Demonia by Vanity Mirror – 2013

Alice Project Strawberry

It’s Only Fashion: What’s the craziest thing you ever did in Second Life? Most exciting? Silliest? Is there a story you can share that captures your Second Life experience?

Alice Demonia: My Second Life has been pretty boring, I think, hahah. When I first started, I did the standard exploring and trolling and laughing at various sex related sims. That’s probably the most excitement I’ve had. Nowadays, I’m notorious for AFKing at my friends’ platforms or sims for days. I tend to just sort of set up wherever I am, if they’re open to that. The Flickr photo I’ve included is the product of one day where I logged in at a friend’s and everyone just decided to start throwing down things around me, lol.

Alice Project Strawberry and Liziaah Prestige Dress

IOF: What drew you to designing hair? When did you start? What are some of the changes that were most significant for you?

AD: It’s been so long, I barely remember why I started. My history with hair actually begins before I started creating in Second Life. I was just doing some simple clothing and accessories on IMVU when I decided to try doing some ringlet curls. It was probably the 4th mesh I’d ever made, and though I’d done a complete female body before, it the most difficult and complicated thing I’d ever done. In the end, it was absolutely terrible! I’m glad I did it though because it set off a whole chain of events where I found a niche I really loved working in.

Alice Project Samantha

I think I was most excited when mesh finally came to Second Life because I knew I’d finally be able to really thrive creatively. I had a store before Alice Project where I sold prim hair, and after I opened Alice Project I had a few prim styles and eventually sculpted after that came out. I never could really grasp the abstractness of prims and I didn’t start really understanding sculpts ’til mesh was about to become a thing, so my store went way under the radar for a long time. During that time, I was probably better known for the hair textures and full perm sculpt shoes I sold.

Alice Project Sabina

IOF: How did you choose your store name? Does it have a special meaning for you? If your stores is named after yourself, how did you go about choosing your avatar name?

AD: Something Callie Cline had said in an interview about having your name in your store name has always stuck with me, even my first store was based off my avatar name. I suppose I chose “Project” because I was looking for something that nodded to the industrial music scene and also because I’d really just meant it to be a side project store for things OTHER than hair.

I’d been using the name Alice for awhile on an MMO I played before I found SL, and I was looking for an avatar name I could use for business. Of course, the obligatory Alice in Wonderland connection in regards to why I’d been using Alice in the first place. I’d been looking for a good name I could use and love for a long time and was planning on creating a new avatar on my RL birthday. I was looking through potential last names available for “Alice” when I came across Demonia. I HAD to register it right away because it was perfect! Unfortunately, it was three days before my birthday so I didn’t get to stick with that idea but I don’t really care because I got an awesome, perfect name.

Alice Project Oona, Swallow Sunglasses and Donna Flora Earrings

Alice Project Oona

IOF: What is the most challenging part of being a creator in Second Life? What is most rewarding?

AD: I think for me personally marketing has been the most challenging. I know I have good ideas and I’ve seen my influence across the grid, which is really rewarding in itself, but I constantly find my store passed over when I see people talking about hair stores. Then of course there’s always the possibility that my stuff isn’t as good as I think it is, but I’m always pushing myself to improve. I’ll get there one day! The absolute MOST rewarding thing though is even just the opportunity to share my creations with other people and have them like it enough to actually spend money on it. It’s still a very crazy idea to me even though I’ve been doing it for over 9 years now.

Alice Project Celeste, Liziaah Prestige

IOF: Where do you get inspiration for your designs? What is your process like?

AD: I have a huge collection of images I keep for ideas, sometimes I try to make them exactly, other times it’s just because I’ve started making something “freehand” and I need to see how x thing would look in a real life example. Maybe where to best place a ponytail, or a part or something. Sometimes there’s a specific hairstyle I’d like to create, but just as often I just start messing around with a hair piece and see where that takes me.

Alice Project Strawberry @ Okey

Alice Project Celeste II

IOF: What sets your hair styles apart from other hair designers, in your opinion? What is your style or aesthetic?

AD: Probably the most obvious thing is my color library. I have always enjoyed just creating colors for hair, all sorts, natural and unnatural. From the beginning, I’ve tried to create a product that would allow me to do so easily, which evolved from just a simple script to allow me to color prims quickly to a full featured HUD system. HUDs are everywhere now so it’s a little bit harder to stay ahead of the crowd, but I try to come up with unique features and colors. I pride myself on my Infinity and Create Your Own coloring systems, but I’ve had to scale back on them because there’s really just SO MUCH there that most people ended up confused more than anything. I’d like to find a good way to revamp them in the future so that they’re easier for people to use.

Alice Project Strawberry long flowing locks.

As far as the actual styling goes, I love long hairstyles and curls. My cyberlox are some of my favorites too. I carry my store with an edgy, gothy sort of feel but from the two examples just given, my actual hairstyles can range from flowy and beautiful, to totally niche and unique.

IOF: How has your second life changed your first life? 

Alice Project Sabina, Glam Affair skin with Adam & Eve shadow and Jumo lips

AD: I’ve met a lot of people who have influenced great changes in my life. It hasn’t been totally painless, but I’m glad I’ve met everyone I know and experienced the good and the bad. I’ve really grown as a person and done a lot of things I never would have done without their support or advice. I am truly grateful for everyone.

Alice Project Celeste II, Liziaah Prestige Dress, Glamistry shoes

Alice Project Celeste

IOF: What does Hair Fair mean to you?

AD: It’s a really great time for all of us hair designers to work towards something that helps other people, the kids and the family of those children. It’s more than just a wig for them. It’s confidence, it’s hope, it’s knowing that there are people out there with big enough hearts to give to those in need. I’m glad I can use my talents to be involved in such an event.

Glamistry Ramonda heels with Animal Print @ Kustom9

Store info at Blogging Second Life
****SHOPPING LIST******
Poses: Di’s Opera
HUDS: Slink Ankle Lock
PoseAnywhere Expression HUD
Skin: Glam Affair America
Mesh Attachments: .LeLutka.Mesh Head-KARIN v1.1
Slink Physique, Feet and Hands
Appliers: Jumo Metallic Lips
AnE Eyeshadow Set Six
LeLutka Karin HUD 1.1
Glam Affair Karin
Flair
Eyes: Aphotic Gloom – Aquilius Eyes (Hazel
Hair: Alice Project for Hair Fair
Clothing:  Liziaah Prestige comes with Appliers for TMP, Maitreya, Belleza and Slink
Shoes: Glamistry : RAMONDA Heels Animal @ Kustom9
Jewelry:  [LIZ] Prestige brooche
^^Swallow^^ Shades Metropolis Black & leopard
Donna Flora ZsaZsa EArrings Leo
Location: Okey