RALPH East Rutherford

Ralph began in 1966 as a family atelier in Palermo, run by the founder's mother and his father's brother. The house later settled in Aventura, Florida, where it is now the flagship atelier, and it remains a family business with the founder hand-finishing the wigs.

Wigs are hand-made in Italy from European Remy hair with the cuticle kept intact and all running in one direction. Eastern-European and South-American hair is also used. Mesh caps are hand-knotted in Japan. Wigs are built at three levels of construction: hand-tied, hand and machine, and machine-made. Final price depends on the hair, length, cap and customization.

Because wigs are sold straight from the atelier with no retailer or distributor in between, the business says buyers avoid retailer markup. Fittings at the Aventura atelier are private, and the atelier is open Sunday 10 AM to 2 PM, Monday to Thursday 9 AM to 5 PM, and Friday 9 AM to 2 PM. Pop-up fitting expos run in several cities, including New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Boston, and pop-up appointments are limited, with a VIP list that gets first access before public booking.

Every wig carries a one-year warranty, sale wigs included. The warranty covers workmanship, hand-knotting, cap integrity and shedding beyond normal, and does not cover heat or chemical damage, normal wear, misuse, alterations done elsewhere, or loss or theft. Styling and cutting come with every wig, and adjustments are free in the first year.

Starting prices are $1,100 for falls up to 20 inches, $900 to $2,799 for 2026 Collection wigs, and $2,800 and up for VIP Collection wigs. Brides get $200 off a wig, or $250 off when a mother, mother-in-law or sister buys alongside them or when two wigs are bought. Buying a wig and a fall together earns an extra discount, and cash discounts are available. Payment plans of three or four payments by check or Zelle are settled within 60 days. Kallah sheitels are best booked 8 to 12 weeks before the wedding.

Medical wigs are documented as a cranial prosthesis under billing code A9282, which the business supplies for chemotherapy and alopecia clients with the paperwork insurers ask for. With a doctor's prescription, many private plans may reimburse part or all of a medical wig, and FSA and HSA funds usually apply. According to the site, nine states require insurers to cover medical wigs, and original Medicare does not cover wigs. Dealer partners such as salons, stylists and sheitel machers can stock the wigs at trade pricing or refer clients for a commission.

Wigs are made by hand, and the founder finishes each piece personally, with sales made direct from the atelier.