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Obituary: Vidal Sassoon 1928 – 2012

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Hairdressing visionary, international fashion icon and founder of Vidal Sassoon

Vidal Sassoon, the world’s most famous and influential hairdresser, has died at his home in Los Angeles following a long battle with leukaemia. He was 84.

Sassoon’s “wash and wear” haircuts of the 1960s changed the way we think about hair and lead the field into creating the hair industry we know and love today. One of the first “celebrity hairdressers” he famously worked with 60s legend Mary Quant, Twiggy and Mia Farrow.

His family issued a statement which read:

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Vidal Sassoon CBE, who died this morning at his home in Los Angeles surrounded by loved ones. The 84-year-old hairdresser was born in 1928 and sadly lost his battle with leukaemia today. He became the most celebrated hairdresser in the world having begun his career as an apprentice during the Second World War, going on to revolutionise an industry through his iconic haircuts, salons, schools and product lines. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 20 years Ronnie, his children, grandchildren, family and friends.”

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From poverty to stardom

Sassoon’s early years are a tale of poverty and hardship. Born in Hammersmith in 1928, he was separated from his family at the age of 5 and raised in an orphanage until the age of 11. Despite the difficult conditions in his childhood Vidal said it “made me want to be a winner” and he carried this determination with him when he began training as a hairdresser at the age of 14.

After a stint in “The 43 Group” (a group fighting Facism in Britain), and a period fighting in the Arab Israeli war with the Israeli Defense Forces, Vidal opened his first salon in London in 1954. His belief in high standards of customer service coupled with his vision and skill made the business a huge success. He opened his second salon in New York in 1965, this was just the first part of a huge international business with salons all over the world.

Sassoon also became one of the first hair stylists to create a brand of products under his own name. With a huge range covering both the professional and home markets, his products were sold worldwide under a commercial campaign featuring the iconic slogan “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good”.

The Vidal Sassoon brand became synonymous with style and quality, and Vidal enjoyed Hollywood style celebrity status both within the hair industry and outside it. In a time when the internationalisation of a brand was far more difficult than it is today, Sassoon’s achievements are truly remarkable and an indication of the great man that he was.

“If I was going to be in hairdressing, I wanted to change things”

The real key to Vidal Sassoon’s success was his ability to innovate and set trends. In 1963 he created a short, geometric interpretation of the classic “bob cut” that could be maintained without the need for lacquer. This strong, angular style of cutting was a drastic change from the curls and hairspray of the 1950s and was embraced by a new generation of fashionable working women looking for a low maintenance style.

Sassoon’s key works were the Nancy Kwan hairstyles, including the geometric perm, but he also pioneered shorter hair styles such as the “pixie crop” as worn by Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s baby. There is no doubt that the shorter styles so commonly seen on women today would not be the same, or as prevalent, without Sassoon’s influence so many years ago.

“My idea was to cut shape into the hair, to use it like fabric and take away everything that was superfluous”

Vidal Sassoon, born January 17, 1928, died May 9, 2012

Reaction to the death of Vidal Sassoon

“Vidal Sassoon was a truly iconic hairdresser and a great friend. He will be sadly missed and it is a sad day for the industry.” – Nicky Clarke

“Every hairdresser that walks this land has Vidal Sassoon to thank!” – Jamie Stevens

“Unlimited vision beyond his generation changed the world of style to this day. Vidal Sassoon the highest energy source rest In peace Icon” – Errol Douglas

“My heart goes out to the Vidal Sassoon family so sad to hear of his death! An inspiration to all hairdressers and beyond! Taste and class!” – Andrew Barton

“The Legend has gone. But his legacy will live on. Rest in Peace Vidal Sassoon. He will be sorely missed.” – Steven Smart

“An amazing man. Vidal Sassoon I will never forget my time with you. We will miss you dearly #RIP #ThankYou x” – Leo Bancroft

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Hair Chair : Paul Watts

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Considering he’s only been in the industry for 5 years, Paul Watts has certainly achieved great things. He has his own salon in sunny Kettering, has been part of the Colour Mastery Programme, has worked as an educator for L’Oreal Matrix, launched his own product range and won colour genius and style innovator 2011 in the Redken New York City Hair Competition.

Paul took some time out from his extremely busy schedule to tell us about how he got started in the industry, what he has learnt, and what is coming up next.

View Paul Watts Hairdressing’s listing on bookacut.com or visit their home on the world wide web at www.paulwattshairdressing.co.uk

What inspired you to get into hairdressing?

The inspiration behind me getting into hairdressing was the swagger of a Mr Lee Stafford. He seemed like a breath of fresh air in an industry dominated by women. I saw him as something new, and something I could relate to a lot easier than other hairdressers in the industry at the time of deciding my future.

What were your other career options?

I used to be a footballer at a high level. I played for Aston Villa for 8 years when I was younger until I tore my hamstring which sidelined me for 2 years. I have studied creative design at university, and that was an area I thought I would like to go into, but as a creative person it didn’t deliver what I wanted. So finally I studied the art of hairdressing at a local college and haven’t looked back since.

Did you expect to get so far in hairdressing as quickly as you have?

From the day I qualified it has been a bit of a whirlwind. Within the first days of qualifying I started my own business “house of hair” which after 6 months had a client based to be proud of especially as I was so new to the industry. I then joined a local salon in 2008 and this is where the real fun began.

Within 10 months of qualifying I was doing my colour mastery degree, I was then offered an interview with L’oreal to become and educator for their brand Matrix, which I did for just over a year. The next year I won colour genius and style innovator 2011 for my region.

At the end of 2011 I was offered to buy the salon I’d worked with for nearly 4 years and I jumped at the chance. I’ve now had the salon for nearly 5 months and all is going great. I introduced our own signature product range just before Christmas which has been a real hit, having only had it a month it has sold out twice, with requests from customers on Facebook asking us to reserve some more for their next appointment.

What is your favourite thing about being a hairdresser?

My favorite thing about hairdressing is the relationship created between the hairdresser and the client. Nothing beats having happy clients leaving the shop.

You also use Redken products in your salon, what do you like them?

Redken products suit the way myself and the team work. They give effortless style condition and shine. I couldn’t create what I do without the help of Redken products. I love them, the team loves them, and clients love them. We also use Redken colour which is just amazing for an ambitious colourist. You can create anything when you have a product and company dedicated to creating the best.

Apart from scissors what are your top three tools and why?

My Valera hair dryer with rotocord, stops my wire from getting all tangled. My Cloud 9 straighteners, and of course “The O” by Cloud 9, no salon should operate without one! It gives effortless curls body volume, think Kate Middleton everyday. Just gorgeous hair.

Are you a cat or dog person?

I am a dog person. We have a 2 year old black French bull dog called Coco, she is lovely.

What is coming up at Paul Watts Hairdressing in 2012?

2012 is the first full year we will be operating, so I expect it to be very busy. We’ve got photo shoots planned, competitions, fashion shows and also adding to our signature hair care range. In March we are adding a hair spray, argan oil, thickening cream treatment and a dust wax for body and texture.

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Liam Gallagher : King of the locks

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When it comes to great hair how can anyone deny Gallagher junior the title of “King of the Locks”. Since his humble beginnings with Oasis, Liam has consistently hit the sweet spot when it comes to style. Throughout the years, Session stylist and celebrity hairdresser Tyler Johnston has been an elemental influence in defining the Gallagher look.

We also love Liam’s Pretty Green clothing label as does musical soulmate Paul Weller, Paul has recently released his own capsule collection within the Classic British label.

Take a look at our gallery of memorable Liam Gallagher hairstyles and visit the “Liam Gallagher’s Hair” Facebook page for even more.

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Baby Got Bangs

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I am completely won over by the concept of children’s hairdressers. Since the day that I took my 2 1/2 year old and his crazy-person hair to see a “real” hairdresser, telling her that his hair was just a bit odd and there was no hope for it. Within 5 minutes, she had transformed him from scarecrow into a real boy, with a real boy’s haircut. It turns out he didn’t have horrible hair after all, just a horrible hairdresser. Me.

How hard could it be to cut a child’s hair? The answer, it turns out, was quite damn hard if you want your child to look something approaching normal.

I’ve learnt my lesson, and as soon as baby number two’s hair started getting a bit unruly, we were straight off to the hairdresser’s. She wasn’t particularly keen on the whole experience (strange because I would LOVE to have my hair cut in a chair made from a retro pink toy car!) and the only thing that would keep her still long enough to avoid terrible hairdressing scissor injuries was a steady stream of raisins to chew. All in all though, a success. Neither of my children look like escaped mental patients (anymore) and I’m sure Baby will thank me for it later, particularly once she has seen the photos of her brother’s early years.

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Barrie Stephen Christmas Chic Evening

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Mince pies, mulled wine and cocktail dresses, this can only mean one thing – the Christmas party season is officially open!

We love a good Christmas bash and what better way to kick off this year’s festivities than yesterday’s “Barrie Stephen Christmas Chic Evening“. This event, now in its fourth year, is designed to showcase the fabulous work of Barrie and his team, display a huge range of Christmas hair products and most importantly, raise money for local charity LOROS.

So, without further ado, here are some highlights of the night.

Hair up for the Christmas Party

It’s nearly time for the office party and no doubt the ladies out there will have already been thinking about that all important “red carpet” hairdo to wow their colleagues. We were treated to stunning display of hair up styles by Creative Director Neil Smith and Designer Kelly and we hope our pics will provide you with the required inspiration for your own big night out.

If you’re around Leicester and looking for some professional help with that Christmas party style then get yourself booked in to your nearest Barrie Stephen salon before time runs out.

 

Pop Culture Colour

Katy Perry, Fearne Cotton, Nicki Minaj, Amelia Lily…just a few celebs we’ve seen rocking the pink look over the last few months. As Salon International highlighted, colour is back with a massive bang and the Barrie Stephen team were eager to show off their homage to recent pop culture with some dazzling shades. Neil presented a gorgeous strawberry colour while Kelly displayed a shinier, almost shimmering, lilac finish.

 

Christmas pressies for hair lovers

With only 23 shopping days left until Christmas it’s about time you got buying sparkly gifts for the ones you love. And if the ones you love happen to love their hair then you’re in luck because we’ve got some great suggestions.

We were blown away by the beautifully packaged range of Cloud 9 Christmas goodies. With prices exactly the same as the standard packaging, if you’re looking to buy a curling wand or straightening irons for someone this Christmas then these are definitely worth a look. Equally magnificent is the ghd Scarlet Deluxe Collection Set which contains a set of straightening irons and a limited edition travel hairdryer all beautifully boxed with a stylish clutch vanity case.

 

Cupcakes

No party is complete without cake and the cake at this party was particularly special. A mouth watering range of cupcakes were provided by the brilliant Bitsy’s Cupcakery and having munched our way through several we can assure you they tasted just as good as they looked. If you’re in the Midlands area and in need of cake then give the lovely Charlotte a call!

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