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British-born celebrity hairdresser Vidal Sassoon sadly passed away at his Los Angeles home, aged 84 years old. An icon in the beauty industry, we take this time to look back at some of the highlights of his career.

 

Vidal has been known to be the "Rock Star" of all hair dressers -- he was the first hair stylist to give women a haircut that could make a statement just like their clothing did. Everyday, the clients that came into his salon were women at the forefront of the feminist expansion into the workplace. Sassoon cuts were futuristic, illustrating where "women wanted to go" rather than where they currently were.

 

Creating the iconic hairstyle known as "the bob", Sassoon was best known for his short, geometric, quirky cuts, the style which overtook the beehive styles that were already trending in the 1950s. One of his best-known clients was Mary Quant, the British fashion designer who revolutionized the mini-skirt. Quant named Sassoon the "Chanel of hair", making him the go-to hair dresser for most celebrities. His other celebrity clients included Hollywood star Jane Fonda and British model Twiggy.

 

Vidal Sassoon is not just best known for his craftsmanship in the hair industry but also for being a very successful business man. Sassoon opened his first salon in 1954 in London, and from there revolutionized the way people looked at hair salons with a string of international salons opening by the 1960’s. He developed a hair salon that not only produced creative cuts and extraordinary coloring techniques but also provided a luxury service where clients could relax and feel like they were having a day of pampering, not just a quick trim after work. Sassoon was a key driving force in the commercial direction of hair styling. He not only opened salons worldwide but applied his name to shampoos and conditioners sold worldwide, giving people from all cultural backgrounds the opportunity for salon-worthy hair. His advertising catch phrase was, "If you don't look good, we don't look good." And he looked very good.

 

Vidal Sassoon wrote several books, including A Year of Beauty and Health, starting a trend for beauty industry icons to follow. Icons such as cosmetics guru Bobbi Brown have continued the trend with autobiographies mixed with more advanced self-help books which are phenomally successful.

 

Vidal Sassoon will always be known as the man who changed the world with a pair of scissors. RIP.

 

 

- Anysha Panesar, YH Staff