Legendary hairdresser Vidal Sassoon passed away Wednesday after a long battle with leukemia. He was 84 years old. Mr. Sassoon burst onto the swinging sixties London scene armed with talent and a determination to revolutionize and re-define the hair industry.
His particular brand of architectural expertise gave him the allowance to create edgy haircuts that aimed to highlight the striking features of his loyal and willing subjects. Welsh fashion designer Mary Quant was one of his earlier devotees and since she manifested the idea for miniskirts, it’s not hard to imagine that she fell in love with Mr. Sassoon’s simple but statement-making designs.
It wasn’t long before his salons starting springing up in all the right places, first Bond Street in London, then across the pond on Madison Avenue in New York and of course Beverly Hills, California.
He became the must have accessory in Hollywood and that led to even more exposure, particularly his collaboration with Roman Polanski who featured his London salon in his film Repulsion. Mia Farrow’s trendsetting haircut in Rosemary’s Baby was courtesy of Mr. Sassoon who received $5,000 to create that timeless and still most sought after look.
He developed his own line of hair products, which predictably turned into a very successful venture thanks to the perfectly strategized television commercials. He eventually sold the company in 1983 after banking more than $100 million.
There is no doubt that Mr. Sassoon brought a certain level of respectability and integrity to the profession of hairdressing. He demonstrated a level artistry and instinctual flair that is yet to be matched.
That sounds like a life well spent!
Rumors have been swirling due to the inexplicable absence of reality TV starlet and LA socialite Kim Kardashian from Monday night’s Met Ball. The magical occasion overflowed with a parade of heavy hitters, all accomplished in their own right with enviable ability to afford the $25,000 ticket.
But it looks like Anna Wintour hasn’t quite succumbed to the spreading virus that is Kim Kardashian. Word has it that she left the most “beautiful” Kardashian sister off the list simply because she wasn’t deemed worthy enough. Ouch! The event was a fiesta for the biggest stars in the universe and apparently Kim doesn’t fail into that category…yet.
Kudos to Anna Wintour for having the guts to host a Kardashian-free event! We wish we could say the same for our President!