Vidal Sassoon

Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox person Vidal Sassoon Template:Postnominals (17Template:NbspJanuary 1928Template:Snd 9Template:NbspMay 2012) was a British hairstylist and businessman. He was noted for repopularising a simple, close-cut geometric hairstyle called the five-pointTemplate:Nbspcut, worn by fashion designers including Mary Quant and film stars such as Mia Farrow, Goldie Hawn, Cameron Diaz, Template:Langr and Helen Mirren.Template:Zwj<ref>Helen Mirren with a chin length bob, Hairfinder</ref>

His early life was one of extreme poverty, with sevenTemplate:Nbspyears of his childhood spent in an orphanage. He quit school at ageTemplate:Nbsp14, soon holding various jobs in London during World WarTemplate:NbspII. Although he hoped to become a professional football player, he became an apprentice hairdresser at the suggestion of his mother.

After developing a reputation for his innovative cuts, he moved to LosTemplate:NbspAngeles in the earlyTemplate:Nbsp1970s, where he opened the first worldwide chain of hairstyling salons, complemented by a line of hair-treatmentTemplate:Nbspproducts.Template:Zwj<ref name="Martin">Martin, Richard. Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, St. James Press (2000) p. 313</ref>Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" />

He sold his business interests in the earlyTemplate:Nbsp1980s and began funding Israeli think tanks. InTemplate:Nbsp2009, Sassoon was appointedTemplate:NbspCBE by Queen [[Elizabeth II|ElizabethTemplate:NbspII]] at Buckingham Palace. Vidal Sassoon: The Movie, a documentary film about his life, was released inTemplate:Nbsp2010. InTemplate:Nbsp2012, he was among the British cultural icons selected by artist SirTemplate:NbspPeter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork, the [[Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover|album cover for theTemplate:NbspBeatles' Sgt.Template:NbspPepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band]], to celebrate the British cultural figures of the prior sixTemplate:Nbspdecades.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Early life

Sassoon was born to Jewish parents in Hammersmith, West London, and lived nearby in Shepherd's Bush.Template:Zwj<ref name="Tel obit">Template:Cite web</ref> His mother, BettyTemplate:Nbsp(Bellin) (1900–1997),Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> an Ashkenazi Jew,Template:Zwj<ref name="jewishledger.com">Template:Cite web</ref> was born in Aldgate, in the East End of London, inTemplate:Nbsp1900. Although she was surrounded by grinding poverty, Sassoon writes that she nonetheless resolved to make the best of her life.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> Her family had emigrated to England from the Russian Empire in theTemplate:Nbsp1880s to escape the antisemitism and pogroms then prevalent.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> His father, Jack Sassoon, a Sephardi Jew,Template:Zwj<ref name="jewishledger.com" /> was born in Template:Langr, in the northern part of Greece.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio">Sassoon, Vidal. Vidal: The Autobiography, Macmillan (2010) e-book</ref> They met in 1925 and married in 1927. They then moved to Shepherd's Bush, which contained a community of Greek Jews.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> Sassoon had a younger brother, Ivor.Template:Zwj<ref name="Armstrong">Template:Cite news</ref>

His father abandoned the family for another woman when Vidal was three yearsTemplate:Nbspold.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> With his mother now unable to support the family, they fell into poverty and were evicted, becoming suddenly homeless.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> They were forced to move in with his mother's older sister. There, they shared a two-roomTemplate:Nbsptenement with his aunt and her threeTemplate:Nbspchildren. The tiny flat where the seven of them lived had no bathroom or inside toilet, forcing them to share the one outside landing toilet with three other families. He remembered often standing in line to use it in freezing weather. Their roof was also falling apart, which let rain pour through. "All we could see from our windows was the greyness of the tenement across the street", writes Sassoon. "There was ugliness all around."Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />

Due to poverty as a single parent, his mother eventually placed Sassoon and his younger brother in a Jewish orphanage, where they stayed for sevenTemplate:Nbspyears,Template:Zwj<ref name="Telegraph">Template:Citation</ref> until he was 11, when his mother remarried.Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt" /> His mother was only allowed to visit them once a month and was never allowed to take them out.

Education

He attended Essendine Road Primary School, a Christian school of about a thousandTemplate:Nbspchildren. He was frequently taunted by classmates as a "Yid" or with chants of "All Jews have long noses".Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> One of his proudest days at the school was winning the [[100-yard dash|100-yardTemplate:Nbspdash]] in an all-school contest. "The urge to win has never left me", he writes.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />

[[File:A group of children arrive at Brent station near Kingsbridge, Devon, after being evacuated from Bristol in 1940. D2592.jpg|thumb|left|British children being [[Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II|evacuated to the countryside duringTemplate:NbspWWII]]]] However, he says that he was "a very bad student" with abysmal grades in most classes, except for mental arithmetic. After one session of mental arithmetic, his master said teasingly, "Sassoon, it is a pleasure to see that you have gaps of intelligence between bouts of ignorance".Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> He took a volunteer job as a choir boy for the local synagogue, which gave him one of the few chances to see his mother, who would come on Saturdays.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />

Sassoon and the other children at the school were evacuated after WWII began on 3Template:NbspSeptember 1939. He was 11Template:Nbspyears old. "It's a date I'll never forget", he said. "Suddenly my brother and I and all our fellow orphans were on trains with hundreds of thousands of other kids, moving out of London."Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> He and his brother were taken to Holt, Wiltshire, a small village of a thousandTemplate:Nbsppeople.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />

First jobs

London Underground bomb shelter in London during World WarTemplate:NbspII

After his return to London, he left school at the age of 14 and worked as a messenger. The war was in full force with London still being bombed, which forced him to sleep in underground shelters. During work hours, he said "I got used to seeing bodies and blood, and hearing cries of agony" as he carried messages from central London to the docks.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />

Upon the insistence of his mother, they tried to get him into a hairdressing apprenticeship; his mother told him that her ambition was for him to become a professional hairdresser.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> However, he saw himself becoming a football player, a sport he excelled at. "I could not imagine myself backcombing hair and winding up rollers for a living."Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt" />Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

When she took him to the hairdressing school of a well-known stylist, Adolph Cohen, they were disappointed immediately when they were told it was a two-yearTemplate:Nbspprogramme and would cost much more than they could afford. "My mother looked so terribly dejected", he said, that as they left the salon, "I thought she might faint".Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" /> A few minutes later, Cohen called them back to the salon, then told him, "You seem to have very good manners, young man. Start Monday and forget the cost." His mother began to cry out of joy.Template:Zwj<ref name="autobio" />

Political activities

At the age of 17, although he had been too young to serve in [[World War II|World WarTemplate:NbspII]], he became the youngest member of the [[43 Group|43Template:NbspGroup]], a mostly Jewish veterans' underground organisation founded by Morris Beckman and several others which broke up fascist meetings in East LondonTemplate:Zwj<ref name="warrior" />Template:Zwj<ref name="The Archive Hour 2008">The Archive Hour, BBC Radio 4, first broadcast 19 April 2008.</ref> to prevent [[Union Movement|SirTemplate:NbspOswald Mosley's movement]] from spreading "messages of hatred" in the period following World WarTemplate:NbspII.Template:Zwj<ref name="warrior">Template:Citation</ref>

InTemplate:Nbsp1948, at the age ofTemplate:Nbsp20, he joined the Template:Langr (which shortly afterwards was integrated into the Israel Defense Forces) and fought in the [[1948 Arab–Israeli War|1948Template:NbspArab–Israeli War]], which began after Israel declared statehood.Template:Zwj<ref name="The Archive Hour 2008" />Template:Zwj<ref name="fresh_air">Template:Cite transcript</ref> Sassoon arrived in Mandatory Palestine in AprilTemplate:Nbsp1948, a month before Israeli independence. He fought in the Negev against the EgyptianTemplate:NbspArmy.Template:Zwj<ref>Israel, 1948: Vidal Sassoon in Combat</ref> During an interview, he described the year he spent training with the Israelis as "the best year of my life", and recalled how he felt:

Career

Sassoon resumed his hairdressing training under Raymond Bessone in his salon in Mayfair.Template:Zwj<ref name="Mr Teasy-Weasy">Template:Cite news</ref> Sassoon opened his first salon inTemplate:Nbsp1954 inTemplate:NbspLondon;Template:Zwj<ref>"British-born celebrity hairdresser Vidal Sassoon dies" BBC 9 May 2012</ref> singer-actress Georgia Brown, his friend and neighbour, claimed to be his first customer.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

black-and-white photo

Sassoon cutting Mia Farrow's hair for Rosemary's Baby inTemplate:Nbsp1968

Sassoon stated his intentions in designing new, more efficient, hair styles: "If I was going to be in hairdressing, I wanted to change things. I wanted to eliminate the superfluous and get down to the basic angles of cut and shape."Template:Zwj<ref name="autogenerated1">Template:Cite web</ref> Sassoon's works include the geometric perm and the "[[Nancy Kwan|Nancy Template:Langr]]" hairstyles. They were all modern and low-maintenance. The hairstyles created by Sassoon relied on dark, straight, and shiny hair cut into geometric yet organic shapes. Peggy Moffitt’s hairstyle, an asymmetrical bowl cutTemplate:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> created by Sassoon, became known as the "five point".Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1964, Sassoon created a short, angular hairstyle cut on a horizontal plane that was the recreation of the classic "bob cut". His geometric haircuts seemed to be severely cut, but were entirely lacquer-free, relying on the natural shine of the hair for effect. Advertising and cosmetics executive Natalie Donay is credited with discovering Sassoon in London and bringing him to the United States,Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> where inTemplate:Nbsp1965, he opened his first New York City salon on Madison Avenue.Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt-taylor">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1966, inspired by 1920s film star Clara Bow's close-cropped hair, he created designs for Emanuel Ungaro. Director Roman Polanski brought him to Hollywood from London inTemplate:Nbsp1968, at a cost of $5,000,Template:ZwjTemplate:NoteTag to create a unique pixie cut for Mia Farrow, who was to star in Rosemary's Baby.Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" />

In the early 1970s, Sassoon made Los Angeles his home.Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" /> InTemplate:Nbsp1971, he promoted his 30-year-old second-in-command, artistic director Roger Thompson, to director of the SassoonTemplate:Nbspsalon, explaining jocularly that, "Twenty-five years of schlepping behind a barber chair are enough!"Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt-Oct1971">Template:Cite news</ref> John Paul DeJoria, a friend of Sassoon, co-founded Paul Mitchell Systems with Paul Mitchell, one of Sassoon's former students. Mitchell said that Sassoon was "the most famous hairstylist in the history of the world".Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" />

Goldie Hawn's bob cut in Cactus FlowerTemplate:Nbsp(1969)

Sassoon began his "Vidal Sassoon" line of hair-care products inTemplate:Nbsp1973.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The actor Michael Caine, who when young and struggling "was roommates with Terence Stamp and Vidal SassoonTemplate:Snd he used to cut my hair, and he always had a lot of models around",Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> claimed to have inspired this, saying, "I told him that he must have something that is working for him while he slept. I told him he had to make shampoos and other hair-care products."Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Whatever the inspiration, Sassoon's brand was applied to shampoos and conditioners sold worldwide, with a commercial campaign featuring the slogan "If Template:Em don't look good, Template:Em don't look good."Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite webTemplate:CbignoreTemplate:Dead YouTube link</ref> Former salon colleagues also bought Sassoon's salons and acquired the right to use his name, extending the brand in salons into the United Kingdom and the United States.Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" />

The El Paso, Texas-based Helen of Troy Corporation began manufacturing and marketing Sassoon hair-care products inTemplate:Nbsp1980.Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt-sept1984">Template:Cite news</ref> InTemplate:Nbsp1983, Richardson-Vicks purchased the LosTemplate:NbspAngeles-based Vidal SassoonTemplate:NbspInc.Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt-April1983">Template:Cite news</ref> as well as Sassoon's Santa Monica hairdressing school; the company had already bought his European businesses.Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt1993">Template:Cite news</ref> Sassoon's 1982Template:Nbspsales of hair products had topped $110Template:Nbspmillion,Template:ZwjTemplate:NoteTag with 80Template:Nbsppercent of revenues coming from theTemplate:NbspUS.Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt-April1983" />

Two years later the company was bought by [[Procter & Gamble|ProcterTemplate:Nbsp& Gamble]]. Sassoon, who remained a consultant through at least the mid-1990s,Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt1993" /> sued P&G inTemplate:Nbsp2003 for allegedly neglecting the marketing of his brand in favour of the company's other hair product lines, such as Pantene; the parties reached a settlement the following year.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

He sold his business interests in the earlyTemplate:Nbsp1980s to devote himself to philanthropy. ByTemplate:Nbsp2004, it was reported that Sassoon was no longer associated with the brand that bears his name.Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" /> He also had a short-lived television series called Your New Day with Vidal Sassoon, which aired inTemplate:Nbsp1980.

Sassoon was twice a guest on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, on 27Template:NbspJune 1970Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and 9Template:NbspOctober 2011, when he was also Resident Thinker on the Nowhereisland art project.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> He was a mystery guest on What's My Line? in MarchTemplate:Nbsp1967.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Honours

Sassoon was appointed Commander of the Order of the British EmpireTemplate:Nbsp(CBE) by Queen [[Elizabeth II|ElizabethTemplate:NbspII]] at Buckingham Palace in the [[2009 Birthday Honours|2009Template:NbspBirthday Honours]].Template:Zwj<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

Personal life

Sassoon Salon, Leeds

Sassoon was married four times, first to Elaine Wood, his salon receptionist, inTemplate:Nbsp1956; the marriage ended inTemplate:Nbsp1958. InTemplate:Nbsp1967, he married actress Beverly Adams, whom he met while filming Torture GardenTemplate:Nbsp(1967).Template:Zwj<ref>Clemens, Samuel. "Beverly Adams", Classic Images. November 2022</ref> They had three biological children, including daughter Catya,Template:Zwj<ref name="Bath">Template:Cite news</ref> and adopted a son.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt-taylor" />Template:Zwj<ref name="Itop110">Template:Cite news</ref>Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Sassoon and Adams divorced after 13Template:Nbspyears of marriage.Template:Zwj<ref name="Bath" /> His thirdTemplate:Nbspwife was Jeanette Hartford-Davis, a dressageTemplate:Nbspchampion and former fashionTemplate:Nbspmodel; they married inTemplate:Nbsp1983 and divorced soon after.Template:Zwj<ref name="Bath" /> InTemplate:Nbsp1992, he married designer RhondaTemplate:Nbsp"Ronnie" Sassoon.Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Philanthropy

Sassoon had a lifelong commitment to eradicating anti-Semitism. He started the Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism, orTemplate:NbspSICSA, inTemplate:Nbsp1982.Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" /> Located at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, it is devoted to gathering information about antisemitismTemplate:Nbspworldwide.

After selling his company, he worked towards philanthropic causes such as the Boys Clubs of America and the Performing Arts Council of the Music Center of Los Angeles via his Vidal Sassoon Foundation.Template:Zwj<ref name="tele">Template:Cite news</ref> He was also active in supporting relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina. His eponymous foundation also funded educational pursuits on a need-basis in Israel and elsewhere. At the time of his death, he had academies in England, Canada and the United States, while planning to open locations in Germany and Taiwan.

Illness and death

In JuneTemplate:Nbsp2011, it was reported that Sassoon had been diagnosed with leukemia two years earlier. He died from the disease on 9Template:NbspMay 2012 at his home in Bel Air, Los Angeles,Template:Zwj<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> in the presence of his family. A memorial service was planned for a later date.Template:Zwj<ref name="autogenerated2">Template:Cite web</ref>

Legacy

"Vidal was like Christopher Columbus", said Angus Mitchell, who studied under Sassoon. "He discovered that the world was round with his cutting system. It was the first language that people could follow."Template:Zwj<ref name="ksbw" /> Neil Cornelius, the incumbent owner of Sassoon's first solo venture, called him a "hairdressing legend".Template:Zwj<ref name="tele" />

Grace Coddington, Sassoon's former model and creative director of AmericanTemplate:NbspVogue, said that he changed the way the public looked at hair:

John Barrett of the John Barrett Salon at Bergdorf Goodman said that Sassoon "was the creator of sensual hair. This was somebody who changed our industry entirely, not just from the point of view of cutting hair but actually turning it into a business. He was one of the first who had a product line bought out by a major corporation."Template:Zwj<ref name="nyt">Template:Citation</ref>

Books and films

• Sorry I Kept You Waiting, Madam (1968), his autobiography; New York: Putnam.
• Template:Cite book
• Cutting Hair the Vidal Sassoon Way (1984)
• Template:Cite book
• Vidal Sassoon: The MovieTemplate:Snd How one man changed the world with a pair of scissors. (2010), a documentary film directed by Craig Teper.

See also

• Vidal Sassoon International Center for the Study of Antisemitism

External links

• Template:YouTubeTemplate:Snd official trailer
• Voices on Antisemitism Interview with Vidal Sassoon from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum
• The secret life of Vidal Sassoon
• Template:IMDb title
• J-Grit.com – Vidal Sassoon – Anti-Fascist Street Fighter
• Template:NPG name