A Tribute to a Legend, and Farewell to a Generous Friend

Vidal Sassoon, at the NYC premiere of "Vidal Sassoon The Movie:
How One Man Changed the World With a Pair of Scissors  

Millions and millions of people come and go in our world, but only a few leave a permanent footprint, their name etched into our collective history.

Cutting Mary Quant's hair, 1964

Those few share one unique achievement: They are able to take the impossible and make it possible, thereby changing the world for the better. Some were leaders, some musicians, some great artists; some scientists, poets, heroes, or athletes. 

On the set of "Rosemary's Baby" 1968

Mozart touched us with his musical compositions; DaVinci did it with pigments and brushstrokes, with his theories, and great inventions. Poets used words, heroes gave lives -- and Vidal Sassoon used scissors to change the hairdressing world, along with the entire beauty industry, and irrevocably changed the way women live their lives.

Five-Point Cut, 1964

He liberated women from weekly trips to the salon for a “wash and set,” offering them the freedom to care for their own hair. Vidal encouraged an entire generation to forego the rollers, forget the fussy bouffant, and forge their own relationship with the blowdryer and modern, short hair. 

The Kwan Bob, 1968

Vidal’s unique geometric shapes (The Five Point Cut, The Kwan Bob, The Greek Goddess, The Butterfly) and clean approach to cutting transformed the entire industry’s approach to hair care. 

The Greek Goddess

While stylists initially worried that the Vidal Sassoon approach would have a huge negative impact on their income and destroy the industry, he ultimately inspired cutters to work with and maximize a woman’s natural hair texture and movement.

Grace Coddington

Danae Brook

It took one man to revolutionize hair styling as we know it today. As a colleague and fellow member of Intercoiffure, I’ve had the pleasure of being with Vidal Sassoon several times.

I’ve watched him perform, and I feel privileged to have had that opportunity. I’m very thankful for having been able to learn his skills and techniques, and I’ve become a better stylist and skilled hair cutter because of it.

Vidal and Carol Channing

I especially like Vidal’s slogan, “If you don’t look good, we don’t look good.” Like many who met him, along with all who knew and loved him, I will always remember Vidal Sassoon as the icon who changed haircutting from what it was into architecture and art.

Vidal and Joan Collins

He wrote in his memoir, “The hair must suit the bone structure, and also the clients’ figure. I dream of hair as an art form, giving the lead to other art forms.”

Vidal in 2010 at a book signing in London

I wish you farewell, my friend. Although your physical body is gone, your footprint will remain here forever. 

Vidal and Mary Quant on the movie set, 2011

You made me realize the finished look is the reflection of my work; you helped me be a better artist.

This Spring and Summer, There’s Something for Everyone!

Rihanna goes back to black...

If you’re feeling bored with your cut or color, now is the time to consider a change. Spring is always a time of renewal, when we think about spring cleaning, changing up rich fall and winter colors for lighter, brighter spring and summer colors, going shorter, going lighter, adding highlights, cutting bangs. It’s a transformative time of year, and there is no one trend that dominates. For every Emma Stone who decides to go blonde again, there’s Rihanna who decides to go back to black.

But with that said, here are some of the looks we’re seeing repeated over and over in the magazines, on the style blogs, and on celebrities…

Krysten Ritter's baby bangs

BANGS: Baby bangs, blunt bangs, soft and wispy bangs. Whatever your bang, it’s one of the easiest ways to make a major style change yet still maintain the length of your hair, which so many women are loathe to let go of completely.

Actress Krysten Ritter has some of the most flattering baby bangs we’ve seen – they’re edgy, a little rock-and-roll, very urban, and a bit retro, too, especially paired with her black hair. 

Baby bangs at Versace

The trick with very short bangs is to be sure they don’t look as if you cut them yourself – or worse, that a three-year-old cut them while you napped, like the model from the Versace Fall 2012 runway.  This is when you want to consult your stylist and get a professional opinion about whether they’re the most flattering bang for your face, and then have them cut professionally to be sure they avoid the dreaded “kindergarten” look.

Blunt bangs at Marni

Blunt bangs are another style that isn’t the easiest to pull off – the heavy geometric quality isn’t flattering to every face shape, and they can be severe. They also tend to grow out very quickly, and are not easy to maintain yourself, necessitating frequent trips to the salon. 

Blunt bangs at Elie Saab

You’ll notice that both examples of this look are from the Fall 2012 runways (Marni and Elie Saab) and not real life; they flatter a model’s more exaggerated bone structure. Again, this is where a stylist’s expertise comes in; if they’ll look fabulous on you, your stylist will tell you truthfully.

Nicole Richie's wispy bangs

By far the most flattering bangs are soft fringes, or wisps. Seen here on cuts, colors, and face shapes as diverse as Nicole Richie’s softly layered golden shag, Alexa Chung’s ombréd brunette bob, and Florence Welch’s flame-colored waves, they’re versatile and can be worn piece-y, pushed to the side, or down. 

Alexa Chung's piece-y fringe

Florence Welch's soft fringes

It’s hard to go wrong with this style of bang, and they accentuate the eyes and well-shaped brows, hide a high forehead, bring balance to a disproportionate face, and are a great way to cover an aging forehead.     

January Jones' graduated bob

Emily Blunt's graduated bob

BOBS: The bob is one way to still feel like you have length while losing a lot of the weight from your hair, often freeing up more texture, trimming away damaged ends, and depending on whether it’s a “lob”, a graduated bob like those of January Jones and Emily Blunt, an asymmetrical bob like Ali Larter’s, or a cropped and sideswept bob like Cameron Diaz’s, it’s a cut with a lot of vitality and movement that offers plenty of styling options.

Ali Larter's asymmetrical bob

Cameron Diaz's cropped bob

Exposing the neck is a very elegant look, it creates height, and it is also cooler as the weather gets warmer and more humid. 

PIXIES: Actresses Michelle Williams and Ginnifer Goodwin have single-handedly made the pixie a go-to haircut again. 

Michelle Williams

Ginnifer Goodwin

More and more women are coming into my salon requesting truly short hair, and even more surprising is that they are maintaining it, not trying the style out and starting to grow it in immediately. 

Ruby Rose

Here’s Ruby Rose with another variation on the pixie, a bit more edgy than either Michelle or Ginnifer. The other advantage to these pixie cuts is that you can experiment with color and risk minimal damage since the hair is so short and grows out quickly.

Ashlee Simpson

RAZORED CROPS: Razor cutting is back in vogue, and it is being applied to cropped styles as varied as those shown here on Ashlee Simpson, Morena Baccarin, and Jennie Garth. 

Morena Bacccarin

It creates tremendous texture and allows the hair to literally be pushed into a variety of styles, with minimal product. 

Jennie Garth

It’s another styling option for the hot months, yet it looks sophisticated and fashion forward, and never too innocent.

Allison Williams 

Christina Aguilera

LONG LAYERS: No matter the season, long hair never goes out of style. Women will brave heat and humidity without ever considering a shorter cut. 

But layered looks are definitely trending, which remove weight around the perimeter and often through the interior, creating texture and movement, and adding interest when the hair is styled into a casual or formal up-do. 

Lily Aldridge, layered ombre

Jessica Biel, darker and layered

The variety can be seen by looking at the pictures of NBC news anchor Brian William’s actress daughter Allison, Christina Aguilera, Victoria’s Secret model Lily Aldridge, and Jessica Biel. It all depends on you hair’s natural texture, density, and level of damage.

COLOR, COLOR EVERYWHERE: Color is a temping way to freshen and brighten up your look for the coming months, but it also means a commitment to taking extra care of your hair. 

Emma Stone, back to blonde

Jessica Chastain, a richer red

Whether you go blonde (Emma Stone – sorry to see her lose the red!), blonder (Cameron Diaz), redder (Jessica Chastain), darker (Jessica Biel), back to black (Rihanna – much improved!), or try color blocking (Miranda Lambert) or ombré (Lily Aldridge and Alexa Chung), you need to conserve the vitality and condition of your hair.

Miranda Lambert's ultra-flattering
color blocked blondes

The more you color, the more you condition. The more your hair is exposed to the summer heat and the elements, the more you condition. The more your hair is exposed to the chemical in the pool or the salt water at the beach, the more you need to condition. You’ll wash your hair more during the summer, and if you color your hair, it will fade faster. Glazes will help protect your color and keep your hair brighter and shinier for longer.

Even if your hair isn’t color-treated, switch over to a pH-balanced, sulfate-free shampoo, and ask your stylist for a recommendation on the right conditioner for your hair. And leave-in conditioners are wonderful for everyone to help protect your hair when you are outdoors enjoying the beautiful weather. Treat your hair well, keep it hydrated, rinse out the salt-and pool-water, deep condition it as often as your stylist recommends, and it will look healthy and beautiful all through the spring and summer.

    

Until next week, ciao…

Fall 2012 Fashion Week Hair Trends: We See London, Await France…

Burberry Prorsum

The fashion industry is enough to turn your head right around: Spring fashions are shown in September of the previous Fall; Fall fashions in February and March of the same year. 

Very.Co.Uk

So, while your current stack of glossy magazines are showing the warm-weather clothes and beauty trends that strutted down the Spring 2012 catwalks in 2011 -- full of clothing colors from breezy pastels to neons; styles preppy and safari to ethnic and edgy; red lips from matte to gloss, from brow/red to sheerest vermillion;  rosebud lips; cat’s eyes, smoky eyes, white/silver metallic shadow, deep-toned glitters, or brilliant pops of eye shadow; flushed cheeks; and heavy darker brows; hair with pastel streaks and dip-dyed tips, slicked back ponytails, embellished up-dos, and sleek center parts --  New York, London, and Milan just wrapped up their respective Fall 2012 Fashion Weeks, and Paris Fashion Week is coming to a close. 

Ossie Clark

LONDON: The watchword for hair at London’s Fall Fashion Week, with the usual notable exceptions, was touchability, natural texture, and shine, embodied beautifully at Burberry Prorsum. The overall motif in London for the upcoming Fall is looks you could achieve yourself – or that at least look as if you could. 

Vivienne Westwood

These are hairstyles that are wearble and commercial; the colors look healthy, natural, highly reflective, and are very European, lacking the usual American overabundance of highlights. This is hair that just begs to be touched (Very.co.uk, Ossie Clark, Burberry). 

Alexander McQueen

Of course, it wouldn’t be London without Vivienne Westwood’s and Alexander McQueen’s outrageous designs – and for that you will require quite a bit of assistance. 

Bora Asku

What we really noticed is that, overall, the makeup for Fall is much more mannered than the hair – and that’s sexy (Bora Asku, House of Holland). 

House of Holland

Luella

Issa

Paul Costelloe

And I am personally pleased to see so many variations of pink lipstick on the London runway, from a just-bitten rose to a vibrant fuchsia (Luella, Issa, Paul Costelloe). That’s sexy, too!  

Normaluisa

Gianfranco Ferre

MILAN: In Milan, it was a season of extremes. It was all about making a statement, and that statement was “look at me” – but my, how the approach differed! In one camp, we had the “look at me because I am molto bella,” and the other “look at me because I am piuttosto brutta.” 

Blumarine

DSquared2

It’s really a choice of what kind of attention you prefer: Do you want to be on the receiving end of stares and glances because you look casual, pretty, and the best you can possibly look (like the models at Normaluisa, Gianfranco Ferre, Blumarine, and DSquared2)?

Or are you ready for attention no matter what form it comes in?

Prada

Fendi

Even if that attention is more from a place attraction/repulsion, of wanting any attention at all whether it is positive or negative (like them models at Prada and Fendi – both the makeup and the hair are not going to win fans, and to a certain extent at Gucci and Marni – the makeup at Gucci will win fans even though the hair is lackluster; the hair at Marni will have its fans even if the makeup is so absent the models look recently released from hospital)?  

Gucci

Marni

NEW YORK: Call us biased – at least until we’ve had a chance to review the whole of Paris Fashion Week to weight against it – but New York had the most consistent combination of wearable, touchable, attractive hair AND makeup. 

Ann Yee

Carolina Herrera

Granted, the braided up-do at Ann Yee is something I was doing back in the Seventies and early Eighties, the nouveaux bouffant at Carolina Herrera sees a renaissance every decade or so, and the backcombed faux bob-and-headband combination at Oscar de la Renta was refreshingly disheveled. 

Oscar de la Renta

But the fact is everything eventually comes back around, and we just reinterpret it and reinvent it, improving upon the previous versions with better styling products and less-damaging styling tools.

Cynthia Rowley

Now, how about the hairstyles at Cynthia Rowley and Creatures of the Wind? 

We were a bit shocked at Cynthia Rowley’s wild mass of almost-dreadlocks and ringlets haphazardly pinned to the back of the models’ heads, as she is not known for her wildly avante garde design sensibility. 

Creatures of the Wind

And Creatures of the Wind: Would the models | Be aware | If anything were to move in there? | What kind of creature might come out of there? | Would YOU dare? (with our thanks to the late Dr. Seuss).

Tory Burch

We saw up-dos at Tory Burch (feminine, wearable, and sexily imperfect), Derek Lam (very do-it-yourself looking, lunchtime-tryst-and- rushing-back-to-work – also sexy), and Preen (caught in a high wind?). 

Derek Lam

Preen

The faux bob from Rodarte with unwieldy metallic embellishment camouflages the best parts of that style as effectively as the headband accentuates what is essentially the same style on the Oscar de la Renta model – a perfect example of how execution can make or break a look. 

Rodarte

Rag & Bone

The long, waving textured locks at Rag & Bone, Diane von Furstenberg, Rachel Zoe, and DKNY are alive and sexy.

Diane von Furstenberg

Rachel Zoe

And even though stylist Eugene Soulieman pulled the hair into a low side ponytail at DKNY, we never thought to lump it together with the highly controlled, pin-straight, high-crowned ponytail from Jason Wu. The only thing the two styles have in common is the elastic band.

DKNY

Sometimes runways shows are not the easiest places to find flattering hair and makeup (or clothing, come to think of it). Haute couture and pret-a-porter fashion shows are very much about fashion designers competing with one another, showing off their design and technical skills, trying to break new ground, looking to be shocking, hoping to differentiate themselves from the hundreds of other hopefuls and become a household name. 

Jason Wu

What often gets lost twice a year is the women who are going to buy the clothes and make their careers a success. Designers so easily get caught up finding the perfect hanger for their designs that they court mannequins who don’t look like real women, and some get caught up in the shock value of exaggerated or even slightly grotesque features, making those women their “muses.” And sometimes women get caught up in being on the cutting edge of the trends, in becoming the patron or the muse of a designer, or of buying into a designer’s aesthetic without regard for whether it is flattering, brings out the best in their looks or figure, is cut for their body type, or is a hairstyle, haircolor, and a makeup palette that flatters their unique coloring, ethnicity, age, and features. Women are encouraged to run from one trend to the next without thought for whether it is right for them , only that it is the latest, newest, and she’ll be the first.

And ladies, as a professional, master haircolorist and stylist for over 40 years, and as a man, I am here to tell you that the latest/newest/first does not matter to us AT ALL. It matters that you look sexy, beautiful, confident, and happy. And that may not entail dyeing your hair aubergine and cutting it in the graduated bob Victoria Beckham wore when she moved to L.A., or growing you hair below your shoulders, cutting in disconnected layers, and trying an ombred or dip-dyed look that is best left to your granddaughter.

               

Until next week, ciao!