The beauty industry lost one of it’s beloved yesterday, Mr. Vidal Sassoon. The beauty industry is what it is today because of this gentleman. The hair style you have today is probably based on one of his cutting techniques. Mr. Sassoon opened up a whole new world for women in the 1960’s – freeing them from the beehive and allowing their hair to fall free and perfectly into place. He removed the shackles of the hood dryer and curlers and helped women realize the how the right cut can bring out the beauty that was lingering underneath. The ever so prominent pixie cut of today would not have happened if not for this man – “Actually short hair is a state of mind … not a state of age.” (Los Angeles Times 1967).

When I was 14, and my double crown and cowlick were not my friends, Vidal saved me. I was at the “Hair Gallery” in Winnipeg ( my local Salon) feeling like the ugly duckling. I was flipping through a hair magazine and saw it….the pixie cut, 80’s style. I looked up at my hairstylist and asked him “Could I have that?”. I will always remember him in his white parachute pants and tank top saying “your face was born for that cut…Vidal Sassoon created that look you know”. At that point of my life all I knew about Vidal Sassoon was his name was on the mousse can my mother had in her bathroom. By the end of my appointment, I had cheekbones, my eyes looked bigger, my hair wasn’t sticking up in the back or in the front for that matter (unless I wanted it too.). I left the salon that day feeling pretty, women were actually stopping me, asking me who did my hair. If not for Vidal Sassoon and his ground breaking techniques I do believe something about me would be different today, for the day I cut my hair short was the first time I can remember a stranger paying me a compliment. Vidal Sassoon coined the phrase “If you don’t look good – we don’t look good” .

Thank you Mr. Sassoon