John Frieda, the celebrity hairstylist who built a haircare business from his work in the salon, has died at 75. A statement shared on his salon’s social media account on November 3 said he died peacefully, surrounded by his family.
The John Frieda Salon called him an icon of the hair industry and said he had mentored its staff. The statement added that his talent and passion had affected many people, and that his legacy would continue through those who worked with him.
Born Alan Howard Frieda in London in 1951, he began working as a hairdresser at 16, joining the Mayfair salon of Leonard of Mayfair. He later recalled that his father, who owned a salon in Ealing, had initially hoped he would become a doctor, but urged him to work at a leading London salon once he saw his son was determined to pursue hairdressing.
Frieda’s early work included creating a pageboy style known as The Purdey for actor Joanna Lumley in 1976. That year, he opened his own salon in central London. Over the course of his career, he worked with clients including Princess Diana, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Nicole Kidman and Scarlett Johansson.
In the late 1980s and 1990s, Frieda expanded into haircare products. His Frizz-Ease line became his best-known range. He had one son with his first wife, singer and actor Lulu, and two children and a stepdaughter with his wife, Avery Agnelli.
Sources: E! News.