John Frieda, the hairstylist known for working with Princess Diana and a roster of high-profile clients, has died at 75. A statement shared by his salon said he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. His cause of death has not been disclosed.
The salon remembered Frieda as an influential mentor and a defining figure in the hair industry, saying his work and passion had affected many people. His stepdaughter, Asia Agnelli Lagrange, also paid tribute, describing him as “the best man to ever exist” and noting the number of lives he had touched.
Frieda styled Diana’s blonde pixie cut for a 1980 portrait session with photographer Lord Snowdon. The image appeared in Vogue around the time of her engagement to then-Prince Charles. His other clients included Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Diana Ross.
Born in London in 1951, Frieda followed his father Isidore into the hairdressing profession, despite his father’s initial hope that he would become a doctor. Frieda began working at House of Leonard at 16 and assisted Lewis Leonard, helping on shoots involving clients such as Jackie Onassis and the Beatles. He later created the “Purdey” hairstyle worn by Joanna Lumley in the 1970s series “The New Avengers.”
Frieda opened his first salon in London at 25 and later expanded to Los Angeles and New York City. In the 1980s, he developed the John Frieda Professional Hair Care line and launched Frizz Ease, which became available in the United States in 1990 and went on to sell internationally. He later sold the haircare company to Japan’s Kao Corporation for $450 million while retaining ownership of five salons, including two in New York City.
Frieda was married to Scottish singer and actress Lulu from 1977 to 1991, and they had a son, Jordan. He met his second wife, Avery Agnelli, in 2002; they married in 2019. Frieda and Agnelli had two children, and he also had a stepdaughter.
Sources: Page Six.