Hair to the throne

CAN any of today’s stylists make as profound an impact on fashion as the late great Vidal Sassoon did in the 60s? Emma Cowing examines the contenders

HE WAS, says stylist Nicky Clarke, “the most iconic of hairdressers”. Vidal Sassoon, who died last week at the age of 84, redefined his trade. His creation of the bob in the 1960s revolutionised women’s attitudes to styling, while his famous crop for Mia Farrow in the film Rosemary’s Baby demonstrated just how stylish short hair could look on a woman.

Sassoon’s insistence (after decades of rock-hard perms) that hair had to be free to move became part of the cultural revolution of his age. But what about today’s generation of hair superstars?

Oribe

Say it “Orbay”. The Cuban-American trades only on his surname, and has built a small empire since he exploded on to the scene in the early 1990s styling the hair of supermodels Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Kate Moss. Nicknamed “the rock’n’roll hairstylist”, Oribe works closely with some of the world’s biggest fashion houses including Versace and Karl Lagerfeld, and his smooth styles are often seen on the catwalks at international fashion weeks. He is known for sleek looks such as Jennifer Lopez’s long ponytail, but recently he has received most kudos for creating British supermodel Agyness Deyn’s career-defining crop.

Anthony Mascolo

Creative director of TIGI and three times winner of British hairdresser of the year, Mascolo is most famous as the inventor of the “bed head” look – the intentionally mussed-up appearance beloved of young Hollywood starlets. He is also famed for his sharp, angular bobs and for popularising the blowdry in the 1990s. “At that time blow-dries were seen as old fashioned,” he said, “but this collection changed minds.”

He is also known for his step-by-step educational books, which have influenced thousands of young hairdressers the world over. Mascolo became an accomplished hair photographer after becoming frustrated at his colleagues’ inability to capture his unique styles. “I didn’t know the rules, so it was easy to break them,” he says.

Patrick Cameron

The ultimate “up-do” man and go-to stylist for ladies with long hair, this New Zealander – a proud owner of a curly barnet himself – has an almost magic ability to make the most complex styles seem simple. He is known for show-stopping, big-hair looks on the likes of Lady Gaga and Beyoncé, be it a simple top knot or a beehive the size of an actual beehive.

Cameron once said his aim was “to create natural looks that make a client feel feminine”. He has worked with haircare firm Wella for over 20 years, and now runs a training school in London to pass on his tricks of the trade.

Guido

One of the world’s most “high-concept” stylists, Guido’s philosophy is that hair should be styled with more thought than product, so that his distinctive, high-maintenance looks often involve head pieces, cornrows, bold fringes and bright colours ranging from silver to aquamarine, as well as “faux-hawks”, a hugely fashionable look for men that mimics the mohawk look beloved of punks in the 1970s.

His styles are often seen on the runway for designers including Prada, Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs. Guido also often collaborates with renowned photographer Steven Meisel. Vogue describes him as “the world’s most in-demand hair stylist”.

Jo Hansford

Nicknamed the “Queen of Colour”, London-based Hansford was the first woman stylist to launch her own haircare line in an industry still dominated by men. Her client list includes Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Hurley, Gwyneth Paltrow, the Duchess of Cornwall and Adele. American Vogue described her as “the best tinter on the planet” and she once said the secret to her success was about matching the right tone to someone’s skin and eye colour.

“It’s astonishing what you can achieve in terms of highlighting or toning down features,” she said. An ambassador for L’Oreal Professional, her Mayfair salon now has a team of more than 50 colour specialists, all personally trained by “the Queen” herself.

Sally Hershberger

Possibly the world’s most expensive hair stylist – a cut by Hershberger at her glitzy LA salon will set you back a cool $800. She was the first American stylist to charge $600 for a haircut and her work can be seen on Hollywood A-Listers such as Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and Sandra Bullock. Her big break came when she created Meg Ryan’s famous “Sally shag” look for the movie When Harry Met Sally and she has since become something of a celebrity in her own right, appearing on the US reality programme Shear Genius and the American chat show circuit. She is also rumoured to be the inspiration for the character Shane McCutcheon on TV show The L Word.