British stylist John Frieda, who worked with Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana, has died

Passing

British stylist John Frieda has died at the age of 75. The company itself announced the death of the founder of the salon chain on Instagram: “With heavy hearts, we share that our beloved John passed away peacefully, surrounded by his family.” In the salon’s statement, which AFPcites, Frieda is described as “a true icon of the hair industry,” someone who “taught us everything, believed in us and made us better.” The salon’s creative director, Setera Lamb, said the industry had lost “a true legend, a true rebel in hairdressing.”

Career and legacy

Frieda was born in 1951 into a family of hairdressers and trained at the London salon House of Leonard. In the 1970s he established himself as a stylist for celebrities and fashion magazines, and later opened his own salons, which grew into an international hair care empire. Over the course of his career he worked with clients such as Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Madonna, and also cared for the hair of Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana.

Brand and personal life

The stylist’s product line, John Frieda Professional Hair Care, known for its iconic Frizz-Ease range, was sold to the Japanese cosmetics group Kao in 2002. Frieda was married twice; his first wife was pop singer Lulu, with whom he had one child. In an interview with The Times this year, he was called “the most successful hairdresser of his generation.”