Vidal Sassoon: How One Man Changed the World with a Pair of Scissors

A captivating look at the career of social and style revolutionary Vidal Sassoon. A visionary hairstylist who became a household name, Vidal Sassoon was an instrument of change during the cultural shifts of the 1960s. Inspired by Bauhaus architecture, Sassoon’s career took off with the Nancy Kwan bob in 1963, followed by the boyish five-point haircut that blurred class and sexual distinctions in the unisex era. These low-maintenance styles signaled liberation from the constraints of the past and led to a mix of social strata in his Bond Street salon as both ladies and shopgirls had their hair trimmed side by side. His singular and iconic haircuts for tastemakers such as Grace Coddington and Mia Farrow charted a new course for ideals of feminine beauty. Combining fashion photography, candid snapshots, and recollections by Sassoon and members of his artistic circle, such as David Bailey, Terence Donovan, and Mary Quant, this book is a fascinating look at one man’s driven efforts to transform style and the radical changes wrought by progressive fashion.