As long as society has paid attention to women’s hair, it has paid attention to women’s hairdressers—who, more often than not, have been male. Flamboyant, larger-than-life figures, they achieved a level of fame that throughout time has eclipsed even that of their storied clients: princesses, supermodels, first ladies, and starlets among them. Below, a look at the 15 greatest male game-changers in the colorful business of hair.
Era: 17th century
Celebrity Clients: Princess Marie de Gonzague, wife of King Wladyslaw IV Vasa of Poland
C.V.: History’s first “coiffeur,” Champagne designed signature looks for aristocratic clients, who lavished him with gifts and competed for his attention.
Anecdote: He maintained the temperament of an artiste and was known to walk out mid-styling or insult blue bloods to their faces.
Legros de Rumigny
Era: 18th century
Celebrity Clients: Madame de Pompadour
C.V.: The official hairdresser of the French court, Legros penned a book containing 38 hairstyles (considered a must-read among Parisian haute society) and opened a hairstyling school.
Anecdote: He was crushed to death by a frenzied mob celebrating Marie Antoinette’s marriage to Louis XVI.
LĂ©onard
Era: Late 18th century
Celebrity Clients: Marie Antoinette, Duchesse de Luynes, Madame de Matignon
C.V.: LĂ©onard was best known for creating elaborate hairstyles that sometimes stood five feet high and included or imitated objects such as “a serpent, a rising sun, and an olive tree.”
Anecdote: Marie’s faith in her hairdresser was such that she entrusted him with her jewels—he subsequently used them to aid his escape from France during the Terror.
Marcel Grateau
Era: 19th century
Celebrity Clients: The Princess of Sagan, the Comtesse de Castellane, Jane Hading
C.V.: While styling the hair of tarts in the slums of Paris, Grateau hit upon a workable method of waving hair, an innovation that made him so sought-after by the demimonde that clients outbid each other for appointments.
Anecdote: An 1893 article compared the fashionable “Marcel wave” to anarchist bombs detonating across Paris at the time.
Antoine (né Antek Cierplikowski)
Era: 1920s
Celebrity Clients: Coco Chanel, Lady Elsie Mendl, Josephine Baker
C.V.: Inspired by Joan of Arc, Polish-born Antoine created the bob cut, which was then popularized by silent-screen actress Louise Brooks and adopted by flappers as their signature look.
Anecdote: When Lily de Moure lost her hat before a prestigious event, Antoine assured that her he could provide her with a hair style commensurate to the occasion. The bareheaded lady caused a sensation, and the next morning Antoine had a line of women out his door, requesting (incorrectly) “the little Russian.”
Sydney Guilaroff
Era: 1930s and 1940s
Celebrity Clients: Greta Garbo, Grace Kelly, Joan Crawford
C.V.: A protĂ©gĂ© of Antoine’s who used to sleep on park benches, Guilaroff became the official stylist of MGM studios, where he was adored by his celebrity clientele; he was the first hairdresser to receive screen credit.
Anecdote: He styled Grace Kelly’s hair in Monaco on her wedding day and received a call from Marilyn Monroe on the night of her death.
Era: 1940s-1960s
Celebrity Clients: Elizabeth Taylor, Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn
C.V.: Described by Jean Cocteau as “le Sphinx de la Coiffure,” the mercurial Alexandre cut the hair of not only Hollywood stars but members of international royal families. He also worked as a stylist for fashion designers such as Yves Saint Laurent and Karl Lagerfeld.
Anecdote: When Elizabeth Taylor was bedridden during the filming of Cleopatra, she was asked what would make her most happy—she answered: “Alexandre.” He promptly flew to London and gave her the famous “artichoke” cut.
Raymond Bessone
Era: 1950s and 1960s
Celebrity Clients: Diana Dors
C.V.: Bessone, a.k.a. Mr. Teasy-Weasy, ran a flamboyant London salon (gilded mirrors, champagne fountains) where he spoke in a faux French accent and is credited with inventing the modern bouffant. He was also one of the first hairdressers featured on TV.
Anecdote: If addressed by one of the customers while stalking the floor of his salon, he would shout, “Madame, can you not see that I am meditating?
Kenneth Battelle
Era: 1960s-present
Celebrity Clients: Brooke Astor, Katharine Graham, Diana Vreeland
C.V.: Most famous for giving Jackie Kennedy her bouffant and styling her for the presidential inauguration ceremony, Battelle has maintained relevance into the present by recruiting clients from the modern fashion set.
Anecdote: In what some called a “palace revolution,” Thomas Morrissey, Battelle’s colorist, left to start his own salon in 1986, stealing a number of Battelle’s clients—Nancy Kissinger, Pat Buckley, and even Jackie.
Era: 1960s and 1970s
Celebrity Clients: Mia Farrow, Nancy Kwan, Mary Quant
C.V.: Sassoon became an icon of the Swinging Sixties when he revolutionized women’s hairstyles by delivering short, naturally elegant, geometric cuts.
Anecdote: After being turned away from salon jobs early in his career because of his thick, Cockney accent, Sassoon worked with Laurence Olivier’s speech coach for three years to affect a sophisticated patois.
Era: 1970s
Celebrity Clients: Lucille Ball, Kim Novak, Marlene Dietrich
C.V.: The inspiration for the libidinous protagonist of the movie Shampoo, Gene Shacove was responsible for softer, tousled hairstyles that befitted a newly liberated, openly sexual era in America.
Anecdote: The reception for Shacove’s funeral was held at the Playboy Mansion. Buddy Hackett delivered the eulogy, at one point saying, “A year from now…all the grass [on his grave] site will be gone because he will have smoked it.”
Era: 1970s-present
Celebrity Clients: Graces Jones, Debbie Harry, Victoria Beckham
C.V.: Channeling the experimental spirit of Warhol’s Factory days, Dutchman Christiaan pioneered the buzzed bob and brought a ragged punk edge to hairstyling, once giving the fashion designer Stephen Sprouse a half-buzz, half-flop.
Anecdote: Infamously, Christiaan cut a chunk of hair off the head of a fashion editor—without asking first.
Era: 1990s
Celebrity Clients: Jennifer Aniston, Debra Messing, Demi Moore
C.V.: Often referred to as a rock star of the industry, the leather-pants-wearing Sahag employed an idiosyncratic method: He cut hair while it was dry, claiming that it gave him more creative control.
Anecdote: He put himself on the map with Demi Moore’s “boy” cut in Ghost, prompting scores of women across the country to imitate the look.
Era: 1990s-present
Celebrity Clients: Michelle Williams, Marisa Tomei, Jennifer Aniston
C.V.: The man behind “the Rachel,” McMillan has styled Aniston from the beginning of her Friends days and remains one of her closest confidants. He also styled Michelle Williams at the 2011 Oscars, where she sported an increasingly popular pixie cut.
Anecdote: The inspiration behind Aniston’s latest haircut, the angled bob? Julie Christie in Shampoo.
Era: 1990s-Present
Celebrity Clients: Scarlett Johansson, Penélope Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, Naomi Campbell (pictured above)
C.V.: Oribe was known as a maestro of big hair until cocaine—and the grunge movement—overtook him. He engineered a comeback in the 2000s when he paired up with Jennifer Lopez and has since been styling nearly every Hollywood head under the sun.
Anecdote: At the peak of his popularity, the waiting list for an appointment at Oribe’s Elizabeth Arden salon in New York had over a thousand names.
For the first time, Charleston Fashion Week® accepted applications for hair and makeup professionals. Hair and makeup artists traveled from out of town and state to compete for a paying spot backstage. Auditions took place Monday, January 17 and Tuesday, January 18th. All hair stylists and makeup artists were asked to bring their portfolio and kit. Audition consisted of a timed test on real models, plus interview questions. The hair & makeup team selected were just announced on CFW website.
See The OFFICIAL CFW 2011 HAIR & MAKEUP TEAM HERE.
The latest season of “American Idol” is showcasing a lot of talent, but we’re more interested in the hair and style of celebrity judge, Jennifer Lopez. We talked to her longtime stylist, Oribe, to get his opinions on the star and her looks on the show. “Jennifer is a Leo, so she loves hair and she is a beautiful lady,” he says. “She has a lot of personal style, and that definitely translates with her hair and the styles that she chooses—she can pull her hair back, wear it wavy or ultra-curly, she looks great with lots of sexy volume or with a simple, chic knot.”
It’s that versatility that makes her so intriguing, he adds. Not to mention, her fabulous warm honey hair color really sets off her skin tone! Read on for Oribe’s tips on achieving these hair styles, and for more information on Oribe Hair Care, visit oribe.com.
LOOK 1: “This look is easy with great movement around her face; it highlights her haircut and it’s not too contrived. Start with a blowout to get hair sleek and smooth. Next, curl sections with a large curling iron, spraying Soft Lacquer Heat Styling Spray on the hair shaft before you curl it for added hold and shine. Finally, spray hair with Imperméable to block humidity and prevent any frizz.”LOOK 2: “This bun is fantastic on her. It’s a beautiful, strong look that looks fresh and you can wear it anywhere. To get this look, apply my Gel Serum while your hair is wet and work it through the length of your hair. Pull hair tightly into a ponytail at crown, keeping the style clean and polished. Twist the ponytail with more Gel Serum, and secure the knot with pins. Finish by spraying hair with Superfine Strong. Shine is important, and the look has to be super polished and deliberate. Gel Serum adds incredible shine, and keep the look in place with my Superfine Strong Hairspray.”LOOK 3: “This look works on Jennifer because it’s young, fresh and I like that it’s away from her face to highlight her gorgeous cheekbones—it’s a great look for her. To get this style, blow hair out with a round brush using Volumista to add body and Royal Blowout for smoothness. Then pull hair into a ponytail at the crown. Spray with Superfine Hairspray to hold the style in place.”OOK 4: “I like this look because it works with the off-the-shoulder top—it’s sexy with stronger makeup, and the headband puts an emphasis on her face. It is a modern take on Ursula Andrews. I think it’s beautiful and volume always looks great on Jennifer. Begin by blowing hair out, use Dry Texturizing Spray at the crown, give it a small tease to add height and body through the back of the head. Take a great headband and pull the front of hair back so it is smooth near the face with lots of sexy volume in the back.”LOOK 5: “This is a classic pin-up hairdo that works beautifully on Jennifer. I like it because her hair that is down with lots of sexy volume, but the style is controlled a little, so it showcases her beautiful features and high cheekbones. To get this look, blow hair out and then curl hair with Soft Lacquer Heat Styling Spray and a large curling iron for smoothness and movement. Spray hair with Imperméable and pull hair back on one side, securing it in place with a pin.”
Karl Lagerfeld’s favorite ring-maker, Chrome Hearts (they make other stuff, too, like $800 hoodies and $190 trucker caps) has collaborated with Mattel’s Barbie on a 12-doll retrospective.
Now, these are no ordinary pocket-Barbies, oh no. The Chrome Hearts Barbies are each more than 3 feet tall, dressed head-to-toe in intricately detailed Chrome Hearts clothing and jewelry, and they all have their hair done by celebrity stylist Oribe—who usually charges human clients about $500 for a haircut. The clothing, accessory, hair, and makeup detail is actually stunning—check it out in the gallery (above). The Barbies are valued at $18,000 to $25,000See all the dolls HERE
Trends can sweep in as if on an unstoppable avalanche, changing the landscape entirely (until they run their cycle); such is what the fringe (bangs) did back in 2007. But it doesn’t have to end there. Some can drift on, lingering, having smaller bursts of renewed vigor. This year the fringe makes one such return as a 2011 hair trend.
So the number one question you may be asking is, if the fringe never really went away, how has it changed in 2011? The answer is, it hasn’t really. It’s still best worn thick, blunt, and long (sweeping the top of the eyes preferably). And it’s still best worn in one of the following ways:
When we talk about fringed bobs its easy to think of 1920s style cuts like the Louise Brooks. But not so in 2011; now the fringe is the perfect accompaniment to a longer bob (think Abbey Lee Kershaw, below). Again this can work perfectly for a sixties-inspired look, or for a grungy messy ‘do that’s devil-may-care
AÂ pixie crop is also perfect with a fringe in 2011, but a slightly different type of fringe. Rather than being cut separate to the rest of the hair, it should all be a continuous; the crop simply cut longer in front to create the effect of bangs.
This rather goes without saying: bangs are perfect for hair shoulder length or longer, particularly when hair is naturally straight or with a slight wave.vis fahionising