Legendary hairdresser Vidal Sassoon introduced hair cuts that revolutionized the look of the modern woman.

London-born hairdresser <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/10/fashion/vidal-sassoon-hairdresser-and-trendsetter-dies-at-84.html" target="_blank">Vidal Sassoon</a> is remembered for his captivatingly successful career and everlasting cultural impact. After enduring a troublesome childhood and experiencing the Second World War, Sassoon defied all odds and pursued a career in <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/how-david-mallett-is-bringing-parisian-hair-to-new-york" target="_blank">hairdressing</a>. Soon after, he opened his own salon in London and began his world-altering trajectory.&nbsp;

At&nbsp;the onset of his career, Sassoon conceptualized a new haircut for the modern woman, a blunt cut <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/beauty/how-to-style-short-hair-best-celebrity-hairdos-2020" target="_blank">bob</a>. The geometric cut was unlike any standard hairstyle of the time, it was low-maintenance and signified a changing of attitudes when it came to women&rsquo;s fashion. When reflecting upon his career in the documentary&nbsp;Vidal Sassoon: The Movie,&nbsp;the stylist said, &quot;If I was going to be in hairdressing long term, I wanted to change things...To me hair meant geometry, angles. Cutting uneven shapes, as long as it suited that face and that bone structure.&quot;

His style, which is said to be inspired by <a href="https://www.lofficiel.at/en/Jewellery%20&amp;%20Watches/swatch-celebrating-the-100th-anniversary-of-bauhaus" target="_blank">Bauhaus</a> architecture, was incredibly attainable and could be recreated in any hair salon around the world. The accessible nature of Sassoon&rsquo;s look blurred class lines and coincided with second wave&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/politics-culture/famous-feminists-that-changed-womens-rights" target="_blank">feminism</a>. The iconic bob blossomed into a number of similarly constructed hairstyles, and Sassoon became a household name. His work was visible on the covers of major publications, in blockbuster movies, and on the heads of celebrities like <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/sharon-tate-1960s-style-trend-revival-2019" target="_blank">Sharon Tate</a>, Mia Farrow, and Peggy Moffitt. In his later years, Sassoon was honored with a <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/pop%20culture/celebrities-with-british-royal-titles" target="_blank">royal title</a> as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by <a href="https://www.lofficielusa.com/fashion/princess-diana-style" target="_blank">Queen Elizabeth II</a> due to his meaningful contributions to society. In 2011 Sassoon was diagnosed with Leukemia and tragically died a year later. On his birthday,&nbsp;L&rsquo;OFFICIEL looks back on Sassoon&rsquo;s remarkable career.&nbsp;

How Vidal Sassoon Changed the World With a Hair Cut

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