John Frieda, the British celebrity hairstylist and beauty industry figure whose clients ranged from Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana to Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Madonna, has died at 75. His salon announced the death on Instagram on Tuesday, November 3, saying he had passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.
In the statement, the John Frieda salon described him as more than a mentor and as a true icon of the hair industry, saying he had taught its team, believed in it and made it better.
Born in 1951, Frieda came from a family of hairdressers and trained at the House of Leonard salon in London. He built a reputation in the 1970s as a stylist for celebrities and high-fashion magazines before opening his own salons, which expanded into an international haircare empire.
His product business, John Frieda Professional Hair Care, was behind the cult Frizz-Ease line. The brand was sold to the Japanese cosmetics group Kao in 2002. Frieda was married twice and had four children.
Cetera Lamb, creative director at his salon, said the industry had lost a true legend and a real maverick in hairdressing.