John Frieda, the British celebrity hairstylist and haircare entrepreneur whose clients ranged from Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana to Twiggy and Madonna, has died at 75. His salon announced the death in an Instagram post on Tuesday, November 3, saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.
The salon described Frieda as more than a mentor and a true icon of the hair industry, saying he taught its team everything, believed in them and made them 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 hairstylist for stars and high-fashion magazines, then opened his own salons, which expanded into an international haircare business.
His career clients included Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Madonna. The range reflects a career that moved between celebrity styling, magazine work and consumer haircare.
Frieda also built a product business. John Frieda Professional Hair Care, the brand behind the Frizz-Ease line, was sold to Japanese cosmetics conglomerate 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.