By Danae Brook
|
Heady: Danae Brook sporting an era defining crop with hair designer Vidal Sassoon
Of all his startling, sleek hair designs, Vidal Sassoon always considered the Five Point Cut his greatest achievement.
‘I still regard it as the finest I have ever created,’ he once wrote. ‘The geometric design in its purest, most classical form.’
But the story of the genesis of the revolutionary cut has never before been told.
It came on a summer’s night in Paris in 1964 when Vidal, who sadly died last week at the age of 84, created the original Five Point Cut on me.
They were heady days, just a few months after The Beatles had conquered America.
London, it seemed, was the epicentre of the world. I was in Paris for what is now called Fashion Week and Vidal was styling the hair for avant-garde couturier Emanuel Ungaro.
The photographer Brian Duffy was there to capture every slice and snip for French Elle magazine.
Swinging Sixties: Danae Brook (left) and Grace Coddington sport revolutionary hair cuts made popular by hair designer Vidal Sassoon in the 1960s
Era defining: Vidal Sassoon with two of his famed hair styles, worn by model Danae Brook in the 1960s
In those days we had to work by night in the sparse photographic studios of Elle. By day, Vidal was working with Ungaro on the collections.
But at night, the clothes would be spirited away from the couture houses to be photographed by the fashion magazines â€" on the strict condition they would be back by dawn.
It was incredibly exciting. I was working with some of the most creative people in the fashion industry and Vidal had become a dear friend.
There was a sense of purpose about him the moment he started snapping his scissors. We kept going on black coffee laced with brandy.
Pioneer: Vidal Sassoon giving Air India hostess Ruby Bharucha a few hints on grooming hair at 40,000 feet in 1965
‘We’re going to do something different. We need to develop this look, take it further,’ he said of the so-successful lopsided bob he had already created for me, and with which I was entirely happy.
‘Shorter?’ I squeaked, holding on to my ears. ‘It’s for French Elle,’ he said. ‘It’s got to be new.’ And new it was. The session started at 6pm. By 1am, after more Gallic coffee than I can remember drinking before or since, we had a new haircut.
One of the greatest: Vidal Sassoon at the 'Vidal Sassoon: The Movie' premiere last year
The longest part was from the crown of my head to the eyebrows. I was all fringe, with barely a hair down the nape of my neck until it came together in a slender V.
That was the first of the five points. There were two more behind my ears like a little elf, and two in front. I loved it.
When he combed it over my eyes I looked like Cleopatra. But the moment I moved, it swung so the fringe was a shiny curtain of hair in constant tune with the movement of my body.
‘Bravo!’ said Duffy, who had already hit the cognac. ‘Let’s dance,’ said Vidal, and we did. There was a famous all-night club called Jimmy’s, where the whole fashion world used to congregate.
If Vidal wanted to make a statement with his new cut, that was the place. We danced every dance with my hair swinging. My new fringe electrified the fashion world.
I had been his guinea pig â€" and by the time I returned from Paris, work was pouring in.
Biba, Bazaar, Annacat, and later Ossie Clarke and Zandra Rhodes took up the look.
His greatest creation has never gone away. My 12-year-old granddaughter Grace says: ‘I love it. It’s the only cool look.’
-
Covered in her boyfriend's blood: Woman pictured minutes... -
Why man's best friend is also his worst photobomber:... -
John Travolta was BANNED from top New York hotel spa for... -
Frozen in the sands of time: Eerie Second World War plane... -
Just the ticket for popping the question: The tree-lined... -
Americans consume EIGHTY percent of the world's pain pills... -
Tragedy of hero Marine who pulled his college friend from... -
Princes William and Harry enjoy the glorious weather by... -
'There was a wonder as Papa was crowned': What Princess... -
A barrel of laughs: The weird and wacky pub signs that will... -
Great, great, great grandma to celebrate Mothers' Day in... -
Empire Strikes Backstage: Intimate pictures of cast and crew...
Share this article:
Here's what other readers have said. Why not add your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
The comments below have not been moderated.
- Newest
- Oldest
- Best rated
- Worst rated
Hideous misogynistic hairdos. Give me Marilyn Monroe or Liz Taylor or Sophia Loren's hair anyday. His clothes were hideous too!
Report abuse
I call him Vidal baboon!
Report abuse
Grace looks as beautiful now as then. The point cut is the most gorgeous haircut ever
Report abuse
Big Ringo Obviously wasn't there then, she's right, it did!
Report abuse
He changed my life when i was taken on as an apprentice thanky iou Vidal you saved me from turning into a nobody plus when you decided to depart from this life, you graciously did on my birthday You will be missed x!
Report abuse
R.I.P to a true Brit, but "he gave me a hair cut and defined a decade"? Bore off.
Report abuse
A true legend and a hair hero
Report abuse
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar