‘A true icon of the hair industry’: Celebrity hairstylist John Frieda dies aged 75

Businessman styled stars such as Twiggy, Madonna and Joanna Lumley and created popular hair care line Frizz Ease

John Frieda, the celebrity hairstylist who launched his own bestselling hair product range, has died aged 75, it has been announced.

In an Instagram post, his salon wrote: “It is with heavy hearts that we share the news that our dear John passed away peacefully … surrounded by his family.

“John was more than a mentor to us; he was a true icon of the hair industry. He was the person who taught us everything, believed in us, and made us better.

“His talent and passion touched so many, and his legacy will live on in every single one of us. We will continue to do him proud.

“Our thoughts are with John’s family and everyone who loved him.

“Rest in peace, John. You will be forever in our hearts.”

The London-born businessman, whose father was a hairdresser and whose grandfather was a barber, styled many celebrities throughout his lifetime, from Twiggy and Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Scarlett Johansson, Madonna, Nicole Kidman and Diana, Princess of Wales.

He created the famous “Purdey” hairstyle – a statement bowl cut – for Joanna Lumley in 1976 for her role in The New Avengers TV series, and opened his first salon that same year, aged 25.

He went on to launch the popular Frizz Ease hair care line and open salons around the world. He also styled for British Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar

Frieda married his first wife, the Scottish singer known as Lulu, in 1977. They had one child, Jordan Frieda.

Frieda moved to the United States in 1990 to focus on his growing hair care brand, with his relocation contributing to the end of the marriage.

He met his second wife, Avery Agnelli, widow to an heir of the Fiat car company, in 2002 and they married in 2019. They had two children together, Jackson and Leyla, and Frieda was stepfather to her daughter, Asia Agnelli Lagrange.

Agnelli Lagrange shared a series of photos of them together on Instagram, writing: “Sadly my J has passed away. Today we lost the best man to ever exist. I share this because I know he touched the lives of so many.”

His cause of death has not been made public.

Born Alan Howard Frieda, in Kenton, Middlesex, he began his career at London’s House of Leonard salon, and adopted the name John because another stylist at the salon was already named Alan.

In the 1980s, he worked with the American hair care executive Gail Federici to create his own product line and launched Frizz Ease in 1988 and his Sheer Blonde line in 1998.

Among those paying tribute on social media was Jo Wood, the model, TV personality and the wife of the Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood. She said: “Oh No… that’s so sad. When I was 16 and John worked as an assistant at Leonards, he would do my hair. He was so great… we would go to the pub after… but I couldn’t drink. RIP John it was lovely to know you.”

Cetera Lamb, the creative director of Frieda’s London salon, said: “The industry has lost a true legend, a real maverick in hairdressing. For 50 years, he led our wonderful salon, leaving behind an incredible legacy of passion, creativity, vision and outstanding hairdressing.”

In 2002, Frieda sold his hair care company to the Japanese conglomerate Kao in a deal valued at $450m. He retained ownership of five salons: two in London, two in New York and one in Los Angeles.