By Fatma Younis
Celebrity hairstylist and entrepreneur John Frieda, known for styling stars such as Twiggy, Madonna, and Princess Diana and for creating the bestselling Frizz Ease hair care line, has died at the age of 75. His London salon announced the news on Instagram, saying he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family. The cause of death has not been disclosed.
Career highlights
Born Alan Howard Frieda in Kenton, Middlesex, he began his career at London's House of Leonard salon and adopted the name John to avoid confusion with another stylist. In 1976, at age 25, he opened his first salon and created the iconic "Purdey" bowl cut for Joanna Lumley's role in The New Avengers. He went on to style for British Vogue and Harper's Bazaar and counted Scarlett Johansson, Nicole Kidman, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis among his clients.
Business ventures
Frieda partnered with American executive Gail Federici in the 1980s to develop his own product lines, launching Frizz Ease in 1988 and Sheer Blonde in 1998. In 2002, he sold his hair care company to Japanese conglomerate Kao in a deal valued at $450 million, while retaining ownership of five salons in London, New York, and Los Angeles.
Personal life and tributes
Frieda married Scottish singer Lulu in 1977; they had one son, Jordan, before divorcing after his move to the United States in 1990. He married Avery Agnelli, widow of a Fiat heir, in 2019; they had two children together, Jackson and Leyla, and he was stepfather to her daughter Asia Agnelli Lagrange. Tributes poured in from industry figures including model Jo Wood and Cetera Lamb, creative director of Frieda's London salon, who called him a "true legend" and "real maverick in hairdressing."
