John Frieda, the British celebrity hairstylist and haircare entrepreneur, has died at 75, his salon announced. In an Instagram post, the John Frieda salon said he died peacefully surrounded by his family. The salon described him as more than a mentor, calling him an icon of the hair industry who taught his 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. In the 1970s he established himself as a hairstylist to celebrities and high-fashion magazines. He later opened his own salons, which grew into an international haircare empire.
His clients over the years included Jackie Kennedy, Princess Diana, Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Madonna.
Frieda also built a product business. John Frieda Professional Hair Care, the company behind the cult Frizz-Ease line, was sold to the Japanese cosmetics conglomerate Kao in 2002.
He was married twice and had four children. The announcement did not give a cause of death.
Cetera Lamb, creative director at his salon, said the industry had lost a true legend and a real maverick in hairdressing.