| In the 1970's I enjoyed the great good fortune to | | | | broke molds, yet resonated easily with consumers. |
| begin my business career in the cosmetic industry. | | | | Before the introduction of the Sassoon product line, |
| This was an electric time for the beauty industry | | | | hair care was a simple commodity business. Prell, |
| with great entrepreneurs, amazing promotions, | | | | Breck and Suave were the major brands of the day |
| sizzling product launches and progressive retailers all | | | | and their products were basically soapy cleansers for |
| combining to energize the business and drive | | | | hair, inexpensive, elemental. Sassoon products |
| unprecedented growth and excitement. As the | | | | differed in three major ways: they were packaged in |
| decade unwound, I found myself in a fortunate place | | | | solid color, starkly minimalist containers, they were |
| at a most fortunate moment: I became sales | | | | marketed to be used in a 3-step regimen and they |
| manager for Vidal Sassoon Hair Care Products. It was | | | | utilized a revolutionary high fashion branding |
| an invaluable learning experience. | | | | statement. This was the first targeted, designer hair |
| Vidal Sassoon is the very definition of a "renaissance | | | | care program. |
| man". Born into poverty in London during the | | | | Rather than a simple hair cleaning product Vidal |
| depression, he apprenticed in the beauty salon of the | | | | Sassoon pioneered cleansing, moisturizing and |
| famous Raymond of Mayfair. In 1948 he fought as a | | | | conditioning the hair follicle with three specific |
| "sabra" in the Israeli war for independence. This | | | | formulae. As the public responded ever more |
| experience triggered a lifelong devotion to | | | | positively to this innovative system of hair care new, |
| philanthropy, education and activism that would | | | | highly targeted, specifically marketed treatments and |
| benefit the Israeli nation and people everywhere and | | | | styling products were introduced. The sleek, |
| continues to this day. | | | | understated packaging of the line in itself became a |
| The emergence of the 1960's counter-culture, | | | | powerful generator of brand awareness for Vidal |
| inspired in large part by the international popularity of | | | | Sassoon Hair Care products. |
| the Beatles music and fashion, was a boon to Mr. | | | | Owing to the fame and legend that was attached to |
| Sassoon. His first salon on London's Bond Street | | | | Mr. Sassoon, the Company did everything possible to |
| became a Mecca for hip, young trend setters seeking | | | | link him and the products together as one in the |
| to replicate the bob-cut, geometric hair styles | | | | public's mind. Each commercial and print advertisement |
| popularized by the "Fab Four" and perfected by | | | | ended with the most famous beauty industry |
| Sassoon. Along with fashion designer Mary Quant, | | | | branding statement of the 1970's and 1980's, spoken |
| and Yardley Cosmetics, Vidal Sassoon became part | | | | by Vidal Sassoon, "We don't look good, if you don't |
| of the beauty and style tour that accompanied | | | | look good". American and worldwide product |
| Beatles concert tours. This greatly enhanced the | | | | distribution channels became flush with demand for |
| consuming public's awareness of the new techniques | | | | these hair care products that consumers everywhere |
| in hair design being crafted by this visionary talent. | | | | were demanding. |
| The Vidal Sassoon salon concept was very different | | | | Mr. Sassoon, and his actress wife Beverly Adams, |
| from the typical beauty salon of that time. The | | | | became media darlings of that era. They appeared as |
| architecture, music, modernistic uniforms and styling | | | | regular guests on the most popular television talk |
| techniques utilized in the "Sassoon Way" were | | | | shows of the time and gained a huge following for |
| standardized and taught in the new international chain | | | | their views on healthy lifestyles. They co-authored |
| of Vidal Sassoon Training Schools. The initial London | | | | several best-selling books on diet, exercise and |
| salon was soon expanded into a vast group of Vida | | | | beauty. |
| Sassoon upscale salons sprinkled around the globe. | | | | The demand for products that could leverage the |
| New York, Tokyo, Beverly Hills and Frankfurt were | | | | solid gold name of Vidal Sassoon would soon lead to |
| only a few of the cities that came to host Mr. | | | | licensing. A number of very successful licensing |
| Sassoon's eponymous shops. These salons always | | | | contracts enabled manufacturers to brand styling |
| occupied the best addresses, such as Rodeo Drive in | | | | tools, small electrics, hair ornaments and salon |
| Beverly Hills and The Water Tower in Chicago. | | | | equipment with the Vidal Sassoon name. Many of |
| This visibility lead to the introduction of a line of hair | | | | these products sell successfully to this day. |
| care products principally sold in beauty salons. The | | | | As the brand and business interests of Vidal Sassoon |
| professional products enjoyed great initial success, | | | | expanded exponentially, the Company was regularly |
| but Mr. Sassoon, and the executives that had been | | | | approached with offers to be purchased. This was a |
| brought in to manage the rapid expansion of the | | | | period when large, multi-national consumer product |
| Vidal Sassoon brand recognized a much larger | | | | houses sought to build portfolios of brands across a |
| opportunity: there was no consumer hair care line | | | | spectrum of categories. Richardson-Vick |
| that offered a professional, designer provenance and | | | | Pharmaceuticals purchased the Vidal Sassoon Hair |
| Sassoon had the opportunity to seize this market | | | | Care product business and they were subsequently |
| space. | | | | absorbed into Proctor & Gamble. |
| Always a visionary, the Vidal Sassoon Hair Care brand | | | | |