Highlights
- His Frizz Ease range transformed the haircare market after its launch in 1988
- His haircare business was sold to Japan's Kao Corporation in 2002 in a deal reportedly worth around $450 million
- Frieda also worked with stars including Madonna, and Nicole Kidman, earning a reputation as one of the leading hairstylists
British hairstylist and entrepreneur John Frieda, known for creating Joanna Lumley's Purdey haircut and launching the Frizz Ease range, has died aged 75. Frieda, who became one of the most influential figures in the international haircare industry, built his reputation through celebrity hairstyling before establishing a global business empire.
His career began in London, where he opened his first salon in 1976. The same year, he created the distinctive Purdey haircut for Lumley, who played the character in television series The New Avengers. It became a popular look and remains one of his best known hairstyles. Frieda's biggest commercial success came through his understanding of a common haircare problem - frizz.
From salon styling to a global brand
In 1988, he introduced Frizz Ease, a range designed to help people manage frizzy hair and achieve smoother results at home. The products addressed a gap between professional salon and everyday haircare, allowing consumers to achieve more manageable hair without regular salon visits.
The brand became an international success and established Frieda as a leading hairstylist and a successful entrepreneur. In 2002, he sold his haircare business to a Japanese cosmetics company Kao Corporation in a deal valued at around $450 million.
John Frieda pictured with his then wife, Lulu, they were married from 1977 to 1991 www.easterneye.biz
A celebrity hairstylist with global influence
Throughout his career, Frieda worked with several well known figures from entertainment and fashion, including Twiggy, Madonna and Nicole Kidman. He also worked with Diana, Princess of Wales.
His work featured in leading fashion publications, including British Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. Despite his association with celebrity styling, Frieda's business focused on making professional haircare more accessible to everyday consumers.
He helped establish the idea of products designed to address specific hair concerns, an approach that continues to influence the beauty industry.
His salon confirmed that Frieda died peacefully, surrounded by his family. The cause of death has not been disclosed. The salon remembers him as a mentor and an icon of the hair industry, recognising his contribution to professional hairstyling and the development of the global haircare business. From the Purdey haircut to Frizz Ease, Frieda leaves behind a legacy that reached beyond celebrity fashion and into everyday beauty routines.
