“Mr Frieda’s pioneering spirit and dedication to his craft transformed people’s hair and confidence worldwide; one of the most influential figures in hairdressing, he is a true icon who shaped and inspired culture.
“We are proud to carry his heritage forward and honoured to continue the story he began.
“Our heartfelt thoughts are with his family, friends, the John Frieda salon team and all those whose lives he touched and inspired.”
John Frieda and model Florence Brudenell-Bruce promote the new John Frieda Frizz-Ease Overnight Repair Creme Serum at Boots on Oxford Street on February 21, 2008 (Getty Images)Getty Images
Born Alan Howard Frieda in 1951, he came from a Jewish family with three generations of experience in the hairdressing trade.
His grandfather had fled the pogroms in Poland before establishing himself as a barber on Fleet Street. His father, who was also a hairdresser, owned a salon in Ealing, west London.
Frieda followed his father into the profession, opening his own salon at the age of 25 years-old in London’s New Cavendish Street in 1976.
He went on to become one of Britain's best-known hairdressers, working with celebrities, models and members of the Royal Family.
His clients included Princess Diana, Madonna, Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Scarlett Johansson.
He was also associated with one of the most recognisable hairstyles of an era, the ‘Purdey’, made famous by Joanna Lumley in the television series The New Avengers.
Joanna Lumley as Purdey, Gareth Hunt as Mike Gambit, and Patrick Macnee as John Steed in 'The New Avengers' on July 12, 1976Getty Images
He also contributed to British fashion publications, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar.
But it was his understanding of a problem experienced by millions that made his name internationally recognised.
In 1988, working with American haircare entrepreneur Gail Federici, Frieda developed Frizz-Ease, a product designed to control frizzy hair.
It became one of the defining products of its generation, bringing salon-inspired expertise into the homes of consumers across the world.
The success of Frizz-Ease was followed by the success of sheer blonde in 1998, a specialist range specialised for blonde hair. Both products reflected Frieda’s approach to haircare: identifying specific concerns and developing products to address them.
In 2002, Frieda and Federici sold the John Frieda Haircare business to Japanese cosmetics group Kao Corporation in a deal reportedly worth approximately $450 million.
Despite his commercial success, Frieda maintained his connection to professional hairdressing through his salon business, which included locations in London, New York and Los Angeles, where he continued to work with clients and stylists.
His Jewish heritage also provided an unexpected connection to Miriam Haart, star of the Netflix series My Unorthodox Life.
In 2021, Haart partnered with John Frieda Haircare for its #FriedaBeMe campaign, which celebrated the freedom to live authentically.
Haart, who grew up in a strictly-Orthodox Jewish community before leaving with her family, spoke about the importance of embracing her identity and making her own choices.
In a 2021 interview, she said: “I’m very into minimal effort when it comes to beauty maintenance, and that is why I love John Frieda’s products.”
Frieda’s death marks the end of a career spanning five decades, during which he helped shape British hairdressing and build one of the most recognisable names in international haircare.
