Vidal Sassoon: Hair Architect

Sharp angles, bold shapes, and crisp lines: these were the hallmarks of the hairstyle that defined the mod revolution of the 1960’s — Vidal Sassoon’s iconic, sassy bob. Now the life of the 83-year-old British-born innovator is on display in intimate detail in “Vidal Sassoon The Movie.”

The documentary explores the struggles Sassoon endured before he revolutionized the fashion industry. Sassoon grew up in a London orphanage and at 20 served in the first Arab-Israeli World War. Through interviews with family, former staffers, and the fashion reporters who have followed his career, the film dissects the legacy of a man who not only changed the way women looked, but how they felt when they saw themselves in the mirror.

In 2009, Sassoon told Studio 360 what inspired the cut that became the look of a generation: the work of Mies Van der Rohe. Despite tremendous praise, Sassoon insists he wasn’t cutting hair to please his clients: “I was cutting geometric architectural shapes and it felt good, because it worked!”