Wash and Wear

Craig Teper talks Vidal Sassoon

Icon. Pioneer. Revolutionary. The name Vidal Sassoon has become synonymous with “wash and wear” hair and the 1960′s Bauhaus “bob”. He revolutionized the salon industry and became one of the most successful names in the business. And now his life and legacy will be premiering in Tribecca Film Festival. Craig Teper (one of the director’s of the film) briefly chatted with Clear Vidal and the film.

This is your first time in the director’s chair; one can only imagine the ball of emotions you felt during this experience.

It’s emotional because the film now goes from being a personal project for a small group to being released for public consumption. It will be interesting — if not terrifying — to see people’s reactions, but so far so good. Tribeca is where we hoped the film would premier from day one, so it is incredibly rewarding for it to come to fruition

How did you and Michael (Gordon) go about approaching Sassoon for this film? It’s very refreshing to see so many people pay tribute to an icon!

Michael had known Vidal for some years, and we had done a few small film projects with him for Bumble and bumble. A coule of months before Vidal’s 80th birthday, Michael suggested it would be a the right time to finally tell the world this man’s story. He invited Vidal and his wife Ronnie to brunch, we pitched the film and he said yes immediately. He has been a dream to work with from day one. Open, dedicated and completely helpful.

There is no doubt that Vidal Sassoon revolutionized hairdressing and the modern woman of the 60’s. Do you still see a great deal of influence in today’s culture?

Well, he created modern hairdressing. Everything about it. He turned salons from gaudy pink palaces to modern businesses. He invented the celebrity hair product lines of today and the idea of hairdressers as stars. We have a sequence in the film about Sassoon’s continuing influence and how it can be glimpsed on the runways, in design and fashion and all over today’s world.

Can you give us a glimpse into the life of the man behind the vision?

Sassoon’s life is a real rags to riches story. He went from being raised in an orphanage, working as a messenger boy during the Blitzkrieg and fighting in the Israeli army, to having a multimillion dollar international brand, television shows and a very glamorous California lifestyle. He dragged hairdressing kicking and screaming into the modern world, inspired by the clean lines of Bauhaus architecture. He not only has an unflinching drive that has propelled him through this, but an uncanny ability to see the good in people and to rise above tragedy.

How would you sum up Vidal Sassoon’s life and legacy?

I think Vidal Sassoon’s life proves that one person can make a difference, and can do so by being gracious, genuine and just.