7 Soft Cubism 1979 – Susie
Soft Cubism, Susie, by Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
SOFT CUBISM – Susie
A version of Vidal Sassoon’s Soft Bob. Versatile, bi-level asymmetric fringe and graduation with diffused edges.
Ted Nadel returns to a cupid bow-shaped mouth in this photo of the model, Suzie Kozak.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY 1979.
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Wave Dress: Ken Hanneman
Model: Suzie Kozak
Art: Avram
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: Susie had long hair – I have polaroids. All these Soft Cubism styles didn’t
just happen in the studio. They took weeks of planning, to make the looks work, to conceive a …campaign. With many variations on the theme, that would also work on everyday clients in the salons.
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Comment8 Soft Cubism 1979 – Marlene
Soft Cubism hair by Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
SOFT CUBISM – Margaret
This Soft Cubism style was inspired by Marlene Dietrich in the 1931 movie, Dishonored.
The asymmetric symmetric straight soft bob with more volume on one side and new cut-in
waves, is graduated with diffused edges and has versatile bi-level asymmetric fringes.
The length of the bob at both sides is symmetric. We called it at the time
“the most complicated, glamorous, exciting Sassoon cut in years.”
It was designed by Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY in 1979, with a Spotlite Wave
Persauder (perm) by Allie Galizia and Edward Moore.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Wave Dress: Ken Hanneman
Model: Margaret Cullen, Barbizon Agency
Art: Avram
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
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9 Soft Cubism 1979 – Evening
Soft Cubism, Snake Charmer, by Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY 1979
SOFT CUBISM
Dawn
Sassooning for Evening
Sassooning for Evening, with original hair accessories designed by Avram, Vidal Sassoon, New York, 1979.
This snake charmer of matching false hair with rhinestone eyes has a lumilar tongue weaving
through hair sleekly knotted asymmetrically on top, a new dimension for false hair.
Sassoon for Evening – new for Sassoon at the time, meant simplicity, functionalism, versatility
as simple, pure and perfect as Sassooning for day.
Avram had a unique awareness of fashion as well as a degree in Fine Arts from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
He designed this very modern Hair Art Collection creating hair art originals and one-of-a-kind hair accessories, inspired by the graphics of cubism, constructivism, modernism and futurism –
schools of art of the early 20th century.
Hair: Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Dress: Sylvana Malta for Lux International
Model: Dawn of Elite/John Casablancas
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: A Vidal Sassoon model was at the dentist shortly after we did this campaign
and met Salvador Dali in the waiting room. He invited this model to dinner with Gala, his
wife, and probably others. Avram created this snake charmer look on the model and Dali loved it!
Anecdote: The Cooper-Hewitt Museum in New York requested and showed this
snake charmer in a hair-related exhibition.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment10 Soft Cubism 1979 – Evening
Soft Cubism, Sassooning for Evening, by Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
SOFT CUBISM
Kimberli
Sassooning for Evening
Sassooning for Evening, with original hair accessories inspired by the graphics of cubism,
by Avram, Vidal Sassoon, New York, 1979.
A snake charmer of black plexi waves diagonally through the hair. A veil tilts over one eye,
at a rakish angle, asymmetrically. Rhinestones add glimmer and glitter.
Silky, super-shine hair is glamour, rolled-under and forward to frame and flatter the face.
New asymmetric rolled-under fringe slants up and on the forehead ending in a
futuristic feather effect.
Hair: Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
Hair Care: Vidal Sassoon 3-Step Hair Care Regimen – cleanse, moisturize, seal & protect
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Dress: Sylvana Malta for Lux International
Model: Kimberli of Elite/John Casablancas
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment11 Soft Cubism 1979 – Evening
Soft Cubism, Sassooning for Evening, Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
SOFT CUBISM
Kimberli
Sassooning for Evening
Sassooning for Evening, with original hair accessories inspired by the graphics of cubism,
by Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979.
Here, 2 Lumilar triangles – 1 positive, 1 negative – both refracting light into exciting rays
and colors zoom through hair sleekly knotted asymmetrically on top.
Hair and Lumilar hair accessories, in many shapes and shades, were created by Avram, who
liked Lumilar “because it refracted the light, like a prism, and the effect could be…wonderful.”
Hair: Avram, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
Makeup: Ted Nadel
Jacket: Kansai Yamamoto, Diane B.
Model: Kimberli, of Elite/John Casablancas
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: The Soft Cubism campaign was very successful with the press. We made 98
newspapers, some full pages, major magazines, tv, radio, practically every
hair magazine in the world, often full pages per photo, with 23 pages in one
Japanese magazine.
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Comment12 Soft Cubism – Inspiration
Marlene Dietrich, 1931 - another inspiration for Soft Cubism
Marlene Dietrich, another Soft Cubism inspiration, in the 1931 movie “Dishonored”, photographed by
Robert Richee for Paramount, costume by Travis Banton from the book, Hollywood Glamor Portraits,
edited by John Kobal (pub Dover Publications, New York.)
I sent this photo for the Art Directors at all five Vidal Sassoon salons and waited for it to inspire the
hairdressers for my first campaign for Vidal Sassoon. Sketches are available on request.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
Comment13 Soft Cubism 1979 – Marlene
Soft Cubism by Vidal Sassoon, 1979
SOFT CUBISM
Modern Marlene
The Modern Marlene, inspired by the 1931 photo of Marlene Dietrich in the movie “Dishonored” and
cubism was an asymmetric symmetric straight bob with more volume on one side and cut-in waves.
It is graduated with diffused edges on the lean side and has versatile bi-level asymmetric fringes,
which can also be swept back off the forehead. The length of the bob at both sides is symmetric.
This was a complicated but glamorous and exciting Sassoon cut.
This version of the Modern Marlene was done for a TV and promotional tour with Vidal Sassoon,
the man, in September, 1979. I remember finding just the right model for this event,
also flying the model and her dress with Graham Wren, who did the hair, to Los Angeles
where I think this photo was taken.
Note: The photo was scanned from a full page in a magazine. Unfortunately, I do not know
the magazine, photographer, who did makeup and I am unsure of the model’s name.
Anyone involved will be duly credited if you let me know. You all created a lovely version of
the Modern Marlene and a great photo.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon New York, 1979
Model: Samantha Jones
Photo: Unknown
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Comment14 Soft Cubism 1979
SOFT CUBISM
Modern Marlene
This version of the Modern Marlene, part of the Soft Cubism campaign, was by Fernando Romero,
then President of Vidal Sassoon Salons USA.
The asymmetric symmetric straight soft bob with more volume on one side and new cut-in
waves, is graduated with diffused edges and has versatile bi-level asymmetric fringes.
The length of the bob at both sides is symmetric.
Hair : Fernando Romero, Vidal Sassoon President, 1979
Wave Dress: Ken Hanneman
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
(I do not have makeup, model or photo credits but if anyone wants to provide them I will add them immediately.)
Anecdotes:
Fernando and I worked on this hair in the VIP room of the Vidal Sassoon Beverly Hills Salon
and he laughed: “I broke all the rules!”
We started photographing at around 4 pm, after a superb catered lunch (!)
We ran out of film at about midnight for the video of the photo session, which went on to 4.30 am!
Fernando drove me back to my hotel in his jeep, which had no doors, he enjoyed taking
the corners fast but I pretended I wasn’t scared out of my wits, which I was!
Fernando used to go to Japan a lot in those days on Vidal Sassoon business. On returning
after one visit, he told me this hairstyle (or maybe it was the side view version I can’t locate)
was on a whole building, big, the whole block big. Sadly, I don’t have a photo.
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