Vidal Sassoon’s Marlene Dietrich – 1980
Photos: Peluquerias Magazine
At the end of 1980, I produced a hair show in Barcelona, Spain with Vidal Sassoon US. There were 2,000 people in the audience for a spectacular event hosted by Lluis Llongueras, Llongueras. This is the Sassoon Marlene Dietrich played by a Spanish model, who had never heard of Marlene! She ad libbed to Marlene’s career signature song “Falling in Love Again” from the German 1930 movie – “The Blue Angel” Later in the show the Sassoon Team showed their versions of the Modern Marlene hairstyles from a recent collection. To see those, CLICK HERE and scroll down. (This is the first time this has been seen since 1980 and is part of a multi-page spread of all the looks shown from the show in Barcelona’s Peluquerias Magazine.)
Hair: Avram, Vidal Sassoon NY (who also master-minded this fantastic sequence) … Color: Edward Moore, Vidal Sassoon NY … Photos: Peluquerias Magazine, Spain.
CommentRare Vidal Sassoon Mystery Solved – 1979
Photo: Unknown
This rare Vidal Sassoon photo was part of the 1979 Soft Cubism Collection. The hairstyle was inspired by Marlene Dietrich in the 1931 movie “Dishonored” and it was a Modern Marlene version which is a mystery. It was created for a magazine in Los Angeles but the name of the hairdresser, the makeup artist, the model, the photographer and the magazine are unknown. It is the same dress, and accessories as we used in the collection, so I must have sent them to LA. The mystery deepens the more I think of it. If anyone knows who did the hair or any other people involved, please tell. The hair, the model, the photo, everything is lovely. To see more of the Soft Cubism/Modern Marlene photos, and the original Marlene Dietrich photo, CLICK HERE
UPDATE. The hairdresser was Graham Wren, International Art Director of Vidal Sassoon, NY at the time. The model from this 1979 photo just contacted me after seeing this blog archived on my website – in March 2020. Her name was Samantha Jones. And here is what she said: “Hello. I have such wonderful memories about my time with you all. Thank you for my 15 minutes of fame. I was so thrilled when I saw that picture. The name I used then was Samantha Jones.
Sincerely Samantha Severance
Marlene Dietrich Making Waves – 1931
Photo: © Robert Richée
Reposted because I love love love this photo, the hair and the lighting. Marlene Dietrich seen here making waves in the 1931 movie “Dishonored” photographed by Robert Richée for Paramount, costume by Travis Banton from the book, “Hollywood Glamor Portraits” edited by John Kobal (published by Dover Publications, New York, now on Amazon) – a book I used for researching lighting as well as hair.
This hair inspired the Modern Marlene for Vidal Sassoon’s 1980 Soft Cubism Collection. CLICK HERE. In retrospect, I realize it is also very similar to some of the hair in La Coupe’s 1974 Détente Collection. CLICK HERE. The lighting inspired many of the early 70s La Coupe photos on the website. More on this famous Richée photo and others in the Movie Icon album, CLICK HERE
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
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