Graham Wren Vidal Sassoon 70s/80s RIP
Photosa; Unknown and Lorraine Sylvestre.Collage helenoppenheim.com
Graham Wren, RIP. This very special man and talent will be missed. He was International Art Director, Vidal Sassoon, based in New York and without him, all the great work in North America from 1979-1981 would not have happened Here are just a few of his hairstyles, from 1979 and 1981, not his usual hairstyles but all lovely and. innovative at the time
Top Row: Graham Wren, late 70s. 1. Modern Marlene from the Soft Cubism Collection, 1979, inspired by Marlene Dietrich in the 1931 movie “Dishonoured”, Photo Unknown.
2. Crimped up/down look from the HighHair Collection, 1980. Makeup Ted Nadal, Model: Danielle,
Photo Lorraine Sylvestre
Bottom Row: 3. From the P-P-Puff Collection, 1981. Makeup: Mariella Smith-Masters,
Model Kay Romero, Photo Lorraine Sylvestre.
4. Gold Lamé Rags set the Kay Romero P-P-Puff left. Photo Lorraine Sylvestre
5. The P-P-Puff, a soft sexy look, Makeup: Mariella Smith-Masters, Model: Danielle,
Photo Lorraine Sylvestre
To see more Graham Wren work and more late ’70s/early ’80s inspo, go to HairThen on
this website, Vidal Sassoon.
Rare 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
Quiz – HOT by Hair’s How – 2013 from 1979
Quiz by HOT by Hair’s How on hair history. Do you know yours? Check link
Link to blog post > | Link to quiz >
The result is at the end.
Thank you Jeryl Spear for a brilliant idea. For more hot stuff, check www.HOT.HairsHow.us
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Vidal Sassoon’s Soft Cubism – 1979
Soft Cubism, Vidal Sassoon NY, 1979 Photos: Lorraine Sylvestre
Hair: Graham Wren, Avram, Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
SOFT CUBISM, VIDAL SASSOON NY, 1979, was inspired by the graphics of cubism, constructivism, modernism and the circle, the square, the triangle.
For more photos of this highly successful collection go to HairThen, Vidal Sassoon, Soft Cubism on the website.
1 Inspiration
Soft Cubism Graphic by Avram
SOFT CUBISM 1979 – The Inspiration
Hair trends can be influenced by many things and art was influencing the innovative fashion designers, like Yves Saint Laurent in 1979. They, in turn, influenced shapes and proportions.
Vidal Sassoon’s Art Teams in New York, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Chicago and were inspired by the graphics of cubism, constructivism, modernism, futurism.
These early 20th century schools of art used simplicity and functionalism as general aesthetic trends. The artists – Picasso, Braque, Kandinsky, Malevich – concerned with the paring down of objects their basic design elements – the circle, square, the triangle.
Vidal Sassoon’s Art Teams called their new line for The Eighties – Soft Cubism. The square and the triangle were all featured. But softened. There were no hard all corners and points were – Soft.
Soft Cubism graphic by Avram, Vidal Sassoon Art Director, NY, 1979
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
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2 Soft Cubism 1979 – Susie
Soft Cubism, Susie, by Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY 1979
SOFT CUBISM – Susie
Vidal Sassoon’s hair shapes for the ’80s were inspired by the graphics of cubism. This 1979 campaign was conceived as Soft Cubism, with no hard edges.
After the Vidal Sassoon Artistic Teams and I had worked for at least a month on this campaign, probably more, we finally got it.
The hair here was designed by Graham Wren, International Art Director, Vidal Sassoon, NY, in 1979, with a new slant. Asymmetric and symmetric. Also, versatile with bi-level, asymmetric fringes.
Graham explained: “A half longer fringe on one side is combed over a short finer fringe, which
slants asymmetrically from the opposite direction. Because it’s versatile, the cut can be worn
this way. Or that. With short or long hair. Wavy, curly, or straight.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
Hair Care: Vidal Sassoon 3-step Hair Care Regimen – cleanse, moisturize, seal & protect
Makeup: Ted Nadel for Madeline Mono
WaveDress: Ken Hanneman
Brooch: Bonwillum
Model: Susie Kozak
Art: Avram
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: We all worked very hard to make this campaign happen; the planning was very detailed, and we also worked many nights in the salon perfecting the looks before we went to the studio. We photographed over a 3 day period. The first day, we started at 9 am and finished at 3 am. The second day we started at 9 am and finished at midnight. The third day, we started at 9 am and finished at 9 pm. It took me almost 3 months with approvals from corporate headquarters in LA, post-production work and writing/producing the press releases. Then, I did the PR. Which was impressive: WWD,”W, Vogue, Mademoiselle, US Magazine, GQ – 29 consumer magazines in all – and 98 newspapers, as well as hair magazines, often with full pages, around the world and there was lots of TV, with Vidal who went on a press tour with the campaign.
Note: there is different text under each photo and sometimes the best photos are last throughout the Archives.
All rights reserved © Helen Oppenheim 2012
Comment3 Soft Cubism 1979 – Susie
Soft Cubism, Susie, by Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY 1979
SOFT CUBISM – Susie
Vidal Sassoon’s hair shapes for The Eighties were inspired by the graphics of cubism – soft cubism.
This great version of Soft Cubism was by Graham Wren, International Art Director, Vidal
Sassoon, NY, in 1979.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
Hair Care: Vidal Sassoon 3-step hair Care Regimen – cleanse, moisturize, seal & protect
Makeup: Ted Nadel for Madeline Mono
WaveDress: Ken Hanneman
Brooch: Bonwillum
Model: Susie Kozak
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept by Helen Oppenheim/Produced by Helen Oppenheim with Art by Avram
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
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4 Soft Cubism 1979 – Susie
Soft Cubism, Susie, by Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY 1979
SOFT CUBISM – Susie
Soft Cubism, hair by Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY. Here, the hair is pulled back and the bi-level
fringes are softened.
Hair: Graham Wren, Vidal Sassoon, NY, 1979
Hair Care: Vidal Sassoon 3-step hair Care Regimen – cleanse, moisturize, seal & protect
Makeup: Ted Nadel for Madeline Mono
Earrings: Bonwillum
Model: Suzie Kozak
Art: Avram
Photo: Lorraine Sylvestre
Concept/Produced by Helen Oppenheim
Anecdote: This was my first campaign for Vidal Sassoon, I started in May, and was asked
to have a trend press release ready for a Vidal Sassoon press tour in September. It wasn’t easy!
I had to work with hairdressers in all 5 salons but I didn’t know any of them and most hadn’t
worked on creating a conceptual campaign before. Also I was Creative Director, a
non-hairdresser and trying to change things, to soften up the image, which was my
mandate because of the Sassoon products.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © HELEN OPPENHEIM 2012
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