His Work: Everyone liked it hot in
the 1960s when Kenneth, the first hairdresser to gain first-name fame,
traveled with Marilyn Monroe, created Jackie Kennedy's bouffant, styled
Lauren Bacall and Audrey Hepburn, received the only Coty Award bestowed
on a stylist and put a 17,000-square-foot salon in the former
Vanderbilt mansion, where uniformed maids served finger sandwiches. The
topper: his coif for Monroe, the day she sang "Happy Birthday, Mr.
President" to JFK.
Why He's Influential: When he saved
Monroe's hair from over-bleaching and perming, her fame reached new
heights. In the 1970s, he put helmet-head to bed by creating a soft,
pretty-hair look for Vogue, Glamour and Harper's Bazaar, beauty bibles
of the time. Ultimately, he coifed Marilyn for her last photo shoot
(Vogue) and cut Jackie's hair the morning she left for Dallas,
underscoring that beloved hairdressers share the ups and downs of a
lifetime.
What Influences Him: "Necessity."
For reprint and licensing requests for this article, Click here.
media brand