One of Leeds' most iconic and oldest hairdressers has been saved as a new creative director has been appointed.
Sassoon hair salon has been in Albion Street for over 49 years. It first opened in 1973 following the success of widely-known hairdresser, the late Vidal Sassoon, who opened his first salon in London during the 1950s before opening salons across the country.
The Leeds branch was due to close on Christmas Eve of this year, but now it has been saved. Gareth Vance had worked at the chain for almost 30 years and worked his way up to creative director.
He has decided to take over the lease at the salon. It will be rebranded in January and will operate as a Sassoon partner salon.
It will remain in Albion Street for a short while but will be moved to a different location and renamed.
On December 24, when the salon was thought to be no more, hairdressers Holli Johnson said: "This place was absolutely more than a workplace to me, it held such a massive place in mine and a lot of close friends and families hearts.
"Some of the most important people in my life have worked here, including my Mum and Dad who met here and all my mum and dads best friend."
Sassoon salons have built up a fantastic reputation. The late Vidal Sassoon, CBE, was one of the world's first celebrity hairdressers, with a client list that included Twiggy, Jane Fonda and Mia Farrow.
Vidal came from an underprivileged background and spent a lot of his childhood in an orphanage. At age 14 he started a hairdressing apprenticeship.
In 1954 he opened his first salon in London at age 26. Then in his 40s he moved to Los Angeles he opened the first worldwide chain of hairstyling salons.
Sassoon's 1982 sales of hair products had topped $110 million, with 80 percent of revenues derived in the US. Two years later the company was bought by Procter & Gamble.
Sadly, Vidal died in 2012, age 84. That year he was among the British cultural icons selected by artist Sir Peter Blake to appear in a new version of his most famous artwork, The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover.
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