Industry Icon Trevor Sorbie Passes Away Aged 75

A icon in every sense of the word, Trevor Sorbie transformed hairdressing across the globe with his creative approach.

by KELSEY | INFORM

Trevor Sorbie MBE, an icon in the world of hairdressing, has passed away peacefully with his family and beloved dog by his side.

Trevor leaves behind an incredible legacy of creativity, compassion and inspiration. His hairdressing journey began at the age of 14 when he became an apprentice in his father’s barbershop in Ilford. This early start in the industry ignited a passion that would see him rise to become one of the most celebrated figures in hairdressing.

The wedge

In 1974, Trevor took the industry by storm with his groundbreaking creation, The Wedge, which catapulted him to global recognition when it featured in a double-page spread in Vogue. This was followed by further innovations such as Scrunch Drying in 1979 and The Chop, showcasing his continuous drive to reinvent hair artistry.

His flagship salon in Covent Garden, London, opened in 1979, with the industry coming together to celebrate its 45th anniversary earlier this year. His leadership inspired hair professionals worldwide, earning him countless accolades and the honour of being the first hairdresser to receive an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2004 for services to British hairdressing.

Trevor’s legacy will continue on, safe in the hands of the incredible team of talents he mentored and inspired, who continue to uphold the values and excellence he championed. His outstanding contributions are noticeable through the industry, and he will always be remembered for his commitment to innovation, compassion and mentoring future generations. As he once said, “The future of anything is in forward progression.”

Speaking of Trevor’s passing, Creative HEAD’s editorial director, Amanda Nottage, said:

“We knew we would be saying goodbye soon, but that doesn’t make this message any easier. Trevor Sorbie has taught this industry an immeasurable amount about hairdressing, creativity, innovation and disrupting expectations, and even in death he’s been breaking the rules, being so open and transparent about the impending end of his life. An inspiration until the very end.

In the mid 1980s, my sister would make a 200-mile round trip every six weeks to get her hair cut at Trevor’s Covent Garden salon. She was young, and couldn’t afford the great man himself, but she wanted that cachet of being a client of his salon. His shampoo sat on her shower shelf. I remember thinking, “That’s where I want to go when I grow up”.

In 2012, returning from maternity leave, my first big project was to interview Trevor at Salon Smart, as he and the team staged a brilliant hair show inspired by the Covent Garden street performers so close to his salon. Meeting him for breakfast, I was frankly terrified and overwhelmed at the prospect of working with such a bloody icon, whose name was mentioned in the same breath as Vidal Sassoon and Leonard. But he was an absolute gem, rude and funny and bolshy. He gave me confidence I was sorely lacking, having been at home with a newborn for the previous eight months. He was brilliant up there on stage.

I had the absolute pleasure of spending time this week with Bree, Giuseppe, Nathan and Ryan, the team that is leading the charge now at the salon group. They talked of how proud they are of his faith in them, and how they’d spent a wonderful day at his home very recently, laughing constantly, surrounded by cards and messages from well-wishers across the country. “Who knew dying would be so much fun?” he joked. Doesn’t that say everything?

Goodbye Trevor. You leave a legacy that is absolutely extraordinary. You have inspired and mentored some of the very best hairdressers working today. You have created looks that have caused jaws to drop. You have helped restore the confidence of thousands with your My New Hair endeavour. And you’ve built a business that will now carry on your name with real heart and soul and artistry. Thank you from us all.”