Hair: Fashion and Fantasy

Hair stylist Laurent Philipon is a legend of his craft. Having started his career at an extremely young age – shampooing and sweeping up customers' locks at his father’s barber shop – he went on to train under renowned Parisian coiffeur Monsieur Alexandre, before carving out his own spot in the competitive world of session styling. Now, Philippon is a celebrated hairdresser in his own right; a respected creative consultant at bumble & bumble, he is responsible for some of the century's most iconic hairstyles.

Today sees the release of Philippon’s new tome Hair: Fashion and Fantasy. A high fashion fuelled celebration of the art of hair, it combines thoughtful historical references with pivotal moments in fashion photography and celebrity culture. From braids and waves, to chignons and crops, the self-described ‘style bible’ contains contributions from fellow hair (and fashion) pioneers, including Vidal Sassoon – in one of his final interviews – Daphne Guinness, Amanda Lepore and David LaChappelle.

'Hairstyling is a genuine art form: it symbolically represents our transition from unkempt barbarians to civilised social beings.’

Exploring the ‘infinite possibilities of hair’, the book delves deep into the origins of hairstyling. ‘Hairdressing is part of the way we beautify ourselves. History has witnessed an abundance of different styles, and hairstyling is a genuine art form: it symbolically represents our transition from unkempt barbarians to civilised social beings.’

Hair: Fashion and Fantasy is available to buy now.

Text by Rhiannon Wastell