As the fashion world mourns the passing of legendary hair stylist and entrepreneur Vidal Sassoon, we look back at some of his greatest career moments. As one of the industry’s true innovators Sassoon influenced not only how we style our hair, but also the way we view modern beauty.

1955: MAYFAIR’S YOUNGEST HAIRSTYLIST

Sassoon trained under Brit hairstyling great, Raymond Bessone, but by the time he was 25 he had opened his very first salon in Mayfair. For a glimpse at his early styles check out this vintage video. The dramatic shapes and precise details are all still there, but the romantic Spanish influenced styles are very different from the mod shapes we’ve come to associate with his work.

1963: BAUHAUS INSPIRED

Sassoon will always be remembered for bringing Bauhaus’ doctrine of “form follows function” into the world of hair dressing. Prior to Sassoon the look was all about hair that took hours to perfect and wasn’t meant to move – The Guardian details the era of “setting lotions and rows of hairdryers” well. Sassoon was all about working with the natural texture and shine of the hair, then creating dramatic angular cuts that were easy to care for. You can see his classic shape here on Peggy Moffitt, a style echoed by the famous crops of girls like Ranya Mordanova and Tao Okamoto.

MODEL MUSES
You have to love a man who appreciates models. When asked by W to talk about his favorites, Sassoon had a couple of greats in mind. “Grace Coddington became my top model. She was eighteen when I first met her. She was just a little waif when Mary Quant and I got on to her. She carried off the Five Point Cut to be believed. Here in Los Angeles in my work with Rudi Gernreich, it was Peggy Moffitt. She was an extraordinary model. She acted out every piece of clothing. She would look in the mirror and act it all out before she would go in front of the camera.”

1967: THE POWER PIXIE

Oft imitated but never duplicated, Sassoon’s close cropped coif for Mia Farrow remains style standard. Nearly every pixie cut since has been inspired by this one. Just look at all the current actresses who have given this style a try – Winona Ryder, Natalie Portman, Emma Watson, Michelle Williams, Carey Mulligan, Mia Wasikowska…

1985: SASSOON FOR MEN

When Andy Warhol endorses your hairspray it is kind of a big deal. In one of the most memorable ad campaigns ever the brand’s shampoos and conditioners were praised by a unique group of 80s stars. Getting Warhol was a coup but the most surprising endorsement came from bald actor, Geoffrey Holder.

2004: THE SLEEK RELAUNCH

Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin knocked the ball out of the park with their chic ads for the line’s revamp that focused on the graphic quality of those ingenious cuts.

2010: SASSOON – THE MOVIE

What better tribute to a true legend? If you haven’t seen director, Craig Teper’s thorough exploration of Sassoon’s life and legacy you owe it to yourself to check it out.

Because of their admirable policy of working with models over 18, the power duo of Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin‘s usual subjects are the biggest supermodels around. News that there’s a fabulous new face captivating them is exciting and who better to tell her story than I+V themselves? How they expound about her is as eloquent as their iconic images.

“Imagine that we asked the technician at our 3D imaging company the following:

Remember Penélope Cruz in Jamón, jamón?
Remember Isabelle Adjani in L’eté meurtrier?
Remember Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral?
Remember Sandrine Bonnaire in Sans toit ni loi?
Remember Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman?
Remember Helena Christensen in… everything?
And remember Kate Moss naked?

Now imagine that he morphed these seven goddesses into one irresistible concoction of feline femininity. Out comes… LouLou- French and 19, what more could you want?”

Digitally inserted into some of their most well known shoots, Loulou is styled by Carlyne Cerf De Dudzeele. See the full story below and pick up V Magazine’s biggest March issue ever this Thursday at newsstands everywhere.

With top models, A-List photographers and a fresh outlook, popular brands are redefining their image just in time for campaign season.

CALVIN KLEIN JEANS
PHOTOGRAPHY Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
STYLING Karl Templer
MODELS Arran Sly, Joan Smalls, Lara Stone, Matthew Terry, Myles Crosby & Toni Garrn

CK knows how to create an image filled with sex appeal and they’ve never shied away from pushing the envelope when it comes to visuals. CK Jeans’ ads are as much about the sex appeal of Lara Stone and Toni Garrn as they are about the brightly colored denim. Fabien Baron‘s creative direction keeps this M&M wet n’wild extravaganza on the sleek side, but make no mistake the line is out to turn up the heat with these shots.

TRUE RELIGION
PHOTOGRAPHY Alexi Lubomirski
STYLING Patti Wilson
MODELS Brad Kroenig, Tallulah Morton, Julia Dunstall & Alicia Rountree

Brad Kroenig as an easy rider? That’s a concept we can get behind. True Religion focuses on personality for Spring with ads themed around denim clad mavericks, wanderers and rebels. The American west plays a strong role in Alexi’s imagery as does Patti Wilson’s always inventive styling. Check out the behind the scenes video for a sense of the atmosphere on the day of the shoot.

JUICY COUTURE
PHOTOGRAPHY Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin
STYLING Melanie Ward
MODELS Anna Selezneva

Juicy has pulled in heavy hitters Inez & Vinoodh to focus on the line’s fashionable side. Does Anna S. looking chic on the streets of Los Angeles make you forget about those ubiquitous velour sweatsuits? Maybe not, but I&V will always give you a great shot of a blonde tossing her hair.

TOPSHOP
PHOTOGRAPHY Josh Olins
STYLING Kate Phelan
MODELS Lara Mullen, Magda Laguinge & Marihenny Pasible

Two sides to every young woman – the glamorous diva and the girl next door, Topshop illustrates the concept via contrasting Olins images of the campaign’s fresh faces. It is impressive how high end Topshop’s fast fashion pieces look with the right styling. If we didn’t know better we’d swear that white dress on Marihenny was Versace…

DIESEL
PHOTOGRAPHY Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott
STYLING Ludivine Poiblanc
MODELS Alison Nix, Ashley Smith, Catherine McNeil, Dmitriy Tanner, Liu Wen, Maria Palm, Patrick Kafka & Simon Nessman

A massive robot, a dollhouse on fire, Catherine McNeil emerging from a potted plant, Diesel goes for the offbeat with their wide array of props and while we’re not sure what the overarching message behind this imagery is, but it is certainly striking.

Daria Werbowy.
Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
Vogue Paris.

All Daria, all the time, the best of the spring collections as worn by the iconic Canadian beauty: the crystal covered Prada body suit on the cover is only the beginning.

Love them or hate them actresses keep snapping up those coveted campaigns at an alarming rate. While we will always prefer the sight of a model in a fashion campaign, there are still some interesting ads featuring cinema stars this season. After dealing with the dog eat dog world of Tinseltown, surely these Hollywood beauties can handle a little critique.

MIU MIU
With her delicate features Aussie actress Mia Wasikowska certainly looks like a model in the spring ads for Miu Miu, but the posing skill isn’t really there. In the second shot she seems a little lost, but lets face it the real star here are the neon bags and those floral hair accessories. The garish color scheme might turn some people off, but these shots almost remind us of a neon version of the cameos that adorn her neck.

DKNY
We admit to not seeing much of the Ashley Greene ouvre (sorry, we could only get through about a half hour of Twilight before shutting it off) but her DKNY ads are nice enough. Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin always deliver something pretty and these shots with Ash and Garrett Neff on top of a midtown building are a little bland, but cute.

There is no smiling in high fashion. Seriously.

There was a point in the pre-recession days (if you can remember those) when spotting a smile on a cover or in a campaign was was something akin to seeing Anna Dello Russo in khakis and Keds – it simply wasn’t done. Don’t believe us? Take a look at Fashion Iconography for a year by year cover rundown of blank stares and suggestive pouting.

We’re not sure if it is the lighter than air feeling of spring’s floucy separates, the inescapable influence of smize-queen Tyra Banks, or a tie in deal with Crest, but this season is all about laughing, grinning and being incessantly cheerful.

Mirte Maas and Mathias Bergh‘s Tom Ford ads are beyond upbeat and bordering on manic – who would guess that Mr. Ford himself was behind the camera? Beneath all that carefully crafted sexiness, we knew he had a sense of humor.

Julia Stegner, Miranda Kerr and a couple of baby goats for Bally. Cavity. Inducing. sweetness.

Only a hint of a grin for Bottega Veneta, but seeing Liya Kebede always makes us smile. Plus, lets be real who wouldn’t be grinning if they found themselves in the possession of that tote.

Arizona Muse for Isabel Marant, stuck in the backseat of a convertible (cars are another of the season’s big fashion ad motifs, see Prada’s gas station-fest) shielding her face from the sun and STILL smiling.

Hearing the words Milla Jovovich by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, automatically makes you think of a really arty black and white shoot, possibly with some cool face painting or an M/M Paris design scrawled along the side. Luckily I&V are saving that kind of stuff for Justin Bieber this month and instead have graced us with this shot of an ecstatic Milla.

Spring’s fresh campaigns keep coming in - take a look at the latest and tell us which are your favorites!

Mariacarla Boscono for Yves Saint Laurent by David Sims

Sporting streamlined eyebrows by Diane Kendal and short bangs Guido Palau, Mariacarla looks strong and sexy in David Sims’ campaign for the mega-brand. After over a decade of campaigns helmed by either Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin or Juergen Teller Sims’ sleek style feels fresh.

Gisele Bundchen for Givenchy by Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott

Life’s a beach for the Givenchy girl and Tisci’s surf & scuba inspired collection shines on the backs of Gisele Bundchen & brand muse Mariacarla Boscono. Posing alongside boogie boards in M&M’s subdued shots, the duo looks chic albeit slightly grim. After last season’s aggressive ads this is an interesting change of pace.

Kasia Struss for Moschino by Juergen Teller

The Moschino travel diary continues; this season the brand jets to Rome to create some classic Italian ambiance complete with vintage Fiats circling Kasia Struss and the Colosseum as a backdrop. Viva Moschino!

Raquel Zimmermann for Nina Ricci by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin

The Nina Ricci sensibility has always been about feminine & ethereal designs. Inez & Vinoodh’s campaign images capture that ideal with a shot of Raquel Zimmermann rushing across the hall in a Peter Copping designed gown fit for a princess.

Tom Ford’s cosmetics line is still the most buzzed about development in beauty and Into the Gloss’ Emily Weiss explores the collection with a gorgeous shoot starring Arizona Muse. Doing double duty as photographer and makeup artist, Emily created a stunning look on Arizona featuring some of the brand’s key products. A little Noir Absolute for Eyes, a swipe of Lost Cherry lipgloss and Arizona looks flawless. We’re loving Miss Muse’ brand new pageboy crop too! Read the full article here.

Are you a fan of Viktor & Rolf and their mega-popular scent Flowerbomb? The duo is set to launch the masculine version Spicebomb in January. What made them go with spice instead of say citrus or vetiver? Rolf Snoeren tells WWD “We felt that if flowers were a very typical feminine scent, spices were the masculine opposite.” Good to know. Look for the campaign in magazines soon, starring the gorgeous Sean O’Pry

Sean O’Pry looking phenomenal in the Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin image from the campaign.

Remember Prescriptives – the cult beauty line where you could get custom foundations and perfectly blended lipsticks? They’re baaaaaack! Check out their relaunched website for a chance to score your favorites.

If you look inside Uma Thurman’s makeup bag you’ll find loads of Givenchy and a little Laura Mercier too.

WMagazine’s Jane Larkworthy picks the best indie scents and they’re all incredible – we spot Byredo, MCMC and Joya.