Hairdresser Sassoon Appears At Business School Benefit

Vidal Sassoon, hairdresser extraordinaire, made a special benefit appearance for Boston Children's Hospital at the Business School last night under the sponsorship of the Harvard Business Wives' Organization.

Approximately 650 people--mostly elegantly attired, perfumed women--were at Burton Auditorium to be treated to a gala evening complete with hair-cutting demonstrations, a style show, soft music, low lights, and invaluable grooming tips.

The program began at 8 p.m. when the handsome, middle-aged Sassoon galloped down the stairs from the rear of the auditorium to the stage area where, in the glow of two spotlights, he glesfully declared, "We're going to have a smashing time this evening."

Shortly after his dramatic descent, one spotlight shifted to the back of the room, and down towards the stage came a model displaying the Five Point Geometric Hair Style. "The style that started it all for me," the world-famous hairdresser triumphantly said.

The crowd's excitement increased when Sassoon announced that Don Ellis, newscaster for WBZ television, would be the first person to have his hair cut on stage. Sassoon's assistant, Tom Cole, head of all the Sassoon Hair Salons in New York City, styled Ellis' hair as Sassoon revealed the secrets of proper hair care to the intent crowd.

After Cole finished styling Ellis's hair, Sassoon took time to tell stories of his early days as an apprentice hair stylist in London when he performed his art in the middle of air raids.

Roger Thompson--one of Twiggy's hair stylists--came on stage next to perform. He was followed by Joe McDonald, a black man who started out as a shampooer and is now manager of the Madison Avenue Sassoon Salon.

Shirly Lambert, public relations chairman for the Business Wives, said before the show, "If our husbands can learn to use marketing techniques to become part of the business establishment, we can use marketing techniques to sell something like this in order to help some children."