The hair industry lost one of its brightest stars when Scottish-born celebrity hairstylist, brand founder, and salon owner Trevor Sorbie sadly passed away on Friday, November 8th, at the age of 75. Sorbie’s death was announced via a statement on his company’s Instagram page. This news comes just a month after the hair icon shared the news of his recent terminal bowel cancer diagnosis on live TV.
“It is with heartfelt emotion that we share the passing of our esteemed founder, Trevor Sorbie MBE,” his team shared in a statement posted on Instagram. “Trevor passed away peacefully with his family and beloved dog by his side. Trevor’s journey, marked by unparalleled creativity and kindness, has left an indelible mark on the world of hairdressing and beyond.”
A Career That Forever Changed Hairdressing
As one of the industry’s most influential figures—and one of the most recognizable names and faces in British hairdressing—Sorbie’s impact on the art of hair is far-reaching. An exceptional artist and true innovator, Sorbie was born in 1948 in Paisley, Scotland. He kickstarted his hairdressing journey at the age of 14, when he became an apprentice in his father’s barbershop in Ilford. This early start ignited a passion for hair that grew rapidly and saw him rise to opening his very first salon in 1979 in London’s Covent Garden. He would later go on to open locations in Brighton, Bristol, Hampstead, Manchester, and Richmond.
Sorbie rose to international fame and cemented his status as pioneer in hairdressing during the 1970s and 80s, thanks to the creation of several groundbreaking techniques that completely transformed that way in which people wear their hair. In 1974, while working as a creative director for London salon Vidal Sassoon, Sorbie developed “the Wedge,” a shape achieved by detailed graduation from the length on top, tapering to a teardrop shape at the nape of the neck. The iconic cut became the first haircut to earn a double-page spread in Vogue magazine and helped catapult Sorbie’s career. Over the next few years, what followed was an array of new trend-setting hairstyling innovations, including “the Chop,” “the Wave,” “the Wolf,” and a fast-drying process called “the Scrunch.”
Throughout his illustrious career in hair, Sorbies’s immense talent and artistry attracted an impressive roster of celebrities including the Beach Boys, Dame Helen Mirren, Paul McCartney, Sting, Grace Jones, Lorraine Kelly. And to no surprise, he has numerous awards to his name. Sorbie is a four-time winner of the highly coveted “British Hairdresser of the Year Awards” and in 2004, he became the first hairdresser to be awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to British hairdressing.
Accolades aside, Sorbie also launched his eponymous haircare line in 1986 and has created numerous educational courses and seminars for hairstylists that provided insight into his techniques. And in 2006, inspired by his sister-in-law’s battle with cancer, he founded My New Hair, a charity dedicated to supporting cancer patients with personalized wig styling.
Honoring a Legend
To all those that Sorbie and his artistry touched, inspired, and influenced, he will certainly be very dearly missed. Per his team’s statement, a funeral will not be held, to honor his wishes. In lieu of flowers, they have invited hair professionals to support the following four charities which were close to his heart: Marie Curie, Cancer Research UK, Rowans Hospice, and My New Hair. His team has also shared that there are plans to host a special event next year “to celebrate his remarkable life and contributions,” with more details to come.
