Alexandre de Paris, one of the most prestigious hairdresser of the XX century, was Antoine's student. He did the hair of several film and Haute Couture celebrities. Let's discover one of the " Haute Coiffure " founder history.
Alexandre Raimon, who invented the artistic bun concept, was born in 1922 in Saint-Tropez. He began his professional life at the age of 16 as an apprentice " premier garçon " in the prestigious
Antoine
salon, in Cannes.
During his initiation, he was noticed by Yvette Labrousse (Miss France 1930), one of the most emblematic personality of the high society.
Alexandre had the honour to do her hair for her wedding in 1946. The same year he invented the artistic bun, that later was used by several hairdressers. Six years later, Louis Alexandre became Alexandre de Paris, he moved in the capital and started working together with the
Carita sisters. In 1957, he opened his first salon, in Faubourg-Saint-Honoré street, and his friend Jean Cocteau designed the salon logo.
Hairdresser of stars
Successful, Alexandre de Paris opened his second salon in 1982, avenue Matignon (Paris).
Among his famous clients, the duchess of Windsor (he did her hair on a daily basis during more than 30 years), the Princess Grace of Monaco, famous actress such as Audrey Hepburn, Lauren Bacall, Elizabeth Taylor (for whom he created the famous hairstyle that she had in the film Cleopatra), Sophia Loren (he did her hair more than 500 times) and Romy Schneider.
He also did the hair of Jackie Kennedy, on the occasion of a State diner in 1961 in the Château de Versailles organised by général de Gaulle. He scatter the First Lady bun with diamonds, and doing so he proved that he deserved the nickname " hairdressing prince " given by the media. He also was the accredited hairdresser of several monarchs around the world, among them, King Hassan II and the queen Noor of Jordania.
Three times named Chevalier
Alexandre de Paris received a lot of rewards : two fashion Oscar in 1963 and 1969, he presided over the Hairdressing World Federation and became the French Haute Couture trade union honour president from 1978 to 1993.
He was also named Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur, Chevalier de l'Ordre national du Mérite, Chevalier des Arts et Lettres.
Finally, the Parisian fashion paid him tribute awarding him the " Dé d'or de la Haute Couture " in 1994. After 52 years of good and faithful service, Alexandre de Paris retired and choose Michel Dervyn as his successor. The « prince de la coiffure » died in 2008, he was 85 years old.
The " hairdressing Sphinx "
Famous French hairdresser master, Alexandre de Paris is without a doubt a hair artist and his celebrity goes beyond French borders.
Symbol of elegance in the same way as the great fashion designers with whom he worked for fashion shows during 40 years, the " hairdressing Sphinx " (as Jean Cocteau called him) is one of the hairdressing pioneers. Always well turned out with his thin moustache, Alexandre made his name famous, and it will last as a synonym of success and talent in the profession.
Laureline Siguret for LiveCoiffure.com
► Discover the episode 1 of our dossier " The hairdressing pioneers ":
Antoine, the tomboy hairstyle creator
► Discover the episode 3 of our dossier " The hairdressing pioneers ":
The Carita sisters
