“Everyone who ever met Trevor would say, ‘what a nice man.’There’s no reason behind it—it really was just the way he was. The kindest, most caring, and extremely humble man, both at work and outside of it.” – Carole Sorbie 

It was a deliberate decision to take some time to reflect before memorialising hairdressing legend Trevor Sorbie, who passed in November of last year. Maybe it’s because Anthony and Pat Mascolo, having worked closely with the hairdresser in different aspects of their careers, “still don’t really feel he’s gone. Like anyone who you’re close to or who’s played such an important role in your life, you still remember them fondly in the little moments that remind you of them, as you try to move forward.” When the INFRINGE team spoke with Trevor’s wife Carole, she shared a similar sentiment: “Trevor was all about celebration. He loved life.” So it’s perhaps fitting that we remember the hairdresser on no other date than what would be his 76th birthday. Trevor, we celebrate you.

In the outpouring from the global hairdressing community after his passing, it became clear that the late giant of hairdressing was a humble, kind spirit with unwavering integrity, and that what will live on is not only the work he did to push the craft forward, but the mentorship he provided to the next generation. For colleagues and peers, Anthony Mascolo says, “he was always that creative competition, in the sense that you’d be pushing yourself to do things that would impress him as a hairdresser.” However, besides breaking boundaries, Angelo Seminara, former international creative director for Sorbie’s eponymous brand says, “he was a father figure to many of us.” As his wife Carole tells us, “if you passed your test with Trevor, you were part of the elite, and Trevor was extremely proud of this,” Tom Connell, who’s also held the title of international creative director at Trevor Sorbie PLC, sums it up nicely. “He was a pioneer in the true sense of the word, not because of what he did, but because of how it made you feel.”

Indeed, both in and outside the world of hairdressing, Sorbie exuded a romanticism and zest for life. After their first date, Carole says, “he called me every night for a month, long-distance. At one point he said, ‘Where is a halfway point between London and Cape Verde?’. On our second date, we went to Lisbon, arriving on Valentine’s Day. Hence the name of our beloved dog—we named him Lisbon, as the memory meant so much to both of us.” They moved in together, one date later—and the rest is history. 

Trevor’s playful spirit extended into his visual sensibility. He’s often described as having had an ‘antenna-like’ eye, drawing inspiration for his pioneering hair work from a range of unusual sources. His epoch-defining time at the head of the global hair industry has forever inscribed British hairdressing—earning him the first ever MBE awarded for the craft. But when asked, Carole says it’s less complicated than all that: “I don’t think Trevor ever set out to put [hairdressing] on the map. He simply never found it difficult. He only wanted to get better and better until he actually felt he was best in world, and this meant everything to him.”

Another characteristic of Sorbie’s career—with a wealth of accompanying evidence—is the emphasis on women’s experiences of beauty. In a 2017 interview with INFRINGE, he mentioned to editor-in-chief Anthony Mascolo that he went back to train at the Richard Henry School in London partially because he ‘didn’t want to do men’s hairdressing anymore.’ Later in life, he was inspired to start the charity for medical hair loss, My New Hair, after styling a wig for his sister-in-law during her chemotherapy treatment. As he told The Times in various interviews last year, “I’d still rather discuss hair and make-up with a group of ladies than Manchester United with a bunch of drunks…I have tried to make women feel good about themselves all my life.” Carole says, “Trevor’s philosophy was to create beautiful hair, and he appreciated women who took great care of themselves. But beyond that, he was very much drawn to women who showed great strength of character, who were decisive in the right way.” 

His work pivoted from a session and celebrity focus to a charity one at the end of his career, with mynewhair. Between convincing MPs to lobby parliament for NHS funding to support medical wigs and providing crucial nurse- and expert-led wig education to hairdressers, the charity forms a crucial component of his legacy. It’s also a core part of how Carole wants to support his memory. “Overall, there was and is still a trust there—I will continue to strive forward with the charity, to take his vision international. His vision was to make this a global service, and there’s no reason it shouldn’t be.” They’ve already dipped their toe in the water in Dubai and Canada, and Carole and the team behind mynewhair will continue to work to expand the charity. Four education seminars are already scheduled for 2025 at the L’Oreal Academy: interested hairdressers can book for the first Level 1 seminar on March 26 directly through L’Oreal.

Since Trevor’s passing last November, Carole says, “I’ve had a memorial tree planted in his memory. It’s a beautiful wild cherry tree, planted where we would take our dog every day for the walk, and it overlooks the water. The words on the plaque beneath say, ‘simply the best in every way.’ And that’s how I remember him.”

Many hairdressers have expressed their creative debt to Trevor Sorbie. Read their memories below.

ANTHONY MASCOLO: “He’s been part of my hairdressing career since I was 16. My brother was friends with him back in the 70s, and he came and worked with my brother as Creative Director at Toni & Guy for a few months. I wanted to be as good as him—when I started he was already really strong and established, and as always, pushing the boundaries. In 1985, when he won the first ever British Hairdresser of the Year, I won joint London Hairdresser of the Year with him. That’s a memory I’ll always cherish. He’s always been that creative competition, in the sense that you’d be pushing yourself to do things that would impress him as a hairdresser. It was a very strong influence on my creative output. 

As the years went by he continued to do amazing work, and myself and Pat worked with him many times, both at Toni & Guy and at TIGI—we did a show together, shoots together…we were sharing projects right until the last years, and he’d be coming into the Library Space. A couple of years back, we made him the patron of the Alternative Hair Show along with Tony Rizzo. Last year at AHS 2024, he delivered a beautiful message not long before he passed—working hard to inspire the next generation right til the end. An absolutely brilliant creative, we’ll miss him terribly—and at the same time we also don’t really feel he’s gone. Like anyone who you’re close to or who’s played such an important role in your life, you still remember them fondly in the little moments that remind you of them, as you try to move forward. At INFRINGE we try to capture those beyond the standard, and Trevor Sorbie was the epitome of that vision.”

ANGELO SEMINARA: “Trevor Sorbie was an inspiration from the moment I met him. His humility, vision, and kindness made him not only an extraordinary figure in our industry but also a guiding force in my life. He wasn’t just a pioneer in our field; he was a father figure to many of us. His accomplishments, both in his craft, through his charity work and generosity have left an indelible mark, and his influence will forever shape the industry. The void is vast yet his legacy lives on in the countless lives he touched and the future stylists he continues to inspire.

Trevor also had a playful sense of humour and a quick wit. I remember one day, after enjoying some wine and lunch at my house, we were walking in the park when he saw some swings and decided to swing on them, impersonating Tarzan. He fell and broke his ribs, but instead of complaining, he turned to my daughter and asked, “Do you know if there’s a butcher’s nearby? They might have some spare ribs.” It’s moments like these that I will always look back on fondly.”

SAM MCKNIGHT MBE: “Trevor elevated the idea of being a hairdresser to stratospheric levels and paved the way for many others. All the while being a very nice chap. Rest in Peace Trevor: you really did make a difference, and your legacy will live on.”

GARY GILL: “In about 1984 or ’85 I attended a small cutting seminar of Trevor’s. One haircut I can remember like it was yesterday. It was a short crop on a girl, and he cut out tiny teardrop shapes all over her head, creating a texture. I had never seen anything like it before. I came away feeling I had been in the presence of a hair god. Fast forward a week and I was browsing in a shop in Chelsea when I looked up and saw Trevor looking through the racks of clothes. When he went to leave, I thought, ‘now or never’. I approached him nervously and told him how much I loved the seminar. He said I was welcome to spend my days off in his Salon in Covent Garden—and after, every Monday I travelled there to see how things worked in a salon of that calibre. Trevor himself showed me around! I spent some days assisting Trevor and I learnt so much. What I remember most of all, apart from his immense skill and unrivalled talent, was his kindness as a human. I have never forgotten that. He was the person who set me on my way to developing my hairdressing career, inspiring me from that moment, to where I am today.” 

EUGENE SOULEIMAN: “One thing that sticks in my mind is him turning to me once and saying, “you know what, I’m really glad you came out of my stable.” And that’s what you want, isn’t it? It’s like your dad—your professional dad—giving you a pat on the back, when he’s always kicked you up the arse!”

GIUSEPPE STELITANO: It’s hard to put into words what he meant to me. He wasn’t just a mentor—he changed the course of my career and my life by believing in me before I even believed in myself.  Working alongside him shaped me in ways that go beyond hairdressing, and his influence will always stay with me.

LAURA DEL MURO: “He taught us to lose the fear of making mistakes, encouraged us to explore, and, above all, to dream. He showed us that hair could be an artistic medium and that a hairdresser was not confined to salon work, but could also be a creator. With his delicacy, extravagance, and masterful combination of form and colour, he paved the way to a boundless world that was somewhat unknown at the time. He was courageous both in his personal and professional life, serving as a role model for us all.”

PABLO KUEMIN: My first interaction with Trevor Sorbie was in Madrid at the Secret Show organised by Xpression. I had a small presentation, and at one point, I asked if anyone in the audience could lend a hand, as I needed an extra set of hands. Before I could even think, Trevor was standing beside me, offering to help. It was a surreal and truly touching moment. He demonstrated such humility and kindness, qualities that made a lasting impression on me. The next time I had the pleasure of seeing him, he was leading a seminar on medical wigs for cancer patients—further showcasing his deep compassion and dedication to helping others.

TOM CONNELL: “In the years since I worked for Trevor I always planned one of our long phone calls to happen on my journey the airport. He would ask me, “where are you going today, is your show ready?” If you ever worked for Trevor he was your boss for life, and the answer had better be “yes, everything is ready.”

We would talk about family, life, music and films—he would give me advice on the show I was traveling to do and help remove any doubts I was feeling. He gave thousands of people great training over the decades, inspired thousands more and laid the foundations for what many of us do onstage today. He was a pioneer in the true sense of the word, not because of what he did but because of how what he did made you feel. I write this as I travel to the airport. There’s no phone call today, but the lessons are still there—and yes, Trevor: the show is ready.