Vidal Sassoon

Further to Marcus Williamson's interesting obituary on Vidal Sassoon (11 May), he glosses over perhaps the most important element of how he first got a job in a hairdressing salon, writes Michael S Fishberg.

Adolph Cohen had a salon in Whitechapel Road (near where my late father had his jewellery shop in Black Lion Yard, and where I lived as a child). I would pass it daily on my way to and from school.

Cohen told my parents, who related the tale to me, that Vidal was taken in one day by his mother who sought a position for her son. Cohen regretted that no such job was available. As they were leaving, Adolph noticed Vidal holding the door open for his mother. Vidal's politeness caused him to change his mind. And the rest is, as they say...