You might not realize it, but at some point Sam McKnight has probably influenced how you wear your hair. As the scissors behind the cuts and styles of some of the biggest pop culture icons – like Madonna’s cropped platinum curls on her Bedtime Stories album cover, and Princess Diana’s short, slicked–back styles, and Kate Moss’s famously tousled waves – McKnight is truly the epitome of a living beauty legend.
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With photos organized by themes from androgyny to the girl next door, the celebrity and editorial stylist’s new book Hair by Sam McKnight is an anthology of his work spanning throughout a 40 year career. Along with images captured by famous photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier, Mario Testino, and Nick Night that showcase McKnight’s famous looks, the hair tome also includes commentary by fashion heavyweights Karl Lagerfeld, Carine Roitfeld, and Tim Blanks. Consider flipping through the coffee table book the anecdote to all future bad-hair days. Before you pick up your own copy for £22.75 on Amazon, the two excerpts below will serve as instant hair inspiration.
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The Hair by Sam McKnight exhibition, which celebrates his remarkable 40-year career, runs at Somerset House from 2 November – 12 March 2017.

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Word by Erin Lukas for InStyle.com.