Head Master.

Head Master

Michael Gordon: Hairdresser By Kari Molvar

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rowing up in London in the 1950s, Michael Gordon spent every Saturday in his mother's beauty salon. The ritual had its rewards: "All the gorgeous women made a fuss over me there," he admits. "It was pretty fantastic." He managed to remain the center of attention when he opened his own salon, Bumble and Bumble, in New York City in 1977. The location quickly became a magnet for rising stars, such as hairstylists Orlando Pita and Ward-and their model and actress clients. Still, Gordon views his success modestly. "I don't think I have a natural ability for cutting hair," he insists. "I have an eye for spotting the talent in others."

That insight led Gordon to his next venture. "In the early '90s, I was working backstage at the fashion shows," he remembers. "I noticed that everyone was mixing bizarre creams and oils to give the models' hair the right texture." Gordon tinkered for two years to create sprays and pomades that mimicked those handmade concoctions. These days, his Bumble and Bumble product line has gained a cult following-stylists pop bottles like energy water backstage, and even celebrities endure the waitlist for his oil-absorbing hair powders. Being in the spotlight hasn't changed Gordon's perspective, though. "I'm still quite shy," he says, "and hung up on gorgeous women."

Greatest Hits

Gordon used to style hair by rogue methods, adding Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream for shine and misting on beer to create body. He was equally inventive with the Bumble and Bumble products: