Born Alan Howard Frieda in 1951, he came to the trade through family. His father owned a salon in Ealing and his grandfather was a Fleet Street barber. After working for his father, Frieda became an assistant to Leonard Lewis at the House of Leonard salon, the stylist credited with creating Twiggy's haircut.

His client list grew to include Twiggy, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Sir Mick Jagger, Diana, Princess of Wales, Madonna, Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson and Gwyneth Paltrow. He also worked for British Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

The year 1976 was a busy one. Frieda opened his own salon at 25, created the Purdey haircut for Dame Joanna Lumley's role in The New Avengers, and married the Scottish singer Lulu. Ringo Starr, Elton John and Tom Jones attended the wedding. The couple separated in 1991 and have a son, Jordan.

The business that made his name began in 1988, when he launched the Frizz-Ease line with Gail Federici, an American haircare executive and his business partner. Frizz-Ease remains a bestseller. Frieda later sold the haircare company to the Japanese conglomerate Kao but kept his salons: two in London, two in New York and one in Los Angeles.

In 2019 he married Frances Avery Agnelli after nearly two decades together. He is survived by his wife, four children and two grandchildren, and he also leaves a stepdaughter, Asia Agnelli Lagrange.

Cetera Lamb, creative director at his London salon, called him "a true legend" and "a real maverick." Agnelli Lagrange described him as "the best person ever." The British Beauty Council and the presenter Trinny Woodall also paid tribute, as did the model Jo Wood, whom Frieda first styled when she was 16.