In Memoriam

Guy Mascolo was chairman of TIGI Worldwide and TONI&GUY USA. He was also part of a hairdressing dynasty that began with his father, Franco, and grew to include brothers Bruno, Toni and Anthony. His death from heart failure at 65 this May came prematurely, saddening and shocking his family, friends and those in the beauty industry who had the privilege of knowing him.


The second oldest of five sons, Guy was a gifted hairdresser, but following in his father's footsteps wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he was 14. What he wanted to do was play football or become a rock star. Still, his father, who had emigrated to London from Italy in 1958, recognized talent when he saw it and encouraged his son to pursue a career in the family business. When he was just 18, Guy opened his first salon with Toni in Clapham, South London. It wasn't long before they'd opened two more salons there. Then, in 1974, they relocated to the Mayfair area of London, where Bruno and Anthony joined them.

 1. Future industry giants Guy, Anthony, Bruno and Toni .
1. Future industry giants Guy, Anthony, Bruno and Toni .

Guy made the move to Dallas in 1983. His brother Bruno joined him there, and the two began opening salons in shopping malls and expanding their product line. Today their empire has grown to include more than 400 salons in 41 countries and 28 training academies. TIGI was recently sold to Unilever for more than $400 million.

 2. Bruno and Guy with the first prototype for their product line.
2. Bruno and Guy with the first prototype for their product line.

While Guy may not have become the rock star he thought he'd be when he was a young boy, he remained a passionate guitarist who not only wrote but also produced music. A talented artist, Guy sold many of his paintings to raise money for various charities over the years. In 2003, Guy wrote a book about his incredible family called The Birth of Toni & Guy. A true Renaissance man, he is survived by his second wife, Flora, their two daughters and two sons from his first marriage. All of us at American Salon would like to offer our condolences to his family. He will be missed. —Brett Vinovich, publisher, [email protected]

3. Guy as a young hairdresser.
3. Guy as a young hairdresser.
4. Toni and Guy engage in a bit of swordplay.
4. Toni and Guy engage in a bit of swordplay.