Sassoon still believes there’s always a way

Vidal Sassoon needs no introduction to anyone who uses any of the vast amount of hair care products that bear his name.

Sassoon shot from humble origins as an uneducated, working-class Jewish Brit forced to live several years in an orphanage. He had no formal training. His heavy cockney accent limited his life and career options.

Yet, Sassoon became an international celebrity and hair product mogul after establishing himself as a cutting-edge designer of hairstyles during the 1960s.

Sassoon’s incredible life story of a kid who never let anything stop him is chronicled in Craig Teper’s new documentary “Vidal Sassoon,” now playing at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre.

Earlier this week, I sat down with the 81-year-old Sassoon and Teper for a round of five questions.

Q. If you had it to all do over again, would you have gone into your first love, architecture?

VS. Hmm. No one has asked me that. Had I had a full education with four years of reading at a great college, I probably would have been an architect, yes.

Q. Why did you triumph over so many personal obstacles when most people would have simply folded and accepted their lots in life?

VS. I think each obstacle is to be overcome. And it wasn’t all bad. You had fun doing it. Because there was something within you that said “I’m a winner. I’ve got to go through this. I can’t drop it. I’ve got to go for it.” Of course there are obstacles. There was a big flood in the salon three months after we opened.

I think there’s always a way — instead of wringing your hands and sweating — to just get on with it and make it happen. That’s what we did. I say “we” because we had a great team, and they were wonderful at what they did. I couldn’t have done it without them.

Q. What were your concerns when Craig Teper started making a documentary?VS. Craig knew exactly what he was doing. And that was enough for me. Even though this is his first, shall we say, epic? I had no worries at all that it wouldn#146;t turn out as it should. It was put together so well. Because it was done by experts, especially Craig, I had no fears at all. None.Q. What do you know now that you wished you had known when you were 25?VS. Nothing. Because I do believe that you have got to go through every adventure yourself, good or bad. If you knew at 25 what you know now, you#146;d be missing half the fun.Q. What#146;s your best memory from the swinging 1960s?VS: We must all be thankful for penicillin.