I sat down to talk with my good friend and creative collaborator, Peter Savic over lunch at a little Indian restaurant off the beaten track in Los Angeles.

When I met Peter in 1991 on the video set of Paula Abdul’s hit, “Rush, Rush” co-starring Keanu Reeves, he was already an established hairdresser in Los Angeles. The video was based on the film, “Rebel without a Cause” and filmed at the Griffith Observatory above Hollywood. I had just moved to LA from London with no car; there were no designer PR's on the West coast and I was styling from the back of Keanu Reeves' Norton motorcycle at vintage stores like American Rag and Palace Costume. This was my first video in LA and I was immediately impressed by how Peter loved to collaborate with such an original vision. Over the years he has been in constant demand, not only in Los Angeles, but also in the fashion and entertainment capitals around the world. For more than a few decades he has been involved with the creation of iconic imagery through his collaborations with the most imaginative minds of our times. Peter has evolved exponentially with his celebrity clients, whether it be Madonna, Sophia Loren, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Christina Aguilera or Lady GaGa. 

Tanya Gill: How were you first inspired to be a hairdresser? You are more of an artist that uses hair as your medium.

Peter Savic: My mother inspired me. I grew up with artists and sculptors in Vienna. I was a creative child…surrounded by art and classical music. I saw hair differently.

TG:  Did you work in Europe before moving to America?

PS: I studied at the Vienna Academy of Hair in the mid/late 70’s and had a job at a Viennese hair salon, where my boss saw talent in me. He gave me my own hair shows as a platform to show my creativity. This led to me working with photographers at a very young age. I met Elfie Semotan, a photographer based in Vienna and started working on advertising campaigns whilst still working at the hair salon.

TG: How did you decide to be based in Los Angeles?

PS: Angelika Schubert talked me into it. She got me excited about Los Angeles. I went with a jewely designer friend and stayed three months.

TG: And the rest is history!

TG: Can you tell me your favorite photographers and directors that you have collaborated with? I know you have worked with all "the greats," Herb Ritts, Ellen Von Unworth, Steven Meisel, Annie Leibovitz, Matthew Rolston, etc...

PS: I met Matthew Rolston when he was still an emerging photographer and we did shoots for Interview and Harpers Bazaar.  Next, I met Herb Ritts and Madonna when her regular hair stylist was not available on the video "Live to Tell,” back when she was with Sean Penn. I was introduced by make-up artist Francesca Tolot.
Madonna saw an image in my book where I played with all variations on the 50's pin-curl theme and re-invented the look with the color and cut. I did so many things with her hair from very short styles to the classic pony tail for the "Blonde Ambition Tour." I worked on all her videos, "Vogue", "Express Yourself", editorial shoots like the iconic Interview Magazine editorial photographed by Herb Ritts. For the video “Open your Heart” I bleached her hair white. 

I loved working with Herb Ritts on so many projects. A memorable one was the Janet Jackson video with Djimon Honsou. I did many celebrity shoots with Alix Malka, from Sophia Loren to Katherine McPhee that I worked on with you for 7 Hollywood!

Ellen Von Unworth with whom I did the famous Guess campaign and French, Italian, American Vogue with all the super models, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Claudia Schiffer, Naomi Campbell and Helena Christensen whom I worked on the “Wicked Game” video with Chris Isaak. 

I also created some iconic images with Annie Leibovitz, Demi Moore being the subject, once pregnant and again famously body painted by make-up artist Joanne Gair.  We did two covers. It was the first time we had ever seen a pregnant or naked woman on a cover.  We were breaking the rules.  

There were phases where I designed the character’s looks for films, "Dick Tracy" with Madonna and "LA Confidential" with Kim Bassinger.  I have been working with Kim since the 80's. 

TG: Lady GaGa is known for her extreme looks. Did you create the lavender style that has inspired so many others?

PS: Lady GaGa loves creative people, and she loved me. I dyed her wig lavender for the "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" video. I gave her two different wigs for the "Paparazzi" video, one a bob and the other a cone-like style. For a nightclub appearance I gave her a "golden halo," a religious look.  

TG: Amy Whitehouse was such a true original. Can you tell us something about the mass of hair that was her defining trademark?

PS: She was amazing! The sweetest. She let me do my thing creating my interpretation of her look. We did the best pictures she ever did with Bryan Adams for Zoom magazine.

TG: Are you inspired by art...paintings, sculptures?

PS: Yes, we all get inspired from somewhere. 

TG: I know you are friends with Sophia Loren. How did you meet?

PS:  I was introduced on a photoshoot by Ellen Von Unworth. We clicked immediately and we became very close friends.

TG:  We want to know more Peter! I feel like we have only touched the surface with you and the sublime work you have created. Your imagination is truely inspiring.

PS: To be continued...