Premier Pittsburgh Hair Stylist Dies

PITTSBURGH, PA — One of Pittsburgh's most well-known hair stylists has died.

Harold "Arnold" Zegarelli's death was announced in a social media post by his daughter, Ronda Zegarelli,the vice president of marketing at the Pittsburgh Brewing Company and Iron City Distilling.

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"I will miss you every day and I will forever remember being with you as you took your last breath right after I said thank you," she stated.

Zegarelli was so popular that he was the subject of a Heniz History Center profile last year on #NationalHairdresserDay.

According to the profile, Arnold and his brother Robert started as started as stylists and became sought-after educators in the 1950s. In 1961, they opened the Coiffure Creation Academy at the Pittsburgh Beauty Academy.

After meeting British hair legend Vidal Sassoon in London, they brought his cutting style back to the 'Burgh and set a new standard for high fashion hair at Horne’s Department Store salon.

Following Robert's passing in 1981, Arnold opened a salon downtown, Premier, and developed a hairstyling product line he sold on the Home Shopping Network.

In 2004, he joined Izzazu, a salon owned by his protegees Emilio Cornacchione and Gino Chiodo, as their director of education.

A celebration of life will occur on May 22 at the William Slater Funeral Home in Greentree. Visitation hours will be 2 p.m.-4 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8 p.m.