Antonio Soddu, co-founder of Bumble + Bumble and renowned hair stylist for film and theater, died suddenly Sunday, Nov. 5th at his home in Manhattan. Antonio, a native of Italy who trained in Milan, first established himself in New York City in the late 1970s with the founding of Bumble + Bumble, and later opened The Spot in 1990. Soddu’s salons became a crossroads for theater and film creatives, designers, and writers. Antonio will be remembered for his love of connecting artists to one another, his quick sense of humor, and magnetic, engaging personality. He cared deeply for all humans, animals, and the natural world.

Born in Sardinia, Italy, in 1942 as the eldest son of six children, he left home at age 15 to pursue education and opportunity. After finding work in Courmayeur, Italy sweeping in a hair salon, his interest in hairdressing was born. He spent the late 1950s training in Milan, first finding his passion for the theater while designing wigs at the famed La Scala opera house. Moving to Johannesburg, South Africa, Antonio joined a vibrant community of artists and expats, and by the early 1970s opened “The Spot,” a groundbreaking and trendsetting salon. 

Soddu arrived in New York City in 1979 to co-found the acclaimed Bumble + Bumble with Michael Gordon, and then opened the NYC “The Spot” in 1991.

Antonio’s early interest in theater led to his work in film and television, where he became an industry favorite and formed a long and fruitful collaboration with Martin Scorsese. He became a sought after master of stage hair design and dedicated countless free hours to not-for-profits and off-Broadway productions at such prestigious venues at the Second Stage and The Public Theaters. His clientele included Mary McDonnell, Jill Clayburgh, Ron Silver, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Dianne Wiest, and Gene Wilder to name a few. His film credits include such box office successes as The Color of Money, Broadcast News, Dances With Wolves, The Age of Innocence, Grand Canyon, and After Hours. Notably, Antonio created Holly Hunter’s iconic bob in Broadcast News and Tom Cruise’s dramatic pompadour in The Color of Money. Antonio was a founding board member of Open Stage Project, a nonprofit he and his wife created to increase the number of women working in behind-the-scenes careers in theater, film and television. He was also a lifelong learner, and had recently enrolled at Hunter College to study philosophy.

Antonio is survived by his daughters, Oriana Soddu (daughter with former wife, Noemi Angellini), Francesca Soddu, Isabella Soddu, and wife, Elsa Ward.