Hairdressing pioneer. Born in humble circumstances in Castlemilk (Glasgow), one of a family of ten. Rusk began her career training with her cousin. She opened her first salon with her husband Irvine in Hamilton (South Lanarkshire) in the 1970s before expanding to three others in Glasgow with an annual turnover of £1.5 million. Her clients included royalty and celebrities. She also developed a new type of hairdressing scissors (1984) and invented the flat-iron hair straightener (1986). She was the first woman and first Scot to be named British Hairdresser of the Year (1987) and was four times named Best Hairdresser in the World by the French fashion magazine Metamorphose. Unfortunately she was forced to sell her salon in Hamilton to pay tax debts in 2010. She lived in Shawhill House in Ayrshire and latterly in Glasgow's West End. Rusk is remembered for her style, flair and creativity.
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