Benjamin Dessange, known for being the youngest son of hairstylist to the stars Jacques Dessange, died on November 5, 2024, as confirmed by Dessange International and sources close to the matter. This death, which occurred a few days before his trial for sexual harassment, closes a troubled chapter in his life.
Dessange International, in an official statement, clarified that Benjamin Dessange has no longer had any connection with the company since 2018, neither as an employee nor as a shareholder. A distancing that echoed the family tensions and scandals that marked the heir’s final years.
The deceased was to appear before the Paris criminal court, following a complaint filed by a former employee, Annabel Talon. She accused him of sexual harassment, malicious calls and intentional violence. The investigating judge, relying on testimonies and around fifty explicit SMS messages, had retained an aggravating circumstance linked to the abuse of authority.
The alleged facts date back to the period when Benjamin Dessange headed Dessange International, between 2011 and 2013. The former employee had left the company as part of a contractual termination, claiming to have suffered inappropriate behavior for two years.
Benjamin Dessange’s lawyer, Me Richard Koplewicz, strongly contested these accusations. “This person has been pursuing Benjamin Dessange with his hatred for fifteen years,” he told AFP, referring to an attempted vendetta.
Benjamin Dessange, for his part, maintained that their relationship was consensual and had insinuated that this affair was part of a tense family context. According to her statements, the complainant would have been close to her father who died in 2020, Jacques Dessange, with whom he had had difficult relations since 2008. A conspiracy thesis which did not convince the magistrates.
Dessange International has chosen not to comment further on this loss, contenting itself with recalling the definitive break between Benjamin Dessange and the company since 2018. There is no information on the causes of his death.
