Hair stylist Vidal Sassoon sued Procter & Gamble Co. Tuesday, charging that P&G had "systematically decimated my brand" by withdrawing marketing and other support.

P&G took the brand off North American and British store shelves this year, citing low sales.

The suit, filed in a federal court in California, charged breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and breach of implied covenant, Sassoon said.

"Through a program of neglect and outright denial," the suit claims, "P&G has turned the highly successful brand bearing the world-renowned name of the creator of a beauty revolution into the filler of bargain-basement closeout bins."

Sassoon called himself a "contractual prisoner." Sassoon is seeking control of the brand plus unspecified monetary damages.

A P&G spokeswoman said the company has "consistently supported this business, and we don't believe this case has merit."

Cliff Peale