R+Co is a new hair care collective, created by industry veterans Howard McLaren, Garren Defazio and Thom Priano, which has also developed a new hair care brand, with 23 skus. The products are paraben-free, sulphate-free and vegan, with original fragrances developed by Robertet and bottles featuring original photography. Cosmetic News Weekly spoke to collective member Thom Priano and Chairman Tev Finger about R+Co, which plans to launch through 300 doors in May.
Why did you choose to set up a collective?We had multiple conversations over the years and one thing led to another. We thought what an opportunity it would be to work together on a brand collaboratively – almost a superline – with multiple viewpoints, expertise and signature styles that come together to create a unique presence in the hair styling community, not just from a product standpoint but also from an education standpoint.
What is the main USP for the brand?All of us believe in clean, healthy hair. With that in mind, we decided to produce products that would help enhance that – you have to educate the consumer as well as the stylist about the benefits of each product. Education is a big part of the brand DNA – we want to go back to the classics and use that as a reference point and as the building blocks for the brand. We’ll be working with stylists and salon owners and doing amazing things with education.
Why did you choose the price point of $20 to $29?It’s a good price range to be in. Most people in the US pay $30-$60 for a haircut – you can’t ask a client to buy a $40 shampoo if their haircut is the same price. All of the products are manufactured in the US but are designed to be globally compliant, so the labelling is also in French. And they are all available to buy for at-home use: none of them are for salon use only.
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