Created in London in 2005 by Toni Mascolo, CEO and Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck, Global Creative Director, the haircare brand label.m-usa is led by Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck and Sheree Ladove Funsch. label.m-usa is launching several new initiatives to expand its product portfolio and its presence. They are also taking a new approach to connecting with stylists. MODERN SALON asked Ladove Funsch to talk about how label.m-usa generates enthusiasm for and loyalty to their global brand.

MS:    Talk about your revamped website and also how you are reaching hairdressers.

SLF:  The re-launch of our website has been an exciting milestone for label.m-usa, already making an impact on our brand visibility and reach. The new site makes it simple for stylists to learn more about the products, their ingredients and usage, while also allowing them to purchase the products and be inspired by how to get the look footage and fashion week videos that live on the site. We also built the website to have live interactive capabilities that will roll out later this year. That means the next time you visit labelm-usa.com you may be connected with a live hairdresser for product advice or usage questions. This is the way of the future as customer experience improves with the use of technology. We also foresee some of our educational courses being offered through the site, this is a work in progress. I truly believe it is important, like with product development, that we are continuously pioneering the latest technology to make it easier on stylists to connect, share and inspire.

MS: What kind of research did you do or review that convinced you to move forward with an increased digital presence?

SLF: I spend a lot of time online, as do my family friends and incredible team. Our Award-Winning team of hairdressers, the renowned label.m International Artistic Team led by Sacha Mascolo-Tarbuck, Global Creative Director, winners of over 50 British Hairdressing Awards and the most successful Artistic Team in British Hairdressing Award history, also share much of their work and inspirations online. We do utilize, respect and honor the beauty of print, however, we have to increase our digital presence to stay relevant and reach the hairdresser. Hairdresser’s time is so precious, we want to educate and assist as much as we can, even if that means being a part of their daily news feed.

MS: How is Fashion Week important to your overall marketing strategy? 

SLF: label.m is the official haircare product of London Fashion Week, a first within the industry. This sets label.m apart, as no other brand can claim this for any other Fashion Week assembly around the world.  Many hairdressers love that label.m is the London Fashion Week designer’s product of choice and has been for the last 21 seasons. Our teams create styles for over 40 shows per season, collaborating with evolving designers and some of the most sensational British design talents like Giles Deacon. Our participation backstage not only inspires new product innovation, but it really helps sculpt our look and feel for collections, education and in-salon marketing materials for the following year. Being heavily involved backstage gives label.m stylists the advantage, as these opportunities create true leaders on the forefront of fashion hairdressing. Our stylist’s experiences, working directly with designers, challenge them to create future hair trends and year after year, make label.m one of fashion’s true originators. When our stylists translate their practices backstage to other stylists, it always sparks creativity and inspiration behind the chair. Everything we do is inspired by hairdressers, to shape the future.      

MS:  What is your current product focus? 

SLF: label.m has a fantastic core line that we have really worked hard developing to be the best performing products in the professional industry. Our first products launched in 2005 with 15 distinctive products and the current label.m core collection incorporates over 50 products, categorized into a simple 4C system: Cleanse, Condition, Create and Complete.

We have a unique situation in that we are also a manufacturing company, which really makes innovation our strong suite. Our team is extremely conscious of what’s trending in formulation development and we are passionate about evolving with our ingredients, as consumers (stylists and clients alike) are becoming more product conscious.  Many of our core products and especially our latest innovations are paraben-free and have been formulated with exceptional natural ingredients, rare fruits and essential oils, which we marry with exclusive label.m technologies to make outstanding professional products.

The extensive offering includes our Therapy Collection, targeting the five key signs of hair aging, Organic, Thickening and Brightening Blonde collections as well as Lab Remedy, our in-salon only professional treatment range.

There are some really exciting launches coming this year, including a launch of our full men’s line in June, label.men, and a new high-end collection concept that is getting rave reviews (but I can’t quite talk about just yet) hitting salons towards the end of the year.

http://labelm-usa.com/