It's hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Oribe Hair Care launched in the professional beauty market. Thanks to the products’ performance, beautiful packaging and, what President Daniel Kaner calls, “craftsman style” education, the brand was received with open arms by not just the salon industry, but beauty editors, session stylists, and clients around the globe, who quickly because #oribeobsessed.
In fact, the signature fragrance—which the brand developed with a legendary 19th-century Parisian perfume house—was so in demand and raved about that the brand later launched skin care, perfume and candles all scented with the famed Côte d’Azur.
Yet when Oribe launched in 2008, it was during one of the worst economic downturns the world had ever seen—not the ideal time to launch a luxury line with a shampoo/conditioner combo at nearly a $100 price tag. Yet the founders, Tev Finger, Daniel Kaner and Oribe Canales persevered.
“There were so many challenges,” Kaner says. “But we had tremendous faith that the brand would find success.”
At the outset, Canales felt strongly that his products should push the boundaries of performance. He wanted stylists and consumers to not just see—but feel—the difference. In the photoshoot and editorial world, Canales, the man whose name launched the brand, was iconic for his use of massive fans on set.
At an Oribe event in the early launch days, Canales got on stage and re-enacted the use of the fans.
“All of a sudden there was hush in the room,” Kaner says. “It was a magical moment when all the phones went up at the same time. Everyone was filming it—you could hear a pin drop in the room. You could feel the sparkle, the magic, and I thought, ‘This is a moment.’ I felt it there, and I knew this was going to be a wonderful journey.”
Since then, the brand has hosted its now-famed Ateliers across the country; won beauty innovation awards; led global Fashion Week teams; introduced intensive and inspiring workshops and classes; and the products have been used on-set at nearly every publications’ cover shoots, advertising spreads and editorials across the globe.
“So much of our success is about the people,” Kaner says. “At a recent company retreat, our packaging engineer took the company through the process of making our Blonde shampoo. She brought with her 56 different iterations of the packaging, where each one just wasn’t quite right. She shared the journey to develop this and make it what it is today—it was extraordinary. Surely in those 56 iterations there was something that was kind of close, but not close enough for our team. This was one of those moments where I knew, ‘okay, we’re going to stay in the game and be competitive.’ I’m just so full of gratitude.”
Here is a timeline of the brand's evolution:
2008
• Founded by renowned hairstylist Oribe Canales and industry veterans Daniel Kaner and Tev Finger
• Launches in salons with 20 products, including current top-sellers Shampoo and Conditioner for Beautiful Color, Supershine Moisturizing Cream, Royal Blowout Heat Styling Spray and Super Fine Hair Spray
2009
• First Oribe Backstage event at Chelsea Piers in New York City
• Oribe enters Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys New York
• Oribe enters the UK and Canadian markets
• Oribe.com launches
• Oribe Canales performs on stage at Intercoiffure in New York City
2010
• The iconic Dry Texturizing Spray launches
• Oribe partners with Birchbox
2012
• Oribe launches on Net-a-Porter
2013
• The New York City Education Studio opens in Manhattan
2014
• Gold Lust Repair & Restore Collection and Cote d’Azur Eau de Parfum launches
• Oribe is named in Forbes’ list of Most Promising Companies in America
• #oribeobsessed is born
2015
• The Oribe x Goldwell North American education alliance begins
• Best-selling Bright Blonde for Beautiful Color Collection launches
• James Pecis joins the Oribe Education Team as Global Ambassador
2016
• Airbrush Root Touch-Up Spray wins a CEW Beauty Insider Award
• The Journey to Mastery education program is introduced
2017
• Receives WWD Brand Builder of the Year Award
2018
• Kao Corporation acquires Oribe
• Gold Lust Pre-Shampoo Intensive Treatment and Swept Up Volume Powder Spray win CEW Beauty Insider Awards
• Oribe celebrates 10 years with the launch of Dry Texturizing Spray 10th Anniversary Edition
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