The Hindu Business Line : Mane matters

When it comes to hair, there are two kinds of people – the haves and the have-nots. While hairless woes are aplenty, the hairy tales are just too many to be ignored as almost everyone has good, bad and ugly hair days. And if you are keen to c hange your appearance, experts suggest that playing with your hair is the safest bet for an enhanced style quotient. Whether you want to sport a spike a la David Beckham or cricketer M. S. Dhoni’s neat look or Bollywood siren Bipasha Basu’s flowing mane, then it is time to get a good cut and try the hairstyling products.

For Tony Mascolo (66), co-founder of Tony & Guy, a London-based hairdressing company, hair of any kind is fascinating. “Just like fingerprints, no two types of hair are of similar texture and colour. Only a specialist can create a look. Hair styling is an art.” The 40-year-old company with presence in 34 countries across the globe has seen a paradigm shift in the industry in India. Tony & Guy, a $175-million company, which already has some distribution arrangements in India, is making an extensive foray into the country with its own line label.m. “Indian youth are willing to experiment. We are merely providing that channel to experiment. Our newest range is designed as an ultimate catwalk-to-client solution that completes the three levels of our company’s brand mission.”

“The mission is to shape the hair by using a stylist; colour it using the palette created by our technicians; and offer hair its finest texture through our line of products,” he said.

Inform him that India is primarily a market where the penetration of hair oil is almost about 87 per cent with as much as 50 per cent of population using hair oil every day, Mascolo said extensive consumer education will help switch to styling and hair care products.

The fast-growing hair care market (excluding hair oil) in India is valued at $200 million. The hair care market can be segmented into hair oils, shampoos, hair colourants, conditioners and hair gels. The company, which has been the lead sponsor for the London Fashion Week, said it will be setting up its salons in five cities across the country. It will also set up academies to train stylists. “Currently, we operate 290 salons across the world and have over 8,000 staffers. In India, besides retailing our products, we will also equip the locals with the latest trends and fads with our extensive training.”

In India, the company has tied up with a local partner Brushman India, which will invest Rs 10-15 crore in branding and promoting the Toni & Guy products in India. “We see India as the biggest market for the company outside the UK over the next few years. The products have been priced keeping in mind spending patterns of the middle class and the target population between 13 and 33 years.” Starting from a price point of Rs 300, the products will be available through retailers such as Pantaloons and Shoppers’ Stop in major metros in the first phase of launch.