The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
The internet juggernaut partnered with an independent London salon, Neville Hair & Beauty, to open a 1,500 square space hair salon in London’s Spitalfields neighbourhood to demonstrate its hair care products and technologies. The salon will offer services for adults and children, including cut, colour and styling, and guests will be able to try out hair colours virtually through augmented reality or scan and purchase items on the salon’s shelves.
The salon will be open only to Amazon employees at first, and the company said there are no current plans to open additional locations.
Amazon is investing in beauty, one of the most important categories on its marketplace, and said the salon supports the recent opening of a professional beauty shop on its platform in the UK, designed to sell products and tools for salons. It has opened other retails formats in the past, including grocery stores and shops featuring highly rated Amazon products.
Black founders carry a markedly higher burden when it comes to educating investors on the value and viability of their business ideas — but there is an art and science behind knowing when your brand is ready and what kind of investors will be the best fit.
Landing a retail partnership is often seen as a major milestone for beauty founders — but it brings a bevy of new challenges, from the logistical complexities to setting a marketing budget. Black entrepreneurs, who typically have far less capital to work with, often face tough choices.
The firm has been working on a listing since at least 2022, with previous attempts buffeted by volatile markets.
In a three-part series, The Business of Beauty explores how Black founders Monique Rodriguez, Danessa Myricks and more built, launched and scaled their multi-million-dollar businesses. In part one, a look at how these entrepreneurs found their niche and harnessed early lessons that were critical to their growth