Kao acquiring prestige hair care brand Oribe
Oribe will remain in New York City, according to a press release announcing the deal. Details and terms beyond that (and the fact that Kaner is staying on with the brand) were not disclosed.
“It is a bittersweet moment to say goodbye to a brand that Oribe Canales, Daniel Kaner and I founded and created almost ten years ago,” said Tevya Finger, CEO of Luxury Brand Partners, a current owner of Oribe. “I am extremely proud of what Oribe Hair Care has been able to accomplish since its inception, and I look forward to watching Kao develop the brand on a global scale.”
Bold ideas
Luxury Brand Partners specializes in creative, artist-led beauty brands and has become known as a place where innovation happens. As such LBP is often referenced as a firm that works closely with its brands to cultivate originality in beauty. Indeed LBP and Oribe were cited as exemplary innovators during the October Beauty Biz Roundtable.
At Kao, Oribe will live in the salon division despite the fact that the brand has grown beyond hair care to comprise products in skin care, body care, color cosmetics, and more.
“Oribe is a stellar brand and a perfect fit for the Kao Salon Division portfolio,” says Cory Couts, global president of the Kao Salon Division. “And Daniel [Kaner] will be an exciting and inspiring addition to our management team. Daniel's appointment not only guarantees the continuity of all that is extraordinary about Oribe but is also a progression of our company's mission to appeal to the most artistic and business‐minded salon professionals in the world.”
Shared vision
Oribe and Kao are not strangers. “Our friendship and business relationship goes back years, most successfully with the strategic alliance in the United States between Oribe and Goldwell color,” Kaner tells the press. “We have always believed that hair care should be an immersive and luxury experience, and Kao is incredibly supportive of the high standard that we set for ourselves.”
And he believes that “Kao is the ideal place for Oribe Hair Care to take the next step in its transformative journey.”
Couts affirms the brand’s suitability: “With its focus on luxury products, Oribe will meet the need for a prestige line in the Kao Salon product mix. And, the extensive global distribution network of Kao Salon Division will enable Oribe to expand internationally.”
