Björn Axen, the Swedish luxury haircare brand founded in 1963, is expanding into the UK market this season. Known for its premium products, innovative formulas and royal fans, the brand has been experiencing continuous growth over the past three years.
Bjorn Axen has expanded its presence across Europe with retail partners in the Netherlands, Germany and Spain. In 2023, it reached $7 million in sales. The company’s products, ranging from hair care to tools, range in price from $15 to $50. Prior to 2021, the company’s products were only sold in Sweden and online in the Nordic countries and Switzerland.
CEO and owner Johan Hellstrom sees the UK as a key market for the brand’s global expansion. Other Swedish beauty brands such as Verso Skincare, Sachajuan Haircare and Byredo have been sold across Europe and in the UK for years, and influencer-led Kaia launched in the UK in 2023.
“The British are known for their taste and high standards, so they’re a great fit for our brand,” Hellstrom said. Bjorn Axen products will be available online at UK retailers by the end of 2024 and in stores by 2025. He declined to name the stores as negotiations are still ongoing.
Influencers with young audiences will be central to the brand’s UK launch strategy, following successful marketing in other European markets: “In the Netherlands, we partnered with influencers and they promoted our products, and they sold out almost instantly,” Hellstrom said.
In the Netherlands, Bjorn Axen products are sold through Dutch retailer Ethos, which carries the brand in numerous stores across the country. “Our partnership with Ethos has seen us being distributed in many stores across the Netherlands and it has been a fantastic success,” Hellstrom added.
The brand was one of the first in the industry to focus on “skinfinification” for scalp and hair care, and has been focused on both since launch. “Our promise is to be kind to our customers and their skin,” Hellström says. “We dermatologically test all our products. Instead of consumer testing on 10-15 people for a week, we test on 100 people for a month. We invest a lot of money in clinical and consumer testing to make sure our products work.” The brand invests around 300,000 Swedish kronor ($27,000) in testing each product.
Helstrom has used Bjorn Axen products for many years, styling hair for fashion shows for the likes of Iris van Herpen, Stephan Rolland, Robert Wang and Emilia Wickstead. Stephan Rolland also garnered a lot of attention when he styled Zendaya’s hair for the premiere tour of the film Dune.
“We have a long history in the Parisian couture world, working closely with some of the best designers in the world,” Hellstrom said. “Partnerships like this allow us to bring our expertise to the highest level of the industry and resonate with a global audience.”
Björn Axen has been serving the Swedish Royal Family since 1976, styling their hair for everyday and official occasions, and was appointed as a Royal Warrant Holder in 1984.
Success is also borne out in Ukraine, one of the newer markets: “We’ve already generated sales of 9-10 million Swedish kronor ($810,000-$900,000) there,” Hellstrom said.
Björn Axen’s international growth also includes the Chinese market, which it entered last year through agency Si Young. The brand is growing its presence on major Chinese platforms such as Tmall and Red. “In China, we are working closely with key opinion leaders to increase awareness and sales. We are seeing steady growth and a bright future,” said Hellström.
Research has shown that nine in 10 customers in the Nordic countries have repurchased from the brand, and in China, the brand has a 93% satisfaction rate, Hellstrom said.
According to a June report from market research firm Technavio, the global hair care market is expected to grow to $15.25 billion from 2024 to 2028, at a compound annual growth rate of more than 3.2%.
