The unprecedented growth of personal wealth we've witnessed over the past ten years or so has been accompanied by the proliferation of so-called luxury brands all clamoring for a piece of the lucrative luxury market. I routinely log on to find an "in" box clogged with press releases all singing the praises of this product or that brand offering luxury this and luxury that. More often than not, the claims amount to little more than misplaced (some might say misguided) optimism. Just because a brand calls itself 'luxury' doesn't necessarily make it so. Nor for that matter does affixing an inflated price tag to the product. Every so often however, I come across the real deal and it never fails to excite me.
I was contacted recently about a new line of luxury grooming equipment, skincare and spa services for men called Hommage. Headquartered in Paris, Hommage is by most standards a very young brand having been founded in 2005. Despite this, something about the look and feel of their products leapt off the screen and suggested to me that this company has an inherent understanding of what it means to be a luxury brand. My hunch was confirmed recently when I had the opportunity to interview the co-founder and CEO of Hommage, Tom Wilscam. We discussed the company's philosophy and deep commitment to design, craftsmanship and performance of their products and services. Click below to read the Q&A.
1. Wolfgang Joensson, your partner and co-founder's background is in industrial and product design. What is your background?
That's right - Wolfgang is our lead product designer. My background is actually in technology. I didn't really join the skin care industry until about ten years ago.
2. What inspired the two of you to start Hommage?
When we started Hommage, there were no grooming products or services that catered to the contemporary lifestyle of the discerning man. By lifestyle, I mean everything from business travel, to gym regimens, to leisure. We believe strongly that men, especially ones with discerning tastes, gravitate towards products with good design, appealing packaging, and functionality that fit their lifestyle. Someone who is particular about every aspect of their lives whether it be the hotels they stay at, the restaurants the eat in, the cars they drive, will gravitate towards products with a strong message of quality and performance. We believe our products and services achieve this. For instance, we offer products that are designed specifically for travel, others such as a moisturizer formulated specifically for when you work out, etc.
3. Hommage is based in Paris. France is not generally regarded as a particularly business-friendly environment despite the Sarkozy government's best efforts to change this perception. Why would you choose to base your business in France?
I love Paris and love living in Paris. In terms of building a luxury brand, I can't imagine a better place for it. France is in many respects synonymous with luxury and design and certainly in the U.S. and Asia, products made in France carry enormous cachet and prestige. It also confers a certain credibility to our brand. More importantly, from our perspective, we manufacture our products and source many of our ingredients from France and other locations throughout Europe so, for us, putting up with a little more red tape is well worth it to be based here.
4. Where are your products manufactured?
Some of our products like razors and equipment are crafted in Germany. The various ingredients that go into our grooming products are sourced from various places throughout Europe. Many of our services are developed with spa and skincare specialists based in France. Our new fragrance for instance has been developed with a consultant in Grasse, France.
5. It seems that men are suddenly getting a lot of attention from the beauty and fragrance industries. What do you think is driving this increased interest in men's grooming?
There has indeed been increased attention to men and their grooming habits lately. Much of it though is centered on indulging yourself or feeling good. Our message focuses more on performance. The client we target is the classic 'Type A', high-flying professional with an extremely busy schedule. He lives and works in an extremely competitive environment, frequently travels and needs to be at his best at all times. For him, how he looks, feels and performs are all part of his success. This is who we have in mind when we design our products and services.
6. Hommage offers both shave care products and skincare products. Do you see masculine/feminine stereotypes as a barrier to selling grooming products to men, especially skin care products?
We don't really look at it in those terms. At the core of our business philosophy is the belief that looking and feeling good enhances performance. For us, it's less about indulging yourself than offering products that really work by enhancing your overall appearance and therefore your performance. In a hyper-competitive business world, anything that gives you an added edge is worth it. Looking good and feeling confident about your appearance is one more way to gain an edge over your competitors. At its core, it comes down to the survival of the fittest.
7. Men are increasingly succumbing to botox and other forms of cosmetic enhancements. Do you think that men will eventually rival women in terms of dollars spent on personal grooming habits or do you believe it will always be a niche market?
I absolutely believe that one day men will be spending as much as women on grooming and related products and services. I read a statistic some time ago about the average amount of time spent by men and women per day grooming and it turns out that men only spend marginally less time grooming than women do. While this is still a niche market now, we feel strongly that this will change as more men come around to the idea that looking and feeling good is an important part of their success.
8. It's my impression that the consolidation that has taken place in the luxury, fashion and beauty industries makes it difficult for small, independent brands to thrive. Especially in the beauty and fragrance industry, you have behemoths like l'Oreal for instance. What kind of strategies do your deploy to compete in this kind of environment against the brands with deep pockets?
That's no doubt true. It can be difficult to compete in this type of environment. This said, there are definitely advantages to being small. For one thing, a small company can adapt more quickly to changes in the market. It also helps to be focused exclusively on one market segment. Hommage is focused exclusively on the ultra-luxury market.
We're also exclusively focused on men's products. Most men are very savvy about the fact that many so-called men's lines are often women's products that have been merely repackaged to appeal to them. All Hommage products by contrast are developed exclusively for men with the particular needs of men in mind. A good example of this is our Gentlemen's Black Diamond Facial which uses a unique black bioactive silt mask made with ground diamond dust. Whereas most exfoliants are designed with women's skin in mind and don't take into account corse facial hairs or other aspects particular to men's skin, this facial treatment is designed exclusively for men and therefore is designed to address the particular issues encountered only by men.
Finally, I would point out that unlike some of the mass-market brands, Hommage is also an experiential brand. We've developed a whole range of specialized spa treatments designed to address men's skin needs in addition to skincare products and shave products.
9. Does your strategy for growth involve emerging markets like China, India, Russia?
Yes, absolutely. Currently, our products and services are available throughout the Unites States, Europe and several locations in Japan, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Our main investor is a Japanese pharmaceutical company and so expanding into Asia, particularly China, is definitely a priority for us.
10. Are there particular cultural barriers relating to men and grooming habits you sense will need to be overcome to penetrate these markets?
Absolutely. Men's grooming habits are very culturally sensitive. If you mention the term 'massage' to an American, they will immediately think of something relaxing that feels good. Mention the term to a German and they think of something very different possibly involving pain. Similarly, Europeans and Americans consider a mild tan to be desirable yet Asians have been told for generations that they need to protect their skin from tanning and use various fading creams to keep their skin as fair as possible. We're currently developing products that are culturally specific to Asians including a fade cream. We also plan to adapt our fragrance for the Asian market. The scent in it's current state was developed with the particular tastes of European or Western men in mind. These are all cultural elements that need to be taken into account in developing our product lines for each market.
11. The current economic climate has many pundits predicting a pretty gloomy economic forecast for the luxury industry. Have you adapted your strategy to the changing economic climate?
We see Hommage as an 'ultra-luxury' brand. We therefore tend to cater to a clientele that is perhaps less vulnerable to economic decline. This said, in a tough economic climate, we believe that those products that offer uncompromising quality and performance will continue to do well whereas products that are less result-driven will struggle. If your products offer a way to gain a competitive advantage over others, and we believe our products do this, then that's an additional reason to spend extra on the best product available during difficult times. It goes back to our belief that it all comes down to the survival of the fittest.
12. Thank you for submitting to this Q&A. Good luck!
Thank you.
In the interest of full disclosure, Hommage graciously provided me with samples of the Monaco shave cream and shave balm for my husband to test. To be honest, while he graciously accepted to be my lab rat for the occasion, he was somewhat skeptical when I asked him to try out the products. His skepticism however was short lived. Unlike most shave creams that leave his skin dry, the Hommage shave cream actually left his skin smooth and hydrated. Likewise, the Hommage soothing shave balm left his skin silky yet matte. The only caveat was that he found the scent of the shave balm a tiny bit strong upon application. This only lasted a few minutes however and the remaining scent was quite pleasant. More importantly, after a long day of meetings, his face was still wonderfully soft and matte. I do believe Hommage has found a new devotee.
For more information about Hommage and the full range of razors, skincare products and spa treatments, please visit their website . Their products and services are available throughout the Unites States and Europe and several points throughout Asia. In London, Hommage products are available at Harrods, The Refinery or online at Gents.
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
Note: In keeping with The Luxe Chronicles' policy, this product review was entirely unremunerated.
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