The legacy
More than 60 years in business. 2023 marked a milestone for us, we celebrated our 60th anniversary. Here, our CEO and owner, Johan Hellström, tells us about the company's history and what the future holds for the Björn Axén brand.
Photo: Tobias Regell
Hi Johan! Björn Axén has stood the test of time and has stayed relevant for over 60 years. Can you tell us something about how the company started and developed over these, now more than, 60 years in business?
It all started when Björn Axén, an ambitious young man from Lidköping, Sweden moved to Paris to learn hairdressing from the legendary teachers there. He returned to Sweden and laid the foundation for what would become a hair empire like no other.
When Björn passed away suddenly in 1993, I inherited the company. I worked together with my colleague and friend Peter Hägelstam to get the then-faltering business back on its feet – and we managed, against all odds. Since then, we’ve grown the business into the success it is today – Björn Axén has four salons, over 30 million products sold and a presence in 17 markets, with more markets on the way.
Where do you find inspiration for Björn Axén's products?
From meeting our customers! In our salons, we perform over 65,000 treatments per year. Our 80 hairdressers meet customers daily and gather knowledge. Experience that we can take into our product development process. Our product philosophy is based on 'all three are key', and by that we mean that we have a focus on both product function, the planet and people when we develop our products.
What does the future hold for Björn Axén?
Hair is one of the fastest growing categories in the beauty sector and we can see an increased interest among consumers, which is incredibly inspiring! We’ve also started on a very exciting expansion journey – today we’re in 17 countries, with more countries in the start-up phase.
We’re driven by a passion for what we do and by a deep commitment to deliver a high-quality experience to our customers, regardless of whether they meet us at our salons or buy our products.
2023 also marked a milestone for you as you celebrated 30 years as the primary owner of Björn Axén. What’s the best thing about running a hair care brand like Björn Axén?
Björn once said, ‘If you feel good, you become strong!’ I agree with this, totally. When a client walks out of the salon looking taller and wearing a smile on their face, I feel elated. It means so much to me.
I also have the opportunity to build the company, work with product development and open up new markets for the Björn Axén brand, which is my baby and my life.
