Ghd, the king of hair styling and a fixture backstage at the world’smost important fashion shows, is ramping up innovation with a new line of cutting-edge tools and plans to double its investment in research and development over the next three years.

FashionNetwork.com caught up with CEO Jeroen Temmerman to talk about the ambitious growth plans of the British beauty-tech brand, part of beauty giant Wella Company.

FashionNetwork.com: What does the development plan include?
Jeroen Temmerman: The goal is to broaden the product range and strengthen the commitment to developing cutting-edge beauty-tech solutions. Growth will continue to sustain the current positive momentum and accelerate development internationally and across Europe. We will continue to invest and innovate in hair straighteners with the aim of maintaining our global leadership. We are the number one hair straightener brand in the UK, but also one of the market leaders in many of the major European markets, such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Spain.

FN: How have you achieved this result?
J.T.:Over the past four years, our investment in research and development has almost doubled. Continuous innovation has played a key role in the brand’s growth in recent years. The R&D division is a strategic priority for the company, with more than 100 engineers focused exclusively on hair care at our Cambridge laboratory.

FN: What is the latest innovation to come out of Ghd?
J.T.: In 2024, we launched the Chronos straightener, the result of more than 20 years of research and expertise in heat styling. The straightener delivers styling three times faster without extreme heat damage. In August, we released the new Chronos Curve collection comprising four professional curling tools. We have integrated artificial intelligence to showcase all the possible styles, helping consumers choose the most suitable tool.

FN: Where will we see the new straighteners?
J.T.: The range is available globally through the brand’s salon network, in department stores and on Ghd’s e-commerce site. It will also be featured backstage at the September fashion weeks. We have a long-standing global partnership with Victoria Beckham and this year we will be the exclusive backstage partner at her fashion show, supplying our tools. In Milan, we have collaborations with brands such as Missoni, Cavalli and Max Mara, which help to build our brand awareness.

FN: How are you distributed?
J.T.:Today we are present in more than 30 countries, and international expansion is a strategic priority. Salons are a growth engine and a key channel for the brand. In Italy, we count on a loyal network of nearly 10,000 salon clients, of which 2,500 are part of the premium partnership programme that is accelerating growth in this channel.

FN: How important is the Italian market to Ghd?
J.T.: Italy remains one of the most dynamic and high-performing markets in Europe, with steady growth and a solid market share. We entered the country in 2004 and recent results have been very positive. We look forward to financial year 2025 with confidence. Italian consumers demonstrate a strong passion for beauty and a preference for premium products. When they choose tools, they lean towards our most advanced solutions, seeking the best technologies.

FN: What are your growth forecasts?
J.T.: Technological innovation continues to be a key driver of business performance and has helped fuel our growth in the category. With a strategic focus on international expansion and innovation, we are well positioned to maintain momentum and accelerate growth in the coming year.