In 2020, a hairstylist/YouTuber melted the bristles of her cheap uninspiring paddle brush with the heat from her hair dryer. She wasn't using harsh force or excessive heat, yet the bristles melted anyway. As a result, she went online to look for a new, durable hairbrush that was also a joy to look at- a product harmonious with the industry it was used in.
What she found however were units upon units of badly produced, uninspiring hair brushes that lacked the excitement that they should have brought on. Products that were used daily, tens of times if in a salon were produced as if used only once in a while, something that should be tossed in a junk drawer.
The very product that was used religiously before every single hair transformation to detangle, lighten, color, section and style the hair into beautiful, expressive works of art was itself boring, cheap and often ineffective.
She came to realise that while other sectors in the world including tech, automotive, beauty & household were prioritising appearance alongside function, the hair world remained cold and dated, creating the same minimal products for the last 20 years.
That same summer, the hairstylist-turned-YouTuber, bought some modelling clay, referenced some design images and started shaping her dream brush. This clay model was hardened, painted and ultimately used as the official reference for her premium paddle brushes. The initial model featured the classic paddle brush layout but decorate with an ornate, embellished gold design on the back together with a 3-stranded braid as the handle. Whilst overall very rugged and homemade in appearance, this clay model was the first step towards creating the world's most beautiful hair brush. Fusing functionality with beauty.
Stella Cini, the hairstylist/YouTuber worked with independent branding, product design and manufacturing with the initial melted brush to create the ultimate paddle brush. Each design and prototype was revisited to create a brush that delivered on looks and style and aesthetic value yet also held up in the likes of function and durability.
The brushes were created to match the iconic shape of a paddle brush yet each fitted with a unique backplate, one more intricate than the other. The brush handle was also designed to mimic a rope braid- a braid made of two strands wrapping around each other. Custom bristle pads and bristles were manufactured, and packaging was created to match the identity of the brand and brushes and on March 15th 2023, the products were ready to launch.