Avention Global: Bringing new-age services from Australia to India

Franchise India 2016 saw a host of international brands eyeing the Indian beauty and wellness industry. One of them is Avention Global – Architects of Skin of Australia. Primarily a maker of anti-ageing products, Avention Global also deals with slimming and hair loss treatments, but in a youthful manner. The brand aims to make India move away from the old-school treatments to newer and more exciting treatments.

We did a quick walk and talk with Stephanie Sherlock, CEO, Avention Global, Australia on the sidelines of the two-day event, in which she told us what she thinks about the Indian industry and what new is she bringing to India with her Australian brand. Here are excerpts from the interview.

Tell us about your brand and its global presence.

Architects of Skin is a health, wellness and anti-ageing franchise business. We are looking to franchise in the industry. It mainly deals with anti-ageing products for skincare, anti-acne, whitening technology, basically the full range of anti-ageing skin rejuvenation. But we’re also into slimming, weight-loss, addressing type 2 diabetes, decreasing cardiovascular risks and also treating hair loss.

What are you looking at in the Indian market?

We are looking at two business models plus a distributor. So we need a distributor to sell the technology for three different franchise models that we’re working on. The first one is Hair Loss model. There are other players in the market, but they have very old school approaches to managing hair loss. You spend quite a lot of money, you don’t really get results. Our model is different. We do use medical technology, but it’s a more fun environment, targeting younger generations to come in and treat their hair sooner rather than later, so it’s not too late. So they will be sitting in a bar having a beer and also having their head treated at the same time. So it’s going to be a more fun, youthful modern treatment than what’s currently out there. So, it’s going to be turning the industry on its head really.

Any particular quality that you are looking at in your India partners?

Someone who’s very passionate about the business. You’ve got to have that passion to treat clients, their skin conditions, hair loss or weight loss. We do need someone who knows how to deliver the right service because it’s about the experience that our clients will have when they walk through the door. The moment they walk in, they are meant to be taken to another place, not in India, not in Mumbai, they have to be taken to a completely different world. You need be able to maintain that feeling while providing the service.

How do you look at the Indian skincare industry?

It’s quite fractioned, to be honest. We have a couple of chains that focus on natural technologies and old school technologies. There are also medical clinics and there are also small beauty salons. So, I think it’s quite fractioned. What we would like to do is tie some services together and modernise at the same time.

How would you describe India’s beauty and skincare industry in one word?

Historical.

And Avention Global – Architects of Skin in one word?

New-age because it’s very next generation.