PARIS — Frédéric Fekkai is beginning to globetrot, using France because the launchpad for his namesake clean salon hair care brand.

“I’m very excited because — obviously — I’m French,” he said.

The star stylist and wonder entrepreneur had not ever sold his Fekkai products there before. But here’s the way it got here about: He was talking to a friend in France, and that pal said to him: “‘We love your brand — so why can’t we’ve got your brand here?’” Fekkai recounted. “And I said: ‘Oh, that’s query.’”

He laughed while telling the story.

Then Fekkai met with Bleu Libellule, a French bricks-and-mortar chain and e-shop that sells skilled hair and wonder supplies to pros, in addition to to consumers. It began stocking Fekkai products in early May. The exclusive with the 200-plus-door chain, which also has a small presence within the Benelux region and Italy, will last for one yr.

“I feel they’re expanding in Europe,” Fekkai added. “They’ve been very successful.”

He noted Bleu Libellule’s retail model — with separate prices for pros and consumers for every product — doesn’t exist within the U.S.

On the time of the interview, the manager was poised to start out his personal tour de France, making stops in Paris, Metz, Marseille, Montpellier, Lyon and Strasbourg to handle influencers and skilled stylists.

“I’m going there because I need to essentially make certain that I get the brand awareness,” he said.

Fekkai products have also swooped into the travel-retail channel, where they are actually sold on the likes of Dufry, Lagardère Travel Retail and DFS.

“Travel retail is doing quite well,” the manager said.

Then, about two months ago, the brand launched in Southeast Asia, with Sephora. Up next are openings in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Central Europe, including Hungary. Altogether, Fekkai is anticipated to open in 300 doors in Europe.

Today within the U.S., it’s carried in all of Ulta Beauty’s locations and a few Bloomingdale’s doors, tallying some 1,300 locations there altogether.

Fekkai bought back his namesake company in early 2019, after partnering with Cornell Capital to accumulate Fekkai Brands, the three way partnership created by Designer Parfums and Luxe Brands, which bought the business in 2015.

On the time, Fekkai Brands consisted of the Fekkai brand sold in mass-market retailers and The One by Frédéric Fekkai sold at Ulta Beauty, in addition to six salons in North America. It was estimated by market sources to have a wholesale volume of about $35 million.

“I took the chance to make what’s relevant to me, personally, and in addition to the industry,” Fekkai said of his namesake brand. “So I desired to make certain that the products and packaging were going to be sustainable, and formulas clean.

“Today, it’s a given — you could have to try this,” he said, adding on the outset Fekkai was practically the one brand with a green bent. “We desired to make certain that it was also an expert brand. It’s not only consumer goods.”