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9 May

Tracee Ellis Ross Talks Pattern Beauty’s Purpose, U.K. Expansion

Tracee Ellis Ross is taking her vision for Pattern across the pond.

The actor and entrepreneur is launching product within the U.K. in an exclusive partnership with Boots, starting on Wednesday. For Ross, the move was a natural extension of her accessible vision for textured hair care.

“The unique dream for the brand was to be a world brand because I feel that the curly and textured community is one which spans across the globe,” she told WWD. “I desired to expand that mission so that everyone has access to their most beautiful and healthy hair.”

Boots made a super partner for the brand given its broad footprint. “85 percent of the U.K. population is inside 10 minutes of a Boots store,” she added.

Although parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance is considering selling Boots because it refocuses its health care business within the U.S., WWD reported that sales in Boots grew double-digits resulting from increased foot traffic earlier this 12 months.

For the Pattern’s future, Ross hasn’t ruled out some other geographies, especially given the brand’s success at Ulta Beauty and Sephora, she noted. “Africa is a spot I’d prefer to expand to. I would really like Pattern to be in every single place, because I feel that we’re in every single place,” Ross said. “We are going to keep going from there.”

All of it ladders as much as Ross’ goal to bring innovation and data to Pattern’s consumers. “The brand was born out of my very own personal hair care journey and my experiences brought me right into a community of those who were like me, becoming their very own best experts,” she said.

“A part of why I’m happy with how well Pattern is doing is that we’re going across the pond to bring that knowledge and data,” she continued.

Ross referenced a recent McKinsey & Co. survey she partnered with the firm on, called “Black representation in the sweetness industry,” which quantifies those disparities. Black-owned brands are only 2.5 percent of total beauty revenue, per the survey, despite Black consumers accounting for 11.1 percent of beauty spending. Black consumers are also 3 times more more likely to not find adequate skincare, hair care or makeup options.

That vision hasn’t come without its learnings, though. “I’m the CEO and founder, and I’m majority owner of the corporate with full creative control. My hands are on all the things,” she said. “One thing I didn’t know before was how much goes into product: the marketing, the language on the packaging, sustainability, the entire regulations shifting.”

On the product side, Ross has been busy. “I’m in product mode,” she said. “We do our [product] drops in a really staggered way. They’re happening regularly, and so there are a couple of very big launches which might be going to occur.”

For more from WWD.com, see:

Tracee Ellis Ross on Diversity and Products With Purpose on the 2021 Beauty Inc Awards

Master Class: Tracee Ellis Ross’ CEO Lessons From Pattern Beauty’s First 12 months

EXCLUSIVE: Nicole Kidman on Her Hair and Investing in Hair Care Brand Vegamour

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