Sydney-based hair brand Patricks is the latest men’s grooming outfit to capture the attention of international tastemakers Mr Porter and Sephora. Built literally from the ground up (and still relatively new to the game), Patricks offers men something they may have been lacking: real styling products scientifically proven to reduce the effects of hair loss, marketed with an incredibly attractive packaging aesthetic. We spoke to Patrick Kidd, founder of Patricks, about his remarkable career change, and his resulting foray into the world of men’s hair styling.

Can you explain what made you decide to give up your career and launch yourself into an area where you had little experience?
I was an electrician for 8 years but I was not satisfied and knew there was more I wanted to do and achieve. I could see there was a gap in the Australian market for a luxury men’s hairdressing salon so I took a risk, re-mortgaged my house and opened Patricks in 2006. It was a steep learning curve but through a lot of hard work, we built it into a really successful business, even winning Australian Hair Salon of the Year.

I couldn’t find a range of luxury hair products for men to stock in the salon, so decided to develop my own to fill the growing demand from our clientele. It took 7 years of intense research and development to perfect the formula and packaging but I’m really proud of what we’ve created.

Did you take on any particular advice when you first started?
If I had listened to everyone else we would have released a product that was no different to anything else on the market. I think I drove the formulations company and packaging company crazy with how perfect I needed to get everything and really had to fight for the high level of quality I expected. I was not prepared to compromise on anything even if it took several years, countless re-works and exceeded our budget!

Did you have anyone you particularly aspired to?
I really love Kanye West. I love his music and his attention to detail with his designs particularly with Nike and APC. I don’t know if I aspire to be like Kanye but I love his style and his presence! Euan Rellie, a New York-based investment banker, has always been an inspiration to me both in business and fashion, as well as Sean Avery the New York Rangers ice hockey star who has the best street style ever! I also managed to get the Managing Director of RedBull Australia on our board and he has been with us from the start. He’s always kept our eyes on the prize with systems, procedures and strategy.

Your products are said to specifically target hair loss while helping men achieve quick and lasting style. How do you make sure you uphold these two pillars of your brand?
As we’d conducted extensive market research in our salon we had a clear idea of what products we wanted and how they should perform. We tried to develop the formulations with a few different companies in Australia but none of them could achieve the high level we expected. We decided to head to the USA and work with a world-renowned formulations company that has a reputation for scientific innovation. We also gave the formulations company a limitless budget to create exactly what we wanted using the best ingredients available. The head chemist said it was the most exciting project he had worked on as he normally has a very restricted budget, which limits what he can achieve. The performance of our products has always been the main focus and over several years we tested them in our salon literally on thousands of men. We used this feedback to make constant tweaks and ensure the formulas are consumer driven.

It wasn’t enough to create market-leading formulations – we also wanted them to be multi-functional. So we developed Patricks Recovery Compound (PRC) which targets 4 areas; hair loss, hair growth, scalp health and UV protection. This scientifically engineered technology has been used in each product in the Patricks range. We also conducted extensive testing to ensure adding PRC did not affect the performance.

You spent a long time ensuring your aesthetic is impressive and impactful. Can you talk a little bit about the design process and how you came to develop the branding?
I wanted to design something that was practical and beautiful but remained subtle and masculine. I was heavily influenced by the designs of Lamborghini, Apple, Audi and Aston Martin. I think all these companies have a perfect balance of form and function. One of the key elements of the design was the double lock system which we designed primarily for travel, whether it be to the office, gym or around the world and ensures the package will not open in transit. The size of the package also complies with carry-on and hand language regulations for all commercial and private airlines.

I also used the fibonacci sequence (Golden Rule) to design the dimensions of the packaging to give it beauty and feel natural in your hand. 98mm x 68mm x 35mm are the dimensions and I even de-bossed them into the side of the packaging. The packaging also features exactly the same angle on the top of the package as the side air intakes of the Lamborghini Aventador.

Real aluminium has been fused into the latch and base plate to provide strength, durability and beauty. The labels are laser etched directly onto the aluminium eliminating the need for paper, stickers and glue. The matte finish on the outside of the container is tactile, practical and beautiful. A thin rubber inlay seamlessly integrates under the aluminium base to prevent slippage in wet areas, protect bathroom surfaces and ensure a gentle audio when putting the package down.

I’m also a massive James Bond fan and as a tribute I included 007 in all of the barcodes and even named the company Patricks Universal Exports (James Bond’s company when he’s undercover). I have pushed really hard to make the Patricks brand the best it can be in every area whether its design or performance. The branding is still evolving but it is definitely an aspirational brand due to the price point and packaging.

In what directions do you see Patricks expanding?
We are in talks with luxury department stores all over the world after the success of the Mr Porter launch. We are in research and development mode in the US on our new men’s skincare line. I am trying to secure our position as the number 1 men’s hair product in the world!