Wella facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Wella

Type	Subsidiary
Industry	Consumer goods
Founded	1880; 145 years ago (1880)
Founders	Franz Ströher
Headquarters	Darmstadt, Germany
Area served	Worldwide
Products	Hair care
Owner	KKR (74.1%) Coty (22.3%) IGF Wealth Management (3.6%)

Wella is a famous company that makes products for hair care, styling, and hair color. It was started in Germany in 1880 by a person named Franz Ströher. The company's main office is in Darmstadt, Germany.

Wella has changed owners a few times. From 2003 to 2015, it was owned by Procter & Gamble. Then, in 2015, it was sold to another company called Coty. Later, in 2020, Coty sold a big part of Wella (and some other brands like Clairol and OPI) to an investment company called KKR. Coty still owns a smaller part of Wella today.

Wella's Story

How Wella Started

Wella was created in 1880 by Franz Ströher. He was a hairdresser from a part of Germany called Saxony. At first, his company made special bases for wigs.

In 1890, Franz invented something cool called the Tullemoid Waterproof. This invention allowed the scalp to breathe even when wearing a wig. Four years later, in 1894, he opened his first factory in Rothenkirchen, Germany. His sons, Karl and George Ströher, soon joined him in the business.

In 1924, the Ströher family officially registered the name "Wella." At that time, wigs were becoming less popular. So, the company started making products for permanent waves. The name "Wella" actually comes from a German word, Dauerwellapparat, which means "permanent wave device."

In 1927, Wella introduced its first machine for perming hair, which was sold to hair salons. In the 1930s, Wella also developed new hair dryers. These dryers had motors built inside and movable tubes, making it easier for people to move their heads while their hair dried. They also made a smaller, portable perming machine called Wella Junior.

Wella During Difficult Times

Wella faced challenges during the time of National Socialism in Germany. The government's rules and the war made it hard to get materials. The Ströher brothers did not support the National Socialist ideas.

During World War II, the Wella factory in Apolda stopped making hair products. Instead, it was used to build parts for submarines.

After World War II, the Wella factory in Apolda was taken apart by the Soviet Union as part of war payments. The factory in Rothenkirchen was also taken over and renamed. The Ströher family, along with some employees, decided to start over. They began a new, smaller business in Hünfeld, Germany.

In 1950, the new business was officially registered as Wella AG. Its main office moved to Darmstadt, in West Germany. Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Wella grew a lot. They started selling their products in many countries around the world, including Chile, Brazil, and parts of Asia and Africa. After Germany became one country again in 1990, the Rothenkirchen factory rejoined Wella.

New Products and Famous Faces

In 1950, Wella launched Koleston. This was a special hair balm designed to protect and make hair healthy. In 1954, the famous Hollywood actress Elizabeth Taylor appeared in ads for Koleston.

In the 1960s, Wella introduced Wella Privat. This was a line of products that customers could buy from salons to use at home. In the early 1970s, Wella released Perform, a new perm product that helped hairdressers create Afro hairstyles.

In 1972, Wella Balsam was launched. This was the first shampoo made specifically to be sold in stores. The advertising for Wella Balsam featured the stars of the TV show Charlie's Angels: Farrah Fawcett, Jaclyn Smith, and Cheryl Ladd. Later, in 1981, actress and model Brooke Shields also appeared in Wella Balsam ads. Wella also created "For Men," their first product line just for men.

Wella Today

In 1995, Wella updated its Koleston line and called it Koleston Perfect. This new product used natural ingredients like fruit wax. In 2002, Wella started TrendVision, an annual show where they present their new hair fashion collections. This event is now a global hairdressing competition called the International TrendVision Award (ITVA).

In 2003, Procter & Gamble (P&G) bought Wella. This helped P&G grow its beauty business even more.

Josh Wood became a Global Wella Professionals Colour Ambassador in 2008. He later took on a full-time role as Wella Professionals’ Global Creative Director of Colour. Eugene Souleiman is currently the Global Creative Director for Wella Professionals.

In 2011, Wella started a program called Making Waves. This program teaches hairdressing and important life skills to young people who need help. It began in Brazil and has grown to include countries like Romania, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Over 44,800 people have been trained through this program.

In 2014, Wella created a new molecule called ME+. This molecule is a safer replacement for other ingredients (PPD and PTD) often found in hair dyes. PPD and PTD can sometimes cause allergic reactions. The ME+ molecule is used in Wella Professionals Koleston Perfect Innosense, which was the first permanent hair color approved by a group that studies allergies (ECARF). By 2019, the ME+ molecule was used in the entire Wella Professionals Koleston Perfect line.

In 2015, Coty announced that it would buy 43 beauty brands from P&G, including Wella. This big deal was completed in 2016. In 2020, the investment company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) bought a 60% share of Wella from Coty. They appointed Annie Young-Scrivner as the new CEO of Wella.

The deal was finalized on December 1, 2020. This made The Wella Company a separate, private business based in Geneva, Switzerland. In April 2022, Wella also bought an eco-friendly haircare brand called Briogeo from Nancy Twine.

Awards and Recognition

Wella and its products have won many awards over the years. Here are a few:

Images for kids

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  A 1971 Wella Magazine ad in Persian, Zan-e Rooz.

See also

In Spanish: Wella para niños