In the past decade the beauty industry has become increasingly focused on what we’re putting into our bodies, as the serums and lotions we’re smearing on them. Yes, there’s a long history of “anti-aging” products. The recent rise of injectables is well documented. And AI is supposedly going to make immortality possible by 2030.
But there’s something about feeling physically good that has us in a chokehold. Pop culture is in on it too. Netflix’s Wellmania series follows Celeste Barber’s character as she seeks to change her “live fast, die young” attitude one green juice (and a few colonics) at a time. Of course she garners a certain glow in the process.
Adrian Norris has always been into wellbeing. His new venture, “modern-day apothecary” Ikkari, is the designer’s first departure from fashion. Inspired by Norris’ own experience of “going down the rabbit hole” buying, testing and evaluating what was available on the market, the brand’s product range spans three categories: inner, outer and aura.
And whether you personally want to live forever (or at least look like you might) or not doesn’t matter. Our collective quest for vitality has created a booming economy: the global wellness market is currently valued at USD$1.5 trillion with a projected growth of five to 10 per cent annually.
Even though the industry shows no signs of waning, launching a beauty and wellness brand with 71 products out of the gate is ambitious. But that’s an accurate descriptor for Norris, who co-founded Aje 15 years ago, alongside Edwina Forest. The successful business now has 42 stores spanning Australia and New Zealand, for both Aje and Aje Athletica – the brand’s sportier sister has opened 11 stores since launching in 2021 – along with thriving eCommerce arms and a cult following for its signature puffed-sleeve dresses and logo-clad activewear.
“I understand retail, and I understand what the consumer wants,” Norris says. The aim for Ikkari is to offer “one source of truth, one place where they [consumer’s] can go and have the world’s best products offered in a beautiful format with knowledgeable staff that sell to them and are actually able to explain the benefits”.
The brand is named after the Greek island Ikaria, a place dear to Norris’ heart. He first visited when he was a student in Venice but has returned to this part of the Aegean time and again – and not just for the natural beauty. The most intriguing part for Norris is that the island’s residents regularly live to 100, with the mountainous countryside and Mediterranean diet cited as reasons behind their longevity.
From the aisles of health food stores to his own friends’ beauty cabinets, no stone was left unturned during the five-year incubation period of Ikkari. And the scrutiny is evident. Bioavailable ingredients expand on the efficacy of best-selling topical products like the Overnight Renewal cream, Illuminating serum and Skin Refining Enzyme mask. Bath and body products are gently fragranced with essential oils like green mandarin, clary sage and lavender blossom. The sleek green packaging (a mix of glass containers and aluminium bottles) can be reused in your home or disposed of via Terracycle at your nearest Aje Athletica store (where the products are also available). Refills are on the roadmap for the brand, too.
The ingestibles are Norris’ favourite element (if he really had to pick). The inner range includes tonics that can be added to water and sipped before bed (in the case of Deep Sleep) or taken alongside the brand’s “superblends”, such as the Collagen duo. There’s also nutrient capsules made with bovine liver, which claim to aid digestion and support your immune system. “It’s one of the most nutrient-dense foods. But there’s no way anyone is sitting down to a plate of liver each night. I thought if we could put it into a really readily available form it can help increase the intake of key vitamins and nutrients,” he says.
Ikkari’s debut adds to the slate of launches from local brands we’ve seen since the start of 2023 – along with news of Aesop selling for $3.7 billion in April, it’s proof that Australian beauty is big business.
With a Noosa flagship store set to open later this year and more products in development, Norris is confident that feeling good and looking better will remain a top priority – even if ChatGPT takes over our jobs.
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