Spreading your Beauty Wings

Swati Gupta, Creative Director, Bodycraft Salon and Spa, talks about celebrating the salon’s silver jubilee in India’s beauty and wellness industry, and her vision for the future, with Priyanka Parsshurami.

How does it feel to complete 25 years in the beauty and wellness industry?

Twenty five years is a long time to be around in the beauty industry, especially since the landscape has changed so drastically. We went from a demographic that wasn’t open to investing in self-care and beauty regiments to a thriving industry that has normalised everything from a regular salon schedule to aesthetic procedures. I would like to think that not only did we witness this industry blossom and bloom, but also had some part to play in it.

How do you aim to expand your presence in the market? Is it going to be through standalone salons or a franchise model?

So far both standalone salons and franchises have worked well for us. With our last franchise opening in Bangalore just this quarter, growth and expansion for us right now is very client experience driven.

How many new outlets do you plan to open and where?

After opening our 15th outlet in Bangalore recently, our current focus is to grow qualitatively and in a very customer centric manner. If there seems to be demand for a larger variety of the products we retail, we will work on diversifying our portfolio. Essentially, all our growth is going to be in terms of adding value to our vision of making our clients #FeelBeautiful inside and out.

What are the key elements one should take care of while starting a salon?

I think to start any business, and particularly a salon, one needs to establish purpose as the time one invests would vary depending on it. It’s also vital to partner with someone who knows the industry and has the technical expertise it requires. Finally, invest time in figuring out a balance between revenue and client satisfaction. You want to make sure you have enough for a profit margin to sustain and grow while still investing in the best possible experience you can provide.

What are the USPs of the new outlets that will make them different from existing Bodycraft salons?

Over the last 25 years, we have honed the client journey ensuring Sassoon and Wella trained stylists and a holistic experience. What clients expect from us with every new salon we open is to maintain the Bodycraft standard of services. We are also expanding in terms of verticals and our retail portfolio.

In your opinion has the beauty and wellness industry recovered post covid?

I think the salon industry was one of the hardest hit industries during the peak of the pandemic. Now that the worst is behind us, we are starting to get back to normal again. In fact, I think last year also brought out the importance of selfto a lot of people who are now at the salon more frequently. We are seeing women and men investing time and money in coming to the salon to take care of themselves.

Will the new salons have new offerings for the customers?

What our clients need is what is going to dictate where the brand is going next. We have so much to look forward to -expansion of our retail portfolio, increasing service lines and verticals, further integrating beauty, wellness and aesthetics and so much more. But whatever we pick up next will be rooted in making our client experience better every day.

What is your take on sustainable salons? And how will new outlets contribute to salon sustainability?

There is definitely a need to take strides with regards to sustainability in the beauty industry and beyond. While we are seeing more sustainable beauty and care products in the market like shampoo and conditioner bars with minimal and recyclable packaging, they may not replace them in salons any time soon. Unfortunately, there are not too many brands in the market today that have zero-waste products with the kind of range a salon would require. While we wait for a better alternative, the goal is to make sure we do everything we can to make our business sustainable.

Where do you see the beauty and wellness industry in the next 10 years?

I believe that over the next 10 years, it will become the norm for both men and women alike to set aside time for themselves and hope the beauty and wellness industry continues to become more inclusive, diverse and body positive, and sustainable over the next decade.

Where do you see Bodycraft salon after 10 years?

Bodycraft was built 25 years ago by my mother, Mrs Manjul Gupta, as an attempt to help the women in my life dedicate some time to self-care. Today, over 500 people are trained and engaged to create the quintessential Bodycraft experience for you across 14 outlets in Bangalore and Mumbai. The rate at which we have grown is a fruit of love and labour put into making sure everyone who walks through the door leaves feeling beautiful. Whatever comes next for Bodycraft will also be focused on exactly that.

What message would you like to give to aspiring salon owners?

Invest emotionally in your job. If a client’s bad haircut or bad experience at your salon doesn’t affect you almost as much as it affects them, you are in the wrong field of work. When someone trusts you with something as personal as making them look or feel good, it requires being emotionally invested in their journey to provide a truly good experience every single day.