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How did Dyson go from vacuum cleaners to hairdryers? A look at its beauty success story

Despite initial scepticism, Dyson’s foray into the beauty industry has been a success, thanks to it focus on hair health and technology

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A model uses the Supersonic Nural at an event in Hong Kong in 2024. Despite initial scepticism, Dyson’s foray into the beauty industry has been a success. Photo: Dyson

When Dyson entered the beauty space eight years ago, the move was met with scepticism. After all, the brand was primarily known for its home appliances, such as vacuum cleaners and fans.

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Then there was the fact its first hairdryer, the Supersonic, had a retail price of almost US$400.

Kathleen Pierce, now global president of Dyson Beauty, also had questions when she first passed by a display of the Supersonic – whose head resembles a short, hollow cylinder – at a Dyson store in Hong Kong.

At the time, she was a senior vice-president at The Estée Lauder Companies, based in an office in Hong Kong’s Tsim Sha Tsui area.

We leveraged our knowledge of airflow to fundamentally improve the product
Kathleen Pierce, global president of Dyson Beauty

“I was genuinely curious as a consumer, because I was looking at this device and this shape and I couldn’t understand how it worked,” she says. “Where did the air come from? What was so superior about it?

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