
Kelly Huether Reacquires Life of Riley and Riley Salon Resources
Life of Riley Salon Supply and Riley Salon Resources are back in the family, as Kelly Huether acquires the professional distributor he co-founded in 2013.
Founder returns to iconic haircare brand and establishes leading beauty portfolio including luxury beauty brand, Bastide.

Frédéric Fekkai
Frédéric Fekkai, in partnership with Cornell Capital LLC (“Cornell Capital”), has announced the acquisition of Frédéric Fekkai Brands (“Fekkai Brands” or the “Company”), the beauty and haircare brand that Mr. Fekkai founded under his namesake in 1996, from a group of investors.
Founded by Mr. Fekkai more than 20 years ago, Fekkai Brands develops and produces hair and body care products, including shampoos, conditioners, treatments, hair fragrances and styling products. Additionally, the Company owns and operates a number of premier salons across the U.S. Mr. Fekkai sold Fekkai Brands in 2008.
Blue Mistral LLC, a holding company founded by Mr. Fekkai and Cornell Capital, will own and operate Fekkai Brands together with Bastide, the fast-growing Provence-based provider of luxury fragrances and hand and body care products that Mr. Fekkai has led since 2017. As Chief Executive Officer of Blue Mistral, Mr. Fekkai will further accelerate the growth of the Fekkai Brands and salons by placing a heightened emphasis on education, innovation and the customer’s overall experience while leveraging opportunities for collaboration with Bastide.
“I am thrilled to rejoin Fekkai Brands and eager to reconnect with the salons, teams and consumers,” said Mr. Fekkai. “This acquisition will provide me the opportunity to reinfuse my passion for innovation into the brand, while reigniting its growth and guiding Fekkai Brands through its next chapter in a modern and exciting way.”
“The opportunity to partner with Frédéric, a proven entrepreneur in the beauty sector, as he returns to the helm of his iconic brand is truly compelling,” said Henry Cornell, Senior Partner of Cornell Capital. “Leveraging Cornell Capital’s cross-border network and operational expertise, and Frédéric’s deep relationships and reputation within the industry, Fekkai Brands is well-positioned to succeed in the growing global cosmetics and personal care industry.”
Selling the Fekkai brands is an ownership group of Dilesh Mehta, Tony Bajaj, Joel Ronkin and Amy Sachs, which purchased the business in 2015. Joel Ronkin, exiting CEO of Fekkai Brands added: “Frédéric is an accomplished entrepreneur with a proven track record of building highly desirable brands. We are confident that his return to the Company will be instrumental in fueling its growth and driving innovation.”
Originally posted on Modern Salon

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