11 minute read
The Precision Surgeon – Founder of 111SKIN
The Precision Surgeon
Founder of 111SKIN and leading Harley more from 111SKIN. With our customers being the focus behind our range and their feedback being
Street cosmetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides specializes in facial reconstructive surgery. We discuss what fundamental to the growth of the brand, we developed a range that grew from their feedback such as the light version of our bestselling product the Y Theorem Serum. With the strength of our range and the demand from our customers, my wife and it takes to launch an iconic skincare brand co-founder, Eva Alexandrides put in the research to develop our sheet masks a er a trip from Asia. and push the boundaries of surgery Starting with one mask, the Bio Cellulose Facial Treatment Mask, we then developed the Gold Mask that successfully turned into the Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask in a hydrogel What do the first 30 mins of your day look like, your morning routine? I texture. From our journey in Harrods, we then grounded ourselves in always get up with my wife and sons around 7am before we all have America and Asia and from there have gone from 2 to 80 members of sta breakfast together and then we walk with the boys to the station in the last seven years that are located both in stores and head o ces. as they then head o to school. A erwards Eva and I have some Today we stand proudly in the Beauty Hall at Harrods with a renowned time together and that will be spent talking or working out together, counter and window display celebrating the fundamentals of 111SKIN. and this of course includes a morning walk with Sparky (the family Positioned in leading luxury spaces and an international presence dog). Following that I head to Harley Street and at Harley street I that is coveted by fashion designers, make-up artists and supermodels will do consultations or treatments with my patients, I then split alike, 111SKIN formulates its skincare to deliver a no filter confidence. my time between Harley St and the 111SKIN o ces – I think I can We are located in some of the most prestigious retail spaces like Harnow make it across in seven minutes! rods, Neiman Marcus, Mecca and Lane Crawford. We also o er aesYou’re originally a surgeon, how did launching a skincare brand originate? thetic performance face and body treatments with our revolutionary As a surgeon, my primary goal has always been to ensure the very best spa concept that is present in the world’s leading spa resorts and hotels results for my patients – we weren’t satisfied with what was available to like Sandy Lane, Jumeirah, Four Seasons and Bvlgari. The focus for the surgeons at the time, so we set about finding healing solutions. Work- future is to continue to deliver unprecedented quality and results to our ing with a team of scientists, we pioneered the brand signature healing clients and customers as well as positioning ourselves as the leading complex NAC Y2. NAC Y2 was infused within the brand’s inaugural global skincare brand that is surgically inspired, science led and drives healing serum, which proved so e ective that patients were seeking the clinical results. I am still learning when it comes to building a brand, products for everyday use. From there, 111SKIN was born. and with 111SKIN and my practice it is a work in progress and it’s a What is at the core of 111SKIN, the DNA and how has it grown so quickly to fantastic feeling if you can do it successfully. You do need a bit of luck iconic status globally? To develop skincare treatments that both recreate because there are so many uncontrollable forces that can make or break and complement aesthetic treatments in the you which you cannot wholly anticipate. clinic for a more holistic approach to beau- Personally, I find it is about having a vision ty. It’s about beauty and quality of skin and and knowing what you want. understanding the ageing process inside How do the research and commercial sides and out. We had little budget for market- of the business work together and do you ing and so our business grew organically – feel particularly drawn to one side of the largely by engaging with artists that work on business? The research and commercial a practical level – makeup artists, hair styl- sides of the business go hand in hand – ists, facialists, fashion designers & models. both Eva and I have our strengths and use How did you retail 111SKIN from the outset these to the best of our abilities. I am a and what have been the challenges scaling surgeon and therefore provide the medical this globally? In June 2012 and starting with expertise, bringing innovations and pushselected products from our now established ing the possibilities of skincare e cacy for Reparative range we launched in the beauty the brand. Eva takes these innovations forhalls of Harrods, London. We started with ward, imagining how they can be delivered a singular shelf at the back of the beauty in the most compelling manner, and creathall and two members of sta that were ing personal connections to the products dedicated to establishing the brand with that extends to ingredients, sensorials, Harrod’s clientele. For the first 3/4 years we new product development and packaging. were exclusive to Harrods and were focused What has been the biggest challenge since on delivering the passion and research be- launching the brand and how did you overhind the brand, so much so that we created come it? To be unstoppable means to be an extended family of clients that wanted utterly determined to succeed, and not to
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give up because of adversities, problems or bad luck. I can recall many moments that have been challenging, although the one that sticks out was when Eva and I were in the States trying to secure our first attempt to sell 111SKIN products outside of London. We had an interview with the CEO of Bloomingdales, a er presenting the skincare line the CEO said to sell a beauty line in the US one had to have $50 million to support the venture. I took one look at Eva, and we both knew this wouldn’t deter us. We most certainly did not have $50 million to bankroll our business ambitions, although we knew this wouldn’t discourage us. We continued our pitches with buyers tirelessly until we met the Chief Beauty Buyer at Barney’s. The rapport was fantastic – she was very impressed with the line and committed to launching 111SKIN with our full assortment at the time, courtesy of an impactful countertop in-store. We were thrilled. Have you had any mentors along the way and if so, what has been the best advice they have imparted to you? I have met so many mentors along the way, it would be impossible to choose one. I think the best advice I received was that you are only as good as your team. The people you employ to support your business need to be passionate about the company, good at what they do and loyal. Ensuring they are integral to the fundamentals, success, and destiny of the company will produce the best outcome. You not only motivate them to excel but also create an environment of mutual respect. Where do you stand in terms of investment? Would you advise entrepreneurs to avoid asking for investment at the outset of their business and is it important to remain in control? Investment is a very important decision in the history of the company, the Founder should carefully consider if they need an investment. They should only acquire one if it is absolutely necessary or should consider if they can continue building and expanding the business without outside investment and support. If though, the decision has been made that investment is necessary there should be clear goals around where this investment should go. A very detailed, three-year business plan is paramount, advocating the use of funds to recruit talent and acquire potential expansion according to the business intentions. Finally, the Founder needs to really consider who the investor is and what their goals are. Your interests must be aligned. O en, they can bring much more than financial support – contacts, ideas, strategic planning and experience in other fields. Finally, I would never give control away as this takes away decision making, character and personality of the business. The only case when this is acceptable is towards the exit stage of a company. Last year was a time that saw brands change strategy. Have you had to pivot as a business? Definitely. As customers were only able to shop online, we had to find ways to educate customers virtually – we launched virtual consultations, a subscription service, and a loyalty programme. Our clientele were also looking for products that would give them the same outcome as a clinical treatment – we spent extensive time creating products, such as our Concentrates that would provide these benefits. Which is the 111 Skin hero product? Our first product, the Y Theorem Repair Serum. Formulated with NAC Y2, it accelerates skin healing, optimising cellular health and functions and restores the dynamic balance of skin. It contains a powerful combination of amino acids, peptides and antioxidants to restore skin’s health. You also focus on facial reconstruction – can you expand on what this involves and does this extend to antiaging techniques? Facial reconstruction in the broad meaning of the phrase, means the correction of deformities that the face may have. This may be from an accident, or a burn, or congenital anomalies. Facial reconstruction has advanced tremendously the past 20 years, with the apogee being the facial transplantation where complete facial reconstruction has been visible in cases where before we had no other means of achieving results. However, in most of the cases of aesthetic surgery aesthetic reconstruction means rejuvenating the face into a state of where it was 10, 20 or even 30 years before. In this case, the techniques and knowledge of reconstructive surgery can be very helpful in aesthetic surgery and the two subspecialists overlap. This kind of knowledge has been very helpful for me when I look to rejuvenate the face as I understand the deep structures and ageing mechanisms that have led to these changes. What is the most challenging surgery you have ever performed? The diverse specialty, and amount of surgery I have performed is very high. However, I do recall a very di cult reconstruction surgery that I performed whilst at the University of Pittsburgh. In this case, three quarter of the face needed reconstruction a er a gunshot injury which had removed the central part of the face and jaw. Multiple surgeries were performed, and this patient stayed in the intensive care unit for over a year until they were able to be released. However, at the end we had a successful outcome. Are you always amazed by how the body heals and how can we optimize this? My whole philosophy side of my skincare brand, 111SKIN is based on enhancing the powerful mechanisms the skin possesses to heal. We see this in daily life in how powerful the body is in overcoming injuries, surgery, burns and are only starting to understand the inherent mechanism of healing in scientific ways. By enhancing the healing mechanisms of the skin, we have the ability of maintaining youthfulness by reversing the ageing signs, as supporting the healing mechanism of the skin on a daily basis may hold back the ageing mechanism. What e ect do you see social media having on the requests you receive in terms of surgery? Social Media is playing a major role on how people perceive themselves; frequently younger people compare themselves with influencers and the like which can have an unhealthy e ect on mental health. Social media has the potential to purvey an unrealistic ideal of aesthetics. I believe it is important for plastic surgeons and dermatologists to understand the psychology behind patients seeking some of these procedures, and whether they require proper counselling ahead of committing to procedures, ensuring they have a full grasp of the implications and motivations. This is ‘The Icon Issue’ – who or what to you is iconic? My icon is Professor of Plastic Surgery, Ralph Millard. Ralph was one of the pioneers of facial reconstruction, particularly cle lip and palate surgery. He is one of the professors I learnt from whilst studying in Miami who inspired me then and continues to inspire me in my work with patients today. In addition to the above, I was also inspired by my Grandfather who I was very close to as a young child. He taught me a lot about life and his achievements – starting from a small village in the island of Crete he became a leader in society, and one of the foremost figures in modern Crete. He had not completed his education but had harnessed a set of personal skills and emotional intelligence to set him apart. This tenacity inspired me to dedicate myself in what I want to do in life. I understood that with kindness and hard work nothing is impossible.
