Six months after selling his distributorship of Bodyography Professional Cosmetics, the American brand he launched into Australia 10 years ago, Rob Tamburro is back in the beauty business with the launch of a new distributorship and another American cosmetics brand – Palladio.
Professional Beauty spoke to Rob Tamburro about both brands:
When/why did you launch Bodyography?
“I launched Bodyography back in September of 2008. Having worked with other brands in both the hair and cosmetics industry I recognised a gap and opportunity in the market for a new makeup range for professional salons. I believed that the industry was waiting for something new − a quality brand made from quality formulations − but also a different level of service and opportunity that was yet to be seen in the industry.”
What were some of the highlights during your time with the brand?
“It was definitely a fun roller coaster ride over the years with so many memories and friendships formed. There was that great feeling when we reached 1000 salons across the country and there there was the satisfaction and warm feeling of working with many charities such as the Olivia Newton John Foundation and the Royal Children’s Hospital. On the other end of the scale there was the excitement of meeting and working with people from all around the world such as the time we worked backstage with Beyonce’s band during her Australian tour.
Why did you decide to sell the distributorship?
“An opportunity presented itself for me to sell the business and as I became a father for the first time in January I saw this as an opportunity to take some much needed time and spend five months with my new son. The opportunity also meant that I could do something new and change and adapt with the times and give the industry something new that meets the needs of the new retail environment we now live in.”
What is your new distributorship?
“My new company, Bellezza Australia, will offer quality brands across both the hair and beauty industries. I have ties with some quality brands overseas that are expanding around the world and I am planning to turn Bellezza into the Australian arm of those brands. Palladio is the first brand under our umbrella however we have also secured the rights for the hair tool range called Enzo Milano.”
Why did you choose Palladio?
“The team at Palladio USA and I have been in contact for many years and have always demonstrated an interest for me to bring the brand to Australia so I have always kept an eye on the brand. Palladio is a high quality professional ‘cruelty-free’ makeup infused with vitamins and botanicals so it ticked all the boxes for what I was looking for. However, the real big kicker for me is the price. I have priced the range to make it affordable to the everyday consumer. This will translate into more sales for stockists…The way we shop has changed for ever. The presence of online and large multinational companies means that salon owners need a new draw card for clients and I believe that Palladio is that solution − a quality range at an affordable price.”