Extreme makeover as beauty brand Wahanda becomes Treatwell

DesignStudio has rebranded online hair and beauty brand Wahanda, which is relaunching as Treatwell.

Wahanda was set up in 2008 and has recently acquired a number of competitor businesses in the UK and Europe. One of the businesses it has bought is Treatwell, and the company is now unifying all of its businesses under the Treatwell brand.

DesignStudio was briefed to create a new identity and brand strategy for the company, which could be used across all ten countries in which it operates.

The new look was developed over a six-month period, with DesignStudio’s team sharing office space with Treatwell in London and Amsterdam.

The consultancy says it has aimed to base the new identity on the concept of “celebrating individuality”, rather than “glossy, airbrushed images of beauty”.

This individuality is expressed using photography and illustration, says DesignStudio, while a “bright, bold” colour palette brings an “energetic and playful” attitude to the brand.

The look and feel also features “abstract body shapes and patterns”, which are used across the website, app and other brand communications.

DesignStudio creative director Tim Williams says: “We wanted to change how beauty is perceived. The rebrand looks to celebrate self-expression and individuality, of both the salons and the customers who use the service.”

A set of in-house tools and guidelines has also been developed for Treatwell, which will be used to implement the new branding across different countries.