Aesop is named after a teller of fables, to mock the claims of cosmetics brands.
Dennis Paphitis, a Melbourne hairdresser, gave the name to his salon’s hair products in 1989, choosing the Greek storyteller as a gentle dig at an industry known for its outlandish promises. The products came in plain brown pharmacy bottles and were never advertised. Three decades later that was still true, and in 2018 the company’s sales came to £214 million.
Aesop on Brandseum