A roundtable with LeBron James and SpringHill Company interns helped shape his new men's grooming line
- The SpringHill Company launched a men's grooming line inspired by its hit series, "The Shop."
- SpringHill Company cofounder Maverick Carter and "The Shop" co-creator Paul Rivera spoke to BI.
LeBron James and Maverick Carter's company has launched a men's grooming collection inspired by "The Shop."
The collection feels like a natural avenue for fans of "The Shop," an award-winning series that features athletes, celebrities, and thought leaders in a barbershop to discuss everything from pop culture to higher education. The series is the crown jewel of The SpringHill Company, the multimedia brand founded by James and Carter in 2020.
Carter and Paul Rivera, co-creator of "The Shop," hosted a pop-up in New York City's SoHo neighborhood last week to celebrate the collection's release. They told Business Insider that the idea to create a men's grooming line crystallized in 2021.
"It started from a roundtable of about 18 men within our company, which ranged from interns all the way to LeBron James himself, " Rivera said. "We started with how much we didn't know, and that evolved into what we'd want to see."
Rivera said interest in men's grooming has risen in recent years, coinciding their natural progression into the beauty industry.
"It became very commonplace for us to ask each other, 'Man, your skin looks great. What are you using?'" Rivera said. "There was even a moment where we had Travis Scott as a guest, where he said he Googles face routines and men's grooming routines."
"As the show evolved, I thought it felt like a natural extension of 'The Shop' brand," Rivera added.
The collection is entering the industry at a time when men's grooming is booming. According to data from market research company Grand View Research, the global market for men's grooming products was valued at $202.6 billion in 2022. A revenue forecast in the report said the industry would bring in $376.4 billion in 2030.
Carter told BI that young consumers willing to ignore stereotypes surrounding men's grooming have helped bolster that growth.
"You can truly be whoever you feel like you want to be," Carter said of young consumers' thinking. "You don't have to subscribe to a way that a man is supposed to be or shouldn't be."
He pointed to other industries, including music and fashion, where consumers have also pushed boundaries.
"It was a mission to achieve high-quality formulas that also had a lovely scent that would deliver on the feeling and the promise of what 'The Shop' stands for, which is a brand that's about bringing people together, empowering them, and feeling like you can do anything," Carter said.
The collection features seven products, including aftershave toner, anti-bump solution, and beard cream leave-in conditioner. All the products they sell are priced under $10 and will exclusively be available for purchase at Walmart starting April 1.