Eternal Rituals

It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting colder and darker, but we are approaching the festive season. Getting into the winter spirit, Oribe announces a collaboration with multidisciplinary artist Louis Barthélemy for not just one, but seven holiday gift sets! Each with a limited-edition, museum-worthy design titled Eternal Rituals, ideal for gifting…or keeping. 

Louis is based between Cairo, Marrakesh and Paris and, through his work, focuses on preserving and renewing traditional crafts. For the 2023 Oribe gift-set designs, Louis looked back to ancient Egypt for inspiration; the results are an incredible artwork called Eternal Rituals. Stocking the gift sets could bring a touch of magic to your salon.

Vince Stavale, executive director of packaging for Oribe hair care, says: “When selecting an artist to collaborate with, Oribe seeks out authentic storytelling moments. Oribe views artistic partnerships as an opportunity to explore the pinnacle of where human creativity, artistic expression and traditional craft intersect. The values of craft encompass excellence, willingness to push beyond boundaries and the merging of philosophy. Exploration and appreciation of ancient Egyptian craft and iconography, both of which have had a vast and long-standing impact on art, design, and fashion throughout the Mediterranean and the world.”

Let’s take a closer look at Eternal Rituals

For the Oribe collection, Louis crafted three, unique vertical works inspired by ancient Egyptian papyrus scrolls. Titled, Eternal Rituals, the scenes tell the story of a sublime deity whose long hair flows upward like the Nile and is tended by characters engraved in the colourful columns. The whimsical narrative celebrates the timeless daily ritual of experiencing self-affirmation and pampering through hair care. As the sun sets in Egypt, warm earthy tones and the dusty city disappears into the shadows. This image is replaced by the electric glow of neon signs along the Nile, casting otherworldly tones upon the city. Although modern, the city hides history in every corner and crevice. 

The final, hand-drawn pieces are playful, sensual, and anchored in historical references. Let’s break down each scene:

In the first scene, the goddess’s hair is combed by figures emerging from the columns amidst lush vegetation.

In the second scene, the goddess’s hair is braided by protective deities. Deities include Hathor, the goddess of love and beauty, represented by a cow’s head; Sekhment, the lioness goddess of healing; Ibis Thoth, the god of wisdom.

In the third scene, the papyrus-style columns represent the deities Anubis, the jackal god of the afterlife, and the ram god Khnum, who rules rivers, lakes, and the fertility of the land. Together, they brush, braid and add colourful beads to the goddess’s beautiful hair using Oribe.

Overseeing the image is a winged solar disk, a symbol of divinity, royalty, and power.

Oribe has also commissioned Louis to create a one-of-a-kind kilim of the artwork with a team of artisans at the Kahhal Looms outside of Cairo. A kilim is a hand-woven tapestry native to ancient Egypt which takes around nine months to complete. The yarns are manually tied and dyed with more than 20 natural pigments. To finish the piece, the yarn is hand-woven by Anwar Al-Ashram, a talented weaver who lives and works in Fowa, a small city in the Kafr el Sheikh region in the Nile Delta.

Louis says: “Ancient Egypt inspires me because it has Egyptian heritage, African heritage, but above all, a universal heritage that belongs to everyone. It is important to be open to the ‘other’ and not to turn in on oneself regarding the idea of a fixed nation and identity. Modern culture is almost always a hybrid.”

The 2023 Oribe Holiday Collection

Gold Lust Liter Set

Includes Gold Lust Shampoo Liter and Gold Lust Conditioner Liter

Gold Lust Collection

Includes Gold Lust Shampoo, Gold Lust Conditioner and Gold Lust Oil Travel

Hair Alchemy Collection

Includes Hair Alchemy Resilience Shampoo, Hair Alchemy Resilience Conditioner and Hair 

Alchemy Serum Travel

Signature Style Set

Includes Dry Texturizing Spray, Signature Shampoo travel and Signature Conditioner travel

Shine & Style Set

Includes Superfine Hair Spray travel and Supershine Moisturizing Crème travel

Hair Alchemy Travel Set

Includes Hair Alchemy Resilience Shampoo travel, Hair Alchemy Resilience Conditioner travel and Hair Alchemy Serum travel

Sustainable packaging 

The sets are made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) paper printed with soy inks. Some sets include an internal tray made from 100% biodegradable and renewable bamboo and bagasse, an agricultural waste derived from sugarcane.

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