House of Colour

What House of Colour does

House of Colour is a UK-headquartered personal styling franchise founded in 1985, operating a global network of certified stylists who deliver science-based seasonal colour analysis and complementary style services. The company's core methodology assigns clients to one of four seasonal palettes (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter), refined to sub-seasons with personalized 'WOW Colours', using precision-dyed drapes assessed in natural daylight. The service is anchored in human expertise and a proprietary training system rather than algorithmic or AI-driven analysis.

The product portfolio centers on Colour Analysis as the flagship service, supported by Style Analysis (clothing personality and flattering silhouettes), an in-house Cosmetics line organized by seasonal palette, Wardrobe Edit services, and Personal Shopping. The headline service prices range from £230 for group sessions to £599 for a VIP Transformation Day, with £280-£375 for the standard colour and style consultations. Franchisees also resell curated styling products through a centralized e-commerce shop, with registered clients receiving a 30% discount. Operationally, the company runs a bespoke internal platform called Max, integrated with Google Calendar for booking management, alongside NetSuite for ERP, Stripe/Hue for payments, and Constant Contact for email marketing.

The business model is fundamentally a franchisor: individual stylists pay for the right to use the House of Colour brand, methodology, and training, then set their own service prices and operate independent studios. Revenue at the corporate level flows from initial franchise fees, ongoing royalties/fees, and a share of e-commerce product sales. Distribution spans the UK (headquarters at 7 Bell Yard, London), the US (350+ franchisees, now led by a divisional CEO appointed in 2026), Canada, and the UAE (Abu Dhabi). The company serves individual consumers seeking personalized style guidance, alongside a secondary customer cohort of aspiring franchisees, and has been recognized by the British Franchise Association with an EF100 Award for international growth and a Great British Franchisee Award in 2024.

Name

House of Colour

Legal name

House of Colour Ltd

Website

https://houseofcolour.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

House of Colour is a UK-founded personal styling franchise (est. 1985) operating a global network of certified stylists who deliver science-based seasonal colour analysis, style consultations, wardrobe edits, and personal shopping services to individual consumers across the UK, US, Canada, and UAE.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Personal Styling Services

NAICS

Cosmetics, Beauty Supplies, and Perfume Retailers (456120), Beauty Salons (812112), Hair, Nail, and Skin Care Services (81211)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Color Analysis & Style Consulting (HSACAJAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Special Occasion Styling (Weddings, Galas, Events) (HSACAJAC), Special Occasion Makeup (Non-Bridal) (HSALAHAB)

Keywords

• Personal styling services
• Colour analysis
• Image consulting
• Wardrobe editing
• Styling franchise

Headquarters

HQ city

Watford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Colour Analysis Services: Individual consultation services performed by franchisee stylists. Services include colour analysis, style analysis, wardrobe edits, personal shopping, and makeup sessions. Franchisees set their own pricing for these services.
2. E-commerce Product Sales: Online shop selling seasonal cosmetics, colour fans, and styling products. Clients receive a 30% discount when entering their client code. Revenue flows through the centralized shop to both head office and franchisees.
3. Franchise Fees: Revenue generated from franchisees who pay for the right to use the House of Colour brand, system, training, and ongoing support. The franchise model allows individuals to become business owners with world-class training and an established brand.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

House of Colour provides personalised image consulting and personal styling services built around a science-based seasonal colour analysis system. Stylists match clients' skin tones, hair, and eyes to one of four seasonal palettes (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) using precision-dyed drapes, and deliver complementary services including style analysis, wardrobe editing, personal shopping, and an own-brand seasonal cosmetics line. Services are sold directly to consumers through a global network of independent franchisee stylists in the UK, USA, Canada, and UAE.

Product overview

House of Colour is a personal styling franchise founded in 1985, offering colour analysis, style analysis, cosmetics, wardrobe editing, and personal shopping services delivered through a global network of trained franchisee stylists. The core offering is Colour Analysis — a science-based seasonal colour matching service that assigns clients to Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter palettes with personalised WOW Colours — supported by Style Analysis (which determines clothing personality and flattering silhouettes), Cosmetics (House of Colour's own seasonal makeup range), Wardrobe Edit (curating and decluttering existing wardrobes), and Personal Shopping. The company also provides franchisees with an internal software platform called Max, which integrates with Google Calendar to manage client bookings and diary scheduling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Colour Analysis

Quantifiable outcome

• On average, women spend 17 minutes per day deciding what to wear which equates to 6 months of their working life
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Thread (UK): Thread is a UK-based online personal styling service that uses stylists and algorithms to recommend clothing. It directly competes with House of Colour in the UK personal styling market but operates digitally without an in-person franchise network.

Emerging players

• Wishi: Wishi is an online platform connecting customers with personal stylists for one-on-one consultations and curated looks. It competes with House of Colour's style analysis and personal shopping services but lacks the science-based color analysis methodology and franchise infrastructure.
• Daily Look: Daily Look is a styling subscription and personal styling service offering curated clothing deliveries with optional stylist consultations. It overlaps with House of Colour's personal shopping offering but does not provide color analysis or franchise-based in-person services.
• Cladwell: Cladwell is a digital closet and styling app that helps users curate outfits and shop capsule wardrobes. It intersects with House of Colour's wardrobe editing and capsule wardrobe value proposition but operates as a software-only solution without in-person styling.

Broad incumbents

• Stitch Fix: Stitch Fix is the largest publicly traded personal styling service in the US, combining data science with human stylists to curate clothing boxes. It overlaps with House of Colour's personal shopping and style consultation offerings but delivers via an online subscription model rather than in-person franchise studios.
• Trunk Club (Nordstrom): Trunk Club, owned by Nordstrom, provides personal styling services online and through Nordstrom stores with curated boxes and one-on-one stylists. It is comparable to House of Colour's personal shopping and style analysis offering but operates at scale within a broader department store ecosystem.
• Marks & Spencer: Marks & Spencer, a major UK retailer, has explored in-store personal styling and color services. While not a direct franchise competitor, it represents the broader incumbent retail landscape where personal styling and color guidance could be embedded at scale, posing a long-term competitive threat to standalone franchises.
• John Casablancas: John Casablancas is a long-established personal image consulting and modeling agency offering color analysis, style consulting, and image training. It overlaps with House of Colour's core color and style analysis services but is more oriented toward modeling and career image consulting.

Direct peers

• Color Me Beautiful: Color Me Beautiful is the original seasonal color analysis franchise system founded in the 1970s. It is the most directly comparable peer to House of Colour, offering the same science-based seasonal color matching, style consulting, and franchise model, though with a smaller and more US-centric franchisee network.
• Sci\Art: Sci\Art is a US-based color analysis and personal image consulting company offering similar seasonal color analysis services to House of Colour. It targets the same customer pain points (finding flattering colors) but operates with a smaller, independent consultant network rather than a franchise model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/houseofcolourhq
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/90991
• Instagraminstagram.com/houseofcolourunitedkingdom
• Xx.com/HouseofColour

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about House of Colour