Nearly a century after opening its first salon in Luxembourg, Ferber Group continues to prove that family businesses can survive by evolving without losing their identity.
Founded in 1928, the company has grown into one of Luxembourg’s best-known beauty groups, operating 14 salons, a barber concept, an e-commerce platform and a newly expanded training academy. For Laura Ferber, the company’s future is rooted not only in innovation but also in preserving the human values that shaped the business across four generations.
The Ferber story began at a time when women in Luxembourg were still unable to open bank accounts independently. Laura Ferber’s great-grandmother nevertheless launched the company in 1928, laying the foundation for what would become one of the country’s longest-running beauty businesses. Nearly 100 years later, the group remains family-led while continuing to modernise its services and operations. Today, the company is run jointly by fourth-generation siblings Laura and Lionel Ferber, who together oversee the continued evolution of the family business.
A Family Business Built on People
For Laura Ferber, preserving the company’s identity begins with its culture. “We don’t just hire people, we really build careers,” said Ferber. Many apprentices join the group at just 15 years old, beginning long-term journeys that can eventually lead to salon management, artistic leadership roles or even ownership partnerships within the company.
That investment in people has become one of the company’s defining strengths. Ferber says employees stay with the group for an average of more than eight years, significantly above industry averages in neighboring countries. Beyond salaries, the company also rewards performance through bonus structures designed to create long-term loyalty and financial stability for employees.
The company’s philosophy extends directly into its client experience. Ferber believes beauty should never be standardised, with every consultation tailored around personality, lifestyle and individual expectations. “Taking time to listen and understand each client is essential for us,” said Ferber.
Reinvention Without Losing Identity
While the company’s values have remained consistent, its business model has evolved continuously over the decades. Ferber describes innovation not as chasing trends blindly but as adapting services around changing client needs while preserving the group’s core identity. “Innovation is essential in our industry,” said Ferber.
That adaptability became especially visible during the pandemic. Shortly before COVID-19, the group launched its e-commerce platform, Hairshop.lu, which unexpectedly became a lifeline during lockdowns. What initially generated only occasional online orders quickly transformed into a major operational activity as salons temporarily closed and demand for home beauty products surged.
The Ferber Group has also invested heavily in new customer experiences and specialised concepts. Among them are modern hair spa treatments, expanded barber services, and personalized beauty offerings designed around evolving consumer expectations. The company was also among the first in Luxembourg to introduce a dedicated barbershop concept more than a decade ago, later expanding it to include men’s grooming services such as manicure, pedicure and facial care.
Social media and digital branding now play an increasingly important role in the company’s strategy as well. Ferber recently strengthened the group’s content production by integrating a dedicated videographer to elevate the company’s online presence. At the same time, the business continues to focus heavily on personalisation rather than trend replication.
“Today’s social media often pushes a one-look-fits-all approach, we take the opposite stance,” said Ferber.
That philosophy also shapes how trends are introduced internally. Artistic team members regularly travel to cities such as Paris and London to study new techniques, emerging styles and upcoming industry developments. Those ideas are then adapted into what Ferber describes as the company’s own DNA before being transmitted across the wider organisation.
Training the Next Generation
One of the company’s most ambitious projects is its new training academy, which reflects the group’s growing focus on talent development and long-term succession planning. The academy was created partly out of operational necessity, with the company now delivering approximately 4.500 hours of training annually for employees and apprentices. Each year, the group also takes in around 14 apprentices, making training one of its largest long-term investments.
Ferber describes hairdressing as both creative and demanding, requiring technical skill, emotional intelligence, discipline and professionalism. Beyond cutting and coloring techniques, apprentices are taught how to welcome clients, communicate respectfully and deliver high-quality customer experiences. “Technical skills can be taught, but values and attitude are just as important in our métier,” said Ferber.
The academy itself has already become an important space within Luxembourg’s wider beauty industry. Several major international brands, including L’Oréal Professionnel, Schwarzkopf, Wella and Paul Mitchell, now regularly rent the facility for professional training sessions and industry events. Spanning more than 300 square meters, the academy includes six training stations and fully modular workspaces designed for creative workshops and advanced education programs.
The academy ultimately represents something much larger than professional training alone. “Our mission is to help build confident professionals who can grow, evolve and build their own loyal clientele within the group,” said Ferber. The project is designed not only to secure the future of the business but also to preserve the human side of the profession for future generations.
Leadership Across Four Generations
As the fourth generation leading the company, Laura Ferber sees her role less as a traditional executive and more as a temporary guardian of a long-standing legacy. “I don’t see business as something I own personally, I see myself as the keeper of it for one generation,” said Ferber.
That philosophy is deeply connected to her family history. Laura Ferber’s father has Native American roots through the Mohawk community, an influence that shaped her understanding of leadership and long-term responsibility. “I deeply believe in the Native American philosophy about the role of a good leader. They say the role of a good leader is to take decisions based on how they will affect the next seven generations,” said Ferber.
That perspective continues to guide how the company approaches growth and expansion today. Rather than focusing on rapid expansion, the group is prioritising quality improvements, client experience and sustainable development across its existing salons.
At the same time, new technologies, including artificial intelligence, may eventually reshape parts of the beauty industry at Ferber Group. While technology may transform diagnostics, communication and education, the profession’s deeply human nature will remain irreplaceable. “Hairdressing is built on trust, touch, emotion, and personal connection,” said Ferber.
For Laura Ferber, the most rewarding part of the business is ultimately not expansion itself, but watching people grow within the company. “Seeing apprentices become confident professionals and build long-term careers is the most beautiful part of everything we do,” said Ferber.
This article was published in the 10th edition of Forbes Luxembourg.
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