Steaming Ahead | An Interview with Laurastar Co-CEO Michael Monney

Laurastar Co-CEO Michael Monney

Redefining Luxury Fabric Care and Purification Through Innovation and Sustainability

As a second-generation leader at renowned fabric care and purification innovators Laurastar, Michael Monney is transforming the Swiss brand into a global powerhouse in luxury fabric care and home purification technology. Since stepping into the role of Co-CEO alongside his sister Julie in 2019, Michael has championed innovation, international expansion and sustainability, reinforcing Laurastar’s legacy while propelling it into the future.

Since the brand was founded in 1980 by Jean Monney, Michael’s father, Laurastar has pioneered cutting-edge innovations like Dry Microfine Steam (DMS), revolutionised home care with the world’s first connected ironing system (Laurastar Smart System), and introduced award-winning steamers like the IGGI and IZZI. But beyond innovation, Laurastar is also setting new benchmarks in sustainability – fighting planned obsolescence with durable, repairable products and partnering with eco-conscious fashion brands like Germanier and BOSS.

With a presence in over 40 countries, Laurastar has become a trusted name in both high-end home appliances and haute couture care. In this exclusive interview, we talk to Michael who discusses Laurastar’s global success, its commitment to responsible luxury, and what is next for the brand as it continues to redefine fabric care and home wellness.

Laurastar’s Co-CEO Michael Monney at a product demo

Introducing Laurastar’s Legacy and Values

Good afternoon, Michael. Thank you for demonstrating the Laurastar Smart and Lift Systems to us earlier. Laurastar has been at the forefront of fabric care innovation for 45 years. What key principles have guided the company’s growth from a Swiss family business to a global luxury brand?

Michael Monney: Good afternoon and thank you for your time as well. Laurastar is now 45 years old. There are a few DNA strands that run through our business. We are Swiss; we are family-owned; and there are values which we treasure, like making long-lasting quality products and always wanting to do things for consumers. We want to Beautify and Purify their lives. Those are the two pillars for our products.

Iconic Products and Groundbreaking Innovations

What are some of the key products and innovations that have helped to drive Laurastar’s growth?

MM: Laurastar were founded in 1980 and our first great product was the all-in-one system – the Laurastar Magic. Later, we also developed the Laurastar Lift, which was launched in 2014. And then, there was the Smart System which we launched in 2017. We have continually evolved the Lift and the Smart System over the years. Our products never stand still. We are always looking to improve them.

In terms of innovations, we have our patented DMS (Dry Microfine Steam) which uses steam heated at more than 150o C at a speed of 130km/hr to iron/steam your clothes. We also have other innovations like Pulsed Steam, the 3D Soleplate and One Temperature. These innovations came step by step. For example, for Pulsed Steam, we saw that people put too much steam into their clothes during ironing and they became all wet. So we asked ourselves: “how can we improve that?” By using a series of bursts of steam, Pulsed Steam ensures that people have just the right dosage of water to do their clothes.

The 3D Soleplate evolved from the S7 which started in 2013, but it was made of plastic then. Now, it is made of aluminium, resized, and has a different relief system. So why is that good? Because it allows the clothes to be flatter during ironing, and with the power of the steam, which goes through the clothes, the quality of the ironing becomes even better.

As for Single Temperature, well, people wanted us to make their lives easier, not more complicated. The more buttons you have to press, the more complicated things can get. So we removed all these buttons, and we say, “No, no, you have everything here. You don’t need anything more than one button.” It was really something great, but we did a lot of analysis and a lot of work to find the right temperature.

Global Expansion and Market Strategy

Laurastar have expanded into markets like China, South Korea, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. What strategies have been most effective in growing the brand internationally?

MM: First, I think it is to find the right partner. Finding the right partner is key because we want to find a local distributor who can represent the brand. For Singapore, we have VISO. We have also enjoyed a great partnership with CK Tangs for 25 years. These longstanding partnerships enable us to build, grow and invest in the brand locally. That is the first element – finding the right partner.
It is also about finding the right countries. Take the example of China, where we started in 2013. People told us at the time that we were out of our minds for trying this. They said it would never work, but it did! Same thing with South Korea, where we started in 2017. And now we have 40% of the market share in ironing in South Korea. Having the right partner is key.

From there, you establish the brand, the POS (Point of Sale) and the demonstration, step by step. Seeing is believing. For a long time, we were asking ourselves, “How do you digitalise the demonstration?” Do you remember the “wow” effect it had on you when I did the demonstration for you? This is the effect we wanted to replicate in any country we go into.

So, how can we do this well? We created reels on Instagram and TikTok, and we found that we were able to generate the same “wow” effect. Since we launched those reels on TikTok and Instagram, we have had more than 400 million views in less than two years, which is huge. We are able to reach many countries, and this was all done without paying. It is all organic.

Smart Technology and the Future of Fabric Care

Laurastar introduced the world’s first connected ironing system (Smart System) in 2017. How do you see smart technology shaping the future of home fabric care?

MM: This is a good question. It is true that connectivity is important, but connectivity has to useful for the customers. Connectivity for connectivity’s sake is pointless. This is why we just launched a new Laurastar app where we integrated the best functionality within the app.

The challenge that people have is to know what the product can do for them. In the app, you can select the product(s) you own and you will have all the information (videos) you need about the product: how to install it at home, how to take care of it, etc. The product is also connected to the app, so you will be notified about the number of hours you have ironed, when you need to change certain parts, etc. You also receive tips on things like how to take care of your fabric and on personal well-being.

Besides these functions, the app also has a planner. There are people who like to plan their cleaning/ironing schedules in advance, and this function allows them to plan and be notified about these activities. These are things we did to enhance the app’s user experience. So, you essentially have a one-stop shop for everything you need. With AI, you can imagine bringing more interactive elements into the app so users can talk to the app for information pertaining to our products, but that is for the future.

Sustainability as a Core Value

Sustainability is at the heart of Laurastar’s mission. How does the company ensure product durability and reduce waste through repairability and long-term use?

MM: All our products are tested to be long lasting and our spare parts are tested for a usage of more than 800 hours. So, people can keep their Laurastar products for a minimum of 10 years. I even know of people who have kept their Laurastar products for 25 years. Thus, making products that can last for a long time and are repairable is the first element of what Laurastar brings to the table in terms of sustainability.

Secondly, we do not use chemicals. We use the power of steam (DMS), which is 100% natural, with zero chemicals. You can steam your clothes and do not need to bring them to the dry cleaners to clean them as much. Furthermore, you can also use DMS to clean your house, and protect you and your loved ones.

Thirdly, Laurastar helps with clothes care. By caring about your clothes, you do not need to change clothes so often. We are not fighting against fast fashion. We just want to help you keep your clothes well. If you take care of your clothes, iron them well and steam them well, you can keep them longer.

Co-CEO Michael Monney giving a thumbs-up to some of Laurastar’s star products that feature Swiss engineering & design.

Fashion Collaborations: Germanier and BOSS

Laurastar has collaborated with eco-conscious designers like Germanier and luxury fashion houses like BOSS. How do these partnerships align with your sustainability and design goals?

MM: Kevin Germanier is really amazing. He is a Swiss guy and is starting to be a huge star. He is one of the rare designers who have been accepted for haute couture in Paris, presenting his collection under Germanier.

Because he is from Switzerland, we reached out to him and proposed, “Let’s do a product together.” Now, he is all about sustainability and fashion, so he tells us, “Sure, I’ll do it if you only use older products.” So, for our collaboration, we refurbish products/parts to create Germanier products. This is the same way Germanier creates his clothes. And that is really a way to promote sustainability.

With BOSS, the partnership is really special because it is the only partnership from BOSS for small domestic appliances – or in fact, any appliances. They do not do it with anyone else. But they were blown away by the quality of our products, and wanted to partner us. Hence, we were able to do Laurastar by BOSS, which is a specific product with a specific colour, and it takes care of clothes really well. Having this validation by BOSS is really special.

Laurastar’s long-lasting quality products beautifies and purifies the lives of consumers.

Diversity and Equality in Laurastar’s Culture

Laurastar has been recognized for its workplace policies, including winning the Swiss Circle of Women Directors Award. How do you promote and integrate diversity in the company?

MM: You know, this is part of Laurastar’s DNA. Our father and family who co-founded the company always had that in mind. It is never in our minds that women would be paid less than men. For us, it is always evident that for the same work, you would get paid the same. And so, as the second generation, we are simply continuing this tradition.

So, how do we do this? There are six values in Laurastar’s DNA, and diversity is one of them. We really push these values. When we hire people, we make sure that we find the right person. It is not about pushing for men or a certain type of person to be hired. Values are more than words; they are about actions. Every day, we are judged by our actions, and we try to work on our values. This is important because I think these are not just Swiss values, they are human values.

Having the Swiss award was something really special because there were a lot of big Swiss companies hoping to win the award. Also, looking at me, I’m co-CEO with my sister, Julie who did not come on this trip. It shows that diversity goes all the way to the top.

Upcoming Products for Singapore Consumers

Looking ahead, what are some of the upcoming products in Laurastar’s range that Singapore consumers can look forward to?

MM: In the future, you can look forward to the Laurastar by BOSS project, with the IZZI and IGGI by BOSS this year. You will also have the Aura Plus coming maybe end of the year or early next year. And, of course, we are continuing to innovate so we have other products coming up in the Beautify line. It is too early to speak about this, but it looks great. PRIME

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