“He was rough-luxe,” Daniel Kaner, Oribe Co-Founder and President, says of the brand’s famed founder, Oribe Canales. “There was a great sense of elegance about him and a real movie-star quality, but he was also very real.”

A stylist to industry stars—Naomi Campbell, Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford—throughout the ‘90s, Oribe’s signature, sexy hair graced the runways of Versace, Mugler, Chanel and more, cementing him as an expert stylist and larger-than-life personality, too. 

During that same period, Oribe created an original line of products, with a helping hand from artist and close confidant, Alvaro, whose animated portrait of the hair genius graced the line’s packaging. In 2008, Oribe co-founded Oribe Hair Care featuring a new collection that quickly became a favorite among industry stylists and consumers alike. Two years later, the label struck haircare gold with its now number one bestseller, Dry Texturizing Spray.

Designed as Oribe’s alternative to dry shampoo, the spray revitalizes the hair through an emphasis on texture, healthy shine, and of course, volume. “It’s not just any styler—it also takes the hair’s health into consideration,” explains Michele Burgess, Executive Director, Product Development. “This was always Oribe Canales’ philosophy—hair isn’t just about looking good for the moment; it should be taken care of over time because healthy hair is beautiful hair.”

Below, V sat down with Kaner, Burgess, and Oribe’s longtime assistant, Judy Erickson, to discuss how the brand is reimagining one its bestsellers all the while celebrating the imprinting legacy of the beloved creative.

V MAGAZINE: Dry Texturizing Spray remains Oribe’s best seller nearly 15 years after its launch. What prompted Oribe Canales to create the spray? Why has the product received such positive reception since its inception? 

DANIEL KANER: Dry Texturizing Spray is our signature product, which speaks to Oribe Canales’ oeuvre—his incredible technique and style. He invented the product because what he wanted did not exist: a styler that could be used by session stylists as a dry shampoo and create volume, piecey-ness, separation, and shine for that seductively messy, slept-in look while also absorbing oil without leaving behind a gritty powder. 

It truly created a new category and was immediately embraced by the styling community as a must-have tool in their kits. You couldn’t go backstage without smelling its signature Côte d’Azur fragrance — even though the stylists, who had contracts with other companies, would put tape over the cans to try to disguise them.

V: And how does Dry Texturizing Spray distinguish itself from other sprays on the market? What makes it special?

DK: Oribe went through multiple iterations of the product to make sure that it not only delivered, but outperformed. These products were professional tools, and he knew exactly what he wanted from them. They had to work! Oribe called Dry Texturizing Spray “Magic in a Bottle.” And he was right!

V: Why did Oribe decide to launch Dry Texturizing Spray Limited-Edition now?

DK: The new, limited-edition packaging is an homage to Oribe Canales, who passed away in 2018. It captures the essence of who he was and helps tell our brand story to hairstylists and consumers. We want everyone to know who he was and be inspired by his influence on hairdressing and fashion while also rediscovering Dry Texturizing Spray as Oribe’s iconic product and our number-one best seller throughout the world.

V: The limited-edition packaging features an illustration of Oribe Canales. Can you share more about the illustration and how it came to be?

DK: The Muscleman illustration, which was created by the legendary New York-based artist Alvaro, originally appeared on the tins of colored pomades Oribe Canales launched in the mid-90’s. By creating limited-edition packaging for a product that truly put Oribe Hair Care on the map when it launched in 2010, we thought the illustration was the perfect way to both honor Oribe the man and to introduce a new generation to his legacy of glamour with a wink and a smile.

V: How does the Muscleman portrait embody the essence and energy of Oribe?

DK: It’s humorous, a little larger-than-life, and a little over-the-top. It captures the glamour and the sparkle that made him so wildly charismatic. He was rough-luxe: there was a great sense of elegance about him and a real movie-star quality, but he was also very real. You can also see the comb in his hand as a nod to his profession, not to mention the sleeve of tattoos for which he was known.

V: With a focus on crafting desirable, full-on glamorous hair, Dry Texturizing Spray helps to lift and build texture and volume. For those who may be unfamiliar, can you explain the specifics of the product? How does it help build volume and texture?

Michele Burgess: Dry Texturizing Spray was formulated with key ingredients that work together to deliver optimal volume and texture. The unique Copolymer Blend adds grip, texture, and hold throughout the lengths of the hair, while Zeoline Crystallines behave like tiny sponges to absorb dirt, oils, and odors. The Mango and Aloe Extracts hydrate, smooth, and nourish with Ginger Root Extracts that soften and strengthen hair from roots to ends, so the hair isn’t left with added weight, crunch, or residue that other hairsprays or texturizers may leave.

V: How does Dry Texturizing Spray distinguish itself from other sprays on the market? What makes it special?

MB: When Dry Texturizing Spray launched in 2010, there weren’t any other products like it on the market and it quickly became a revolutionary cult classic. It’s not just any styler—it also takes the hair’s health into consideration. This was always Oribe Canales’ philosophy—hair isn’t just about looking good for the moment; it should be taken care of over time because healthy hair is beautiful hair.

V: I read that Oribe met Alvaro by way of Naomi Campbell in the 1990s. And Alvaro later called Oribe “the Elvis and the Picasso of hair,” due to his focus on big, voluminous hair. Can you discuss what the connection between them was like? What did the two bond over?

Judy Erickson: Alvaro & Oribe had a common bond and a mutual respect in the way they approached their respective crafts. Both of them put every ounce of passion into whatever project they were engaged in. Oribe was in awe of Alvaro’s ability to create so effortlessly, as Oribe had the same ability when creating his hair images.

Dry Texturizing Spray Limited Edition is available on Oribe.com and at Oribe salons and retailers.