Olivia Garden co-founder Jean Rennette passed away on January 3, 2025 at the age of 82. Alongside his wife Micheline, Rennette’s visionary spirit transformed the salon and haircare industry and laid the foundation for Olivia Garden as a brand.
Rennette founded Olivia Garden in 1967 in Liège, Belgium, built on the principles of providing hairdressers with high-quality, innovative, beautiful and cutting-edge salon tools, a goal that he achieved throughout his legacy thanks to his commitment to excellence and creativity.
His work propelled Olivia Garden from a local family business to a global leader, under his guidance the organization secured more than 55 patents for groundbreaking products, including silent blowdryers, brushes with ceramic and ionic technologies, and completely vented round and paddle brushes. His innovations and work has changed the professional beauty industry and shaped and inspired countless individuals in Olivia Garden’s Belgium and United States offices, as well as distributor partners and salon teams across the globe.
His children, Pierre Rennette and Anne (Rennette) Maza, serve as Olivia Garden’s current co-owners and are committed to carrying forward his vision. “Our father’s creativity, passion and dedication shaped this organization,” said Anne Maza. “We will honor his memory with the continuation of innovation and support for the professionals who have trusted our brands for over 55 years.”
The Olivia Garden team expressed their sadness and promised to “remain united in celebrating Jean Rennette’s extraordinary contributions and his lasting influence on the professional salon industry.”
For more information about Jean Rennette’s legacy and the history of Olivia Garden, visit oliviagarden.com.
