France is a source of inspiration for the cosmetics industry, with leading firms like L’Oréal and more recently Natura from Brazil. And it is this gift which frequently drives major trends in fashion and luxury products onto the radar of key industry players worldwide.
Japanese firm Shiseido is no exception: “Paris has fueled the Shiseido culture,” confides Shinzo Maeda, CEO of the group. The Japanese giant is celebrating 30 years in the French market by holding a contemporary art exhibit in Paris. Theirs is a success story that has unfolded one step at a time.
It all started with the brand’s founder, Arinobu Fukuhara, and a visit to Paris for the Universal Exposition in 1900, which the current CEO says, “influenced Shiseido’s look and originality in both its products and its image”. Almost 80 years later, Shiseido has a single goal in the French market: to make it the bridgehead of its high-end global strategy.
When it first arrived, the Japanese company immersed itself in the savoir-faire of top French industry professionals. In the process, Shiseido acquired salon chain Carita in 1986 and then founded Beauté Prestige International in 1990 to introduce a line of perfumes. In an effort to further its skincare knowledge, the group also bought Decléor in 2002. During the 1990s, the Japanese firm embarked on a new course when it moved its production units to Gien, upstream from Orléans in 1991 before relocating to further down the Loire Valley in 1999.
Today, the production line ends at more than 1,000 Shiseido stands that have popped up all over France in specialty cosmetics stores. Even better, France is now home to the Shiseido group’s operational platform for all of Europe.
With such a rich history, the future of the love affair between Shiseido and France seems assured, as confirmed by Shinzo Maeda who comments that “the prestigious image and inspiration we find in France are the keys to our growth as a company.”
Check out the video of Wataru Takekoshi, Marketing and communication Vice-President, Shiseido Europe, about France’s assets as an investment location:
Shiseido chose France
envoyé par AFII. – L’actualité du moment en vidéo.
Why not also check out:
- The Urban Art Box exhibit being held by Shiseido to celebrate its 30th anniversary in France is happening September 22 through October 10 in front of the Hôtel de l’Industrie, place Saint-Germain-des-Prés, in Paris. 6 artists are presenting their work, each inspired by one of Shiseido’s product lines: skincare, makeup, suncare, body care, men’s cosmetics and perfumes.
