 Laura Mercier is a French make-up artist who has lent her name to a line of cosmetics.
History
Raised in Provence, Laura Mercier began her training at age 17 when she entered painting school in Paris. After deciding to shift her talents from the canvas to the face, Mercier attended the Carita School where she specialized in makeup application. Subsequently, she was asked to represent the school as a makeup artist and instructor. Before long she began working closely with Thibault Vabre, a well-known French makeup artist.
In 1985, Laura Mercier moved to New York when she was asked to join the team to launch American Elle. She immediately began working on advertising campaigns for Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, and Clairol, as well as editorial spreads for magazines including Elle, Vanity Fair, Glamour, and Seventeen. While working with clients such as L'Oreal, Maybelline, Victoria's Secret, GAP, Banana Republic and many other cosmetic and clothing companies, Mercier began working with Madonna on her looks for print, television and film. Subsequently, Mercier entered into a four-year contract with Elizabeth Arden designing the makeup looks for all of their advertising campaigns and she also worked with Chanel on the company's beauty advertising campaigns in France.
In 1996, Mercier developed her own line to benefit women of all ages and skin types. She personally created the colors to satisfy the needs of her clients, based on a classic and always-current palette, rather than seasonal trends only. The line, now in its tenth year, is available in 400 stores in 21 countries and has expanded to include skincare, bath and body and fragrance lines. Mercier makes national and international public appearances throughout the year at stores including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Henri Bendel.
When she is not traveling for photo shoots or working in the lab perfecting and creating new products, Mercier divides her time between New York City and Bellport, New York.
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is a major, world-renowned luxury goods department store based in Midtown, Manhattan in New York City. It is owned by Neiman Marcus.
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's (or Bloomie's) is a chain of upscale American department stores owned by Macy's, Inc., which is also the parent company of Macy's. Bloomingdale's has 36 stores nationwide, with annual sales of $1.9 billion dollars. It is at a slightly higher price level than Lord & Taylor and the former Parisian, and slightly below that of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, and Barneys New York.
Clairol
Clairol is a personal care products division of Procter & Gamble and was formerly the largest independent hair products company in the world. P&G-Clairol makes hair coloring, hair spray, shampoo, hair conditioner, and styling consumables. Among their brand names are Herbal Essences, Loving Care, Hydrience, Ultress, Natural Instincts, Nice 'n Easy, and Balsam Color.
Clairol was founded in the 1930s by the husband and wife team of Lawrence M. Gelb and Joan Clair. After discovering a European hair coloring preparation called Clairol, which produced softer, more natural tones by penetrating the hair shaft instead of merely coating the hair, the Gelbs introduced the product to American beauty salons. The real breakthrough came with the introduction of Miss Clairol Hair Color Bath in 1950 and sales skyrocketed with the introduction of do-it-yourself hair coloring Nice 'n Easy, aided by one of the most effective advertising campaigns of the time, with the catchphrase, "Does she or doesn't she?"
In 1957, the Gelbs sold their company to Bristol-Myers Squibb and their sons Richard L. Gelb and Bruce Gelb filled executive positions at that pharmaceutical company, with Richard becoming CEO in the 1970s.
Bristol-Myers Squibb sold the Clairol division to Procter & Gamble in 2001.
Following the subsequent acquisition of Wella by P&G, Clairol expanded into the professional sector of the hair care products business. P&G-Clairol is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, United States of America.
On June 7, 2007 P&G announced that Clairol, now P&G Beauty, would be closing the Stamford site. The plant in the Cove neighborhood of the city will be split between locations in Massachusetts and Mexico by 2010, and the administration will be moving mostly to Cincinnati by 2008.
|
Essential
Oil
