And Sisley owes its success to his boldness

The first spring rays of April embodying the flamboyant show where Isabelle and Hubert of stadium welcome us in the company of their son Philippe. The founders of Sisley like receive, quai d'Orsay. More calm the offices of avenue George-V. Their friends, but also professional contacts, journalists. Courtesy lined pride legitimate. Their Parisian Interior serves as a setting in open water in the evening, their country property of the Indre offers its greenery to the promotion of the campaign. No claim in these choices. Simply the sign that their industrial adventure overlaps with that of their lives. Step more shocking than the decision to take one of their daughters, Elizabeth, for the advertising campaigns of the mark. Also clear that the organizational structure of the company not listed: the Earl is President and Chief Executive, the Countess Vice President (in charge of the creation and communication), their eldest son Philippe CEO, their daughter subsidiary responsible for Christine English. But are not going to believe the story to be relaxing! The d'Ornano remain foremost adventurers. And Sisley owes its success to his boldness.

A quality cultivated for a long time by the family, nourished by the women of Poland. Explanation: the grandfather of Hubert, companion of Napoleon, had married Marie Walewska. His father Guillaume of stadium, himself married to Elizabeth, another Polish, creates Lancome in 1935. He founded the John of Albret perfumes in 1946, then the home of cosmetics Orlane in 1947, with his two sons Michel and Hubert . In the 1960s, he married the daughter of the Ambassador of Poland in Madrid, the beautiful exiled Isabelle, born Potocki-Radziwill. It starts with it in a new epic in 1976: Sisley. A pronounceable name easily in any language, such as the painter in tables dotted with green. A stylized Orchid became the logo of the mark, recognizable to the glance, like the packaging white and silver (or gold) designed by the Countess. With a simple idea, little widespread in the universe cosmetics, the scientific use of natural plant extracts. At the time, person or almost does aromatherapy - or herbal medicine. The forest Stadium Hubert, operator gentleman-farmer, breeder of dairy cows, decorated of agricultural merit, invented the "phytocosmétologie". Plants, the best possible geographic origin harvested time of year where their qualities are at the Zenith, are selected without regard to price with the most conducive to efficiency extraction method. The young firm laboratories, located in Gennevilliers, are then learned assays to respond to the "brief" of the pattern: hydration, protection, filling wrinkles... The product is marketed at the end of a long process, when the efficacy of the product is some (ten years to develop Sislea "at 50 assets, comprehensive response to the problems of the age"). With the least possible synthetic conservatives with essential oils. "It was not at all follow a mode of plants, but to use the most promising rare assets", said Hubert of stadium.

Sisley researchers enjoy greater freedom and ignore the constraint of time as that of the money. Result: products expensive, Isabelle of stadium, former leader of the fashion house Jean-Louis Scherrer, elected more than once among the most elegant women of the world, is the Ambassador. "The Americans and Asians attach significance to which you are", readily recalled à Hubert elegance very "Palm Beach", cross jacket, package, tie and socks in camaïeu. A capital of image on which family of stadium is investing since the beginning of the adventure Sisley, without any State of soul. With reason as its "cream of the cream" could boast of blood blue or rather... Green. Marketing in successful. 1976, test, master-stroke, water campaign. The fresh juice of stylish people, competitor of water of Hadrian of Annick Goutal, ancestor of the bitter of Frédéric Malle. Stem tomato evoking freshly mowed grass, harvested by the nose Jean-Claude Ellena, the case is in the bag of hay. Orchestrated by Isabelle advertising: Visual of the lawns of the noble residence of the Indre, horses and private golf. The tone is given.

Frank Sinatra cosmetics

It remains to Sisley to imprison the tubes as a Frank Sinatra of cosmetics. The customer will look like in the d'Ornano... or there will be those who dream of them look like. 1980, Emulsion ecological and cream restorative to the shea butter; 1989, Sero-botanical complex activator of night; 1990, Super cream solar face, iconic success of the brand. So expensive to produce that Chief chemist dare propose it to the beautiful couple, who goes every Wednesday in Gennevilliers (without driver).

The Earl took the opportunity to stand other cosmetics houses. "Why women would use expensive and sophisticated creams throughout the year and would simply a basic product at a time to the Sun" The slogan flows from source: "The world most expensive sun cream". Successful non-since denied for this "No. 5 suntan cream". Side perfume, precisely second juice was founded in 1990, concocted with the nose of Givaudan, Jeannine Mongin. A chypré called the water of the evening tribute to Andalusian gardens of childhood of Isabelle of stadium. Advertising staged the bottle on a table in the salon of the quai d'Orsay, close to a majestic lamp, surrounded by photos and trinkets... So chic! Other hits of the House, Hydra-Flash face (1995), Sislea (1999) All Day All Year (2005), Sunlea and Sislea reducing wrinkles daily (2006).

Philippe, 41 years old, likes to talk about figures and performance. Three thousand people around the world, plant model at Blois ("Everything is produced in France," recalled with pride), present in 80 countries, growing sales in China, Korea and Russia, turnover doubled every three years. With humility, he acknowledged speaking only three languages. "My sisters Elizabeth, Laetitia, and Christine all four speak." But not the language of wood. He says that they want more come lunch as formerly quai d'Orsay. Or this condition then: talk about anything that Sisley... But why change the subject when it you passionate about this point The rumor speaks of a new perfume Sisley next fall. Bet that juice will be endiablées in Polish this summer in Indre conversations...

Memories that evokes happy Hubert of stadium, born in 1926. More as markers of the past than as absolute references. As he points out, "Sisley is not a copy of Orlane, nor that Orlane was a copy of Lancôme. "And then repeats, smiling, why do advertising competitors."