Nadine Dilong The thing about the New Luxury is that discerning consumers know it’s not about throwing the baby out with the bath water. Brands that have passed the test of time and are major forces today are testament to that. Let’s use Payot as an example.
The skincare brand was founded nearly 100 years ago (in 1919, by Dr Nadia Payot, in Paris – centenary celebrations forthcoming!) and is as relevant and treasured today as it was embraced then. Payot is at the cutting edge of skincare circa 21st century, with its own laboratory in Paris. However, one of the brand’s most popular products is one of its “babies”, Pâte Grise.
Worldwide, Payot sells a jar of Pâte Grise every five minutes. “For 70 years, Pâte Grise has been the ideal skincare to bring small blemishes to a maturation phase,” says Payot Australia general manager Rita Smith. In 1947 Dr Nadia Payot was already world famous for her specialised facial massage and treatments. She is renowned for having developed the modern-day facial technique as a result of her dealings with prima ballerina Anna Pavlova in New York nearly a century ago; a 42-step massage movment.
Dr Payot noted that the then 37-year-old artiste had the body of a teenager through punishing training as a ballerina, but the face of a much older person than her chronological age. She had published Physical Culture for the Face and Neck, which described her massage techniques and philosophy of cleanse, nourish and stimulate and she was developing unique beauty treatments and skincare products that worked in synergy using her knowledge of herbs, plants and minerals.
Dr Payot had women from all over Europe coming to her beauty institute in Paris to treat their skin. Film stars such as Rita Hayworth and Ingrid Bergman were regular visitors experiencing treatments and benefiting from Dr Payot’s knowledge of the skin. “Payot enjoys a colourful and rich history in skincare, with founder Dr Nadia Payot acknowledged as a trailblazer in the cosmetics industry,” says Rita Smith.
“We’re one of the few companies in the world to have our own research and development laboratory with a team of specialised doctors, scientists, pharmacists, dermatologists, galenic engineers and toxicologists provide ahead-of-its-time innovation with ingredient formulation and technology.
