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Bliss (Spa)
Encyclopedia
Bliss is a multi-channel
spa and retail product company founded in 1996 and headquartered in Downtown New York. The company retails its own line of bath, body and skincare products through its Bliss catalog, website, Bliss spa stores and at international luxury retailers including Bloomingdale's
, Harrods
, Harvey Nichols
, Neiman Marcus
, Saks Fifth Avenue
, Nordstrom
, Selfridges
and Sephora
.
, Canada native who moved to Manhattan
in 1987 to attend Columbia University
. During college, she became a personal trainer to make money. Soon after she decided to take a course in skincare, largely because she had personally suffered from acne since her preteen years. Inspired by her classes, she began giving facial
s to her friends out of her East Village apartment. She opened her first single-room office in New York’s Soho district in 1991, followed by the opening of a three-room mini-spa called Let’s Face It! in June 1993. To accommodate increasing demand, Kilgore opened the first Bliss Spa in SoHo in July 1996.
Bliss spa is known for introducing its spa atmosphere and is often credited for starting the mid 1990s spa boom. A “sense of humor” is evident throughout the brand, with whimsically named spa treatments and products, such as “Quadruple Thighpass” for an anti-cellulite treatment.
Blissgirl
One of the most definitive images associated with the Bliss brand is their Blissgirl character, an illustrated girl who appears throughout Bliss-branded channels,
including Bliss catalog covers and blissworld.com. She is usually depicted using beauty products in playful ways, to align with Bliss’ playful brand personality.
Since her introduction, she has undergone several different illustration styles and characteristics, evolving over the years. She has been shown with almost every hair color, and has appeared as different races. She is almost always dressed in a signature white towel and Bliss’ Softening Socks and Glamour Gloves.
Products
The products are inspired by the company’s spa treatments, and many of them are meant to allow customers to recreate the spa experience at home. This is evident in such products as the Poetic Waxing Kit (the kit contains the same wax used during in spa waxing treatments) and the Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask (a foaming mask that’s based on their Triple Oxygen Treatment facial).
Positioning
Bliss spa positions itself as "the young, modern antithesis to stuffy, intimidating spas", that includes rhythm & blues music, a brownie buffet, "movie-while-you-manicure" nail stations, and other features. The spa has attracted celebrity clientele including Oprah Winfrey
, Julia Roberts
, Uma Thurman
, Jennifer Lopez
and Madonna
.
(Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton), announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Bliss spa for a reported $30 million. It was LVMH’s first North American acquisition, and a break with their previous strategy of pursuing European prestige brands. In December 1999, LVMH christened its office tower at 57th Street and Madison Avenue in New York City by opening the second Bliss Spa, Bliss 57.
acquired Bliss spa from LVMH
for a reported $25 million in cash. As part of the acquisition, Starwood launched Bliss Spas in several of its W Hotels in an effort to move its W hotel brand into the resort business. The first W Hotel to premiere a Bliss Spa was the W New York in New York City in November 2004. All W Hotels also feature Bliss in-room amenities, regardless of whether or not the hotel houses an actual Bliss Spa. The “Bliss Sinkside Six-Pack” includes a face wash, body wash, body butter, shampoo, conditioner and a bar of soap. Starwood’s Sheraton
and aloft hotel chain will also feature Bliss amenities.
Multichannel Marketing
Multichannel marketing is marketing using many different marketing channels to reach a customer. In this sense, a channel might be a retail store, a web site, a mail order catalogue, or direct personal communications by letter, email or text message. The objective of the companies doing the...
spa and retail product company founded in 1996 and headquartered in Downtown New York. The company retails its own line of bath, body and skincare products through its Bliss catalog, website, Bliss spa stores and at international luxury retailers including Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's
Bloomingdale's is an American department store owned by Macy's, Inc. .Bloomingdale's started in 1861 when brothers Joseph and Lyman G. Bloomingdale started selling hoop-skirts in their Ladies Notions' Shop on Manhattan's Lower East Side...
, Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
, Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols, founded in 1813, is an upmarket department store chain. Its original store is in London. Founded in 1813 as a linen shop, it sells many international brands of clothing for women and men, fashion accessories, beauty products, wine and food...
, Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
, Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
, Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
, Selfridges
Selfridges
Selfridges, AKA Selfridges & Co, is a chain of high end department stores in the United Kingdom. It was founded by Harry Gordon Selfridge. The flagship store in London's Oxford Street is the second largest shop in the UK and was opened on 15 March 1909.More recently, three other stores have been...
and Sephora
Sephora
Sephora is a chain of cosmetics stores founded in France in 1970 and acquired by Paris-based conglomerate LVMH in 1997. The Sephora chain includes more than 750 stores in 17 countries...
.
History
Bliss spa was founded by Marcia Kilgore, a SaskatchewanSaskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, Canada native who moved to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
in 1987 to attend Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. During college, she became a personal trainer to make money. Soon after she decided to take a course in skincare, largely because she had personally suffered from acne since her preteen years. Inspired by her classes, she began giving facial
Facial
A facial is a procedure involving a variety of skin treatments, including: steam, exfoliation, extraction, creams, lotions, facial masks, peels, and massage...
s to her friends out of her East Village apartment. She opened her first single-room office in New York’s Soho district in 1991, followed by the opening of a three-room mini-spa called Let’s Face It! in June 1993. To accommodate increasing demand, Kilgore opened the first Bliss Spa in SoHo in July 1996.
Timeline
- July 1996 - Bliss’ flagship spa, Bliss SohoSohoSoho is an area of the City of Westminster and part of the West End of London. Long established as an entertainment district, for much of the 20th century Soho had a reputation for sex shops as well as night life and film industry. Since the early 1980s, the area has undergone considerable...
, opens on BroadwayBroadway (New York City)Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
in New York City - March 19, 1999 - LVMHLVMHLVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A., better known as LVMH, is a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris, Île-de-France, France. The company was formed after the 1987 merger of fashion house Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy, a company formed after the 1971 merger...
acquires Bliss - December 17, 1999 - Bliss opens Bliss 57 on East 57th Street in New York City
- November 26, 2001 - Bliss opens its first international spa, Bliss London
- October 2002 - Bliss launches its first QuickBliss spa service station at Harvey NicholsHarvey NicholsHarvey Nichols, founded in 1813, is an upmarket department store chain. Its original store is in London. Founded in 1813 as a linen shop, it sells many international brands of clothing for women and men, fashion accessories, beauty products, wine and food...
Knightsbridge in London, offering an abbreviated menu of fast facials, waxing and nail services - January 2004 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideStarwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideStarwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is a hospitality ownership and management organization, headquartered in White Plains, New York. One of the world's largest hotel companies, it owns, operates, franchises and manages hotels, resorts, spas, residences, and vacation ownership properties...
acquires Bliss - November 2004 - Bliss 49 opens in the W New York in New York City
- July 2005 - Bliss San Francisco opens, located in the W San Francisco
- October 2005 - Bliss Chicago opens at the W Chicago – Lake Shore
- March 2006 - Bliss Los Angeles opens in the W Los Angeles – Westwood
- April 2006 - Bliss announces partnership with JetBlue airlines, in which Bliss amenity kits are given to passengers on overnight flights
- June 2006 - Bliss Dallas openes at the W Dallas – Victory
- March 2008 - Bliss Atlanta-Midtown, openes in the W Atlanta-Midtown
- September 2008 - Bliss ScottsdaleScottsdale, ArizonaScottsdale is a city in the eastern part of Maricopa County, Arizona, United States, adjacent to Phoenix. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2010 the population of the city was 217,385...
opens at the W Scottsdale - October 2008 - Bliss Hong Kong opens at the W Hong Kong
- January 2009 - Bliss Atlanta Downtown opens at the W Atlanta - Downtown
- February 2009 - Bliss DohaDohaDoha is the capital city of the state of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 998,651 in 2008, and is also one of the municipalities of Qatar...
opens at the W Doha - March 2009 - Bliss HobokenHoboken, New JerseyHoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
opens at the W Hoboken - April 2009 - Bliss Ft. Lauderdale opens at the W Fort Lauderdale
The brand
AtmosphereBliss spa is known for introducing its spa atmosphere and is often credited for starting the mid 1990s spa boom. A “sense of humor” is evident throughout the brand, with whimsically named spa treatments and products, such as “Quadruple Thighpass” for an anti-cellulite treatment.
Blissgirl
including Bliss catalog covers and blissworld.com. She is usually depicted using beauty products in playful ways, to align with Bliss’ playful brand personality.
Since her introduction, she has undergone several different illustration styles and characteristics, evolving over the years. She has been shown with almost every hair color, and has appeared as different races. She is almost always dressed in a signature white towel and Bliss’ Softening Socks and Glamour Gloves.
Products
The products are inspired by the company’s spa treatments, and many of them are meant to allow customers to recreate the spa experience at home. This is evident in such products as the Poetic Waxing Kit (the kit contains the same wax used during in spa waxing treatments) and the Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask (a foaming mask that’s based on their Triple Oxygen Treatment facial).
Positioning
Bliss spa positions itself as "the young, modern antithesis to stuffy, intimidating spas", that includes rhythm & blues music, a brownie buffet, "movie-while-you-manicure" nail stations, and other features. The spa has attracted celebrity clientele including Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
, Julia Roberts
Julia Roberts
Julia Fiona Roberts is an American actress. She became a Hollywood star after headlining the romantic comedy Pretty Woman , which grossed $464 million worldwide...
, Uma Thurman
Uma Thurman
Uma Karuna Thurman is an American actress and model. She has performed in leading roles in a variety of films, ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies. Among her best-known roles are those in the Quentin Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill...
, Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
and Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
.
Acquisition by LVMH
In March 1999, the luxury products group, LVMHLVMH
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A., better known as LVMH, is a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris, Île-de-France, France. The company was formed after the 1987 merger of fashion house Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy, a company formed after the 1971 merger...
(Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton), announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Bliss spa for a reported $30 million. It was LVMH’s first North American acquisition, and a break with their previous strategy of pursuing European prestige brands. In December 1999, LVMH christened its office tower at 57th Street and Madison Avenue in New York City by opening the second Bliss Spa, Bliss 57.
Acquisition by Starwood Hotels and Resorts
In January 2004, Starwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideStarwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is a hospitality ownership and management organization, headquartered in White Plains, New York. One of the world's largest hotel companies, it owns, operates, franchises and manages hotels, resorts, spas, residences, and vacation ownership properties...
acquired Bliss spa from LVMH
LVMH
LVMH Moët Hennessy • Louis Vuitton S.A., better known as LVMH, is a French multinational luxury goods conglomerate headquartered in Paris, Île-de-France, France. The company was formed after the 1987 merger of fashion house Louis Vuitton with Moët Hennessy, a company formed after the 1971 merger...
for a reported $25 million in cash. As part of the acquisition, Starwood launched Bliss Spas in several of its W Hotels in an effort to move its W hotel brand into the resort business. The first W Hotel to premiere a Bliss Spa was the W New York in New York City in November 2004. All W Hotels also feature Bliss in-room amenities, regardless of whether or not the hotel houses an actual Bliss Spa. The “Bliss Sinkside Six-Pack” includes a face wash, body wash, body butter, shampoo, conditioner and a bar of soap. Starwood’s Sheraton
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts
Sheraton Hotels and Resorts is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide's largest and second oldest brand . Starwood's headquarters are in White Plains, New York.-Sheraton history:...
and aloft hotel chain will also feature Bliss amenities.
Partnership with JetBlue
In April 2006, JetBlue partnered with Bliss spa, hoping to fill seats in fiercely competitive transcontinental markets. On JetBlue’s overnight flights from the Western United States, called Shut-Eye Flights, customers received an exclusive Bliss-branded amenity kit containing breath freshening mint lip balm, lemon+sage body butter, an eyeshade and earplugs. The kits were distributed only on flights between Western states and the East Coast for a one year period.Acquisition by Steiner Leisure Limited
In January 2010, Steiner Leisure Limited completed its $100 million acquisition of Bliss from Starwood.Awards
- Spa Finder
- Best Brand 2007
- Conde Nast TravelerCondé Nast TravelerCondé Nast Traveler is a US magazine published by Condé Nast. It has its origins in a mailing sent out by the Diners Club club beginning in 1953, listing locations that would take the card. It began taking advertising in 1955. In order to attract more advertisers, it became a full-fledged magazine,...
- Hot List 2006 - Bliss San Francisco
- Hot List 2007 - Bliss Los Angeles
- AllureAllure (magazine)Allure is the leading U.S. women’s beauty magazine, published monthly by Condé Nast in New York City. It was founded in 1991 by editor in chief Linda Wells, who has been at the helm of the magazine ever since. From its inception, the magazine has been widely recognized for its intelligent,...
- Best Body Scrub - Super Minty Soap n’ Scrub
- Best Hotel Day Spa - Bliss 49
- InStyle Magazine
- Best Beauty Buy 2007 - Baggage Handler