| Revision as of 21:04, 20 March 2013 editBoardroom09 (talk | contribs)42 editsNo edit summary← Previous edit | Revision as of 02:12, 23 March 2013 edit undo24.215.248.86 (talk) →Charles H. RevsonNext edit → | ||
| Line 16: | Line 16: | ||
| One of Borghese's first collections included brightly colored lipsticks and nail colors to match the vivid colors of her fashion designer friend, ]'s knitwear. Her Montecatini Cosmetic line, named after her favorite spa, (and an ancient town in Tuscany), used the purported healing properties of the ] mud and the mineral waters. The innovative Princess was one of the first people to create a skincare line which was based on the natural therapies of a spa. Princess Marcella Borghese (as the line came to be known as) was the most enduring and successful of the aforementioned brands. | One of Borghese's first collections included brightly colored lipsticks and nail colors to match the vivid colors of her fashion designer friend, ]'s knitwear. Her Montecatini Cosmetic line, named after her favorite spa, (and an ancient town in Tuscany), used the purported healing properties of the ] mud and the mineral waters. The innovative Princess was one of the first people to create a skincare line which was based on the natural therapies of a spa. Princess Marcella Borghese (as the line came to be known as) was the most enduring and successful of the aforementioned brands. | ||
| In 1992, Revlon sold the line to a Royal family based in Saudi Arabia. In 2000, the line was purchased by ], the former owner and CEO of ]. The company is privately held and runs under Mosbacher's leadership. The company is now known as simply Borghese. In 2007, Mosbacher created a bridge line for ], Kirkland Signature by Borghese. The classic Borghese line is sold in ] and ] departments stores. | |||
| In 1992, the line was sold to a Royal family based in Saudi Arabia. | |||
| Marcella Borghese remained involved in the line named after her until her death in 2002 in her home in ]. She was 90 years old, and was buried in the family crypt at the ] in Rome. | Marcella Borghese remained involved in the line named after her until her death in 2002 in her home in ]. She was 90 years old, and was buried in the family crypt at the ] in Rome. | ||
Revision as of 02:12, 23 March 2013
Princess Marcella Borghese, born Marcella Fazi, (1911 – January 19, 2002) was a manufacturer of cosmetics.
History
Marcella Fazi was born in Umbria in 1911. In 1938 she became the second wife of the widowed nobleman Paolo Borghese, Duke of Bomarzo and Prince of Sant’ Angelo of San Paolo, and acquired the title of Princess. She gave birth to twin boys, Francesco and Livio, the same year. She also had a daughter, Anita Mauritzi, from a previous marriage.
The fashion-conscious princess had toiletries, including makeup, made specifically for her using the natural ingredients found around the Villa Borghese in Rome, where the family lived. She wanted to create a line of lipsticks in a wider variety of shades than what was available at the time, and once Pope Pius XII gave the cosmetics his blessing, pushed forward with the idea.
Charles H. Revson
In 1956, Italian-American businessman Gino DiGrandi introduced Borghese to cosmetics magnate, Charles Revson, the founder of Revlon. The two struck up a lifelong friendship, as he helped her to create her cosmetics line, and bought it as a subsidiary of the company.
Revlon, a mainstay brand in department stores at the time, was losing market share to newcomer Estée Lauder, whose higher price points and limited distribution strategy edged out the more established brands. Most of the competition took notice, and countered with department store-exclusive brands: Coty launched Dina Merrill; Fabergé had Juliette Marglen; Charles of the Ritz purchased the already established Alexandra de Markoff and Lanvin; Max Factor's contribution was called Geminesse; and, of course, Revlon's contribution was Princess Marcella Borghese. While most of these names invoked status and prestige, Revlon's was the only one associated with legitimate royalty.
One of Borghese's first collections included brightly colored lipsticks and nail colors to match the vivid colors of her fashion designer friend, Emilio Pucci's knitwear. Her Montecatini Cosmetic line, named after her favorite spa, (and an ancient town in Tuscany), used the purported healing properties of the Terme di Montecatini mud and the mineral waters. The innovative Princess was one of the first people to create a skincare line which was based on the natural therapies of a spa. Princess Marcella Borghese (as the line came to be known as) was the most enduring and successful of the aforementioned brands.
In 1992, Revlon sold the line to a Royal family based in Saudi Arabia. In 2000, the line was purchased by Georgette Mosbacher, the former owner and CEO of La Prairie. The company is privately held and runs under Mosbacher's leadership. The company is now known as simply Borghese. In 2007, Mosbacher created a bridge line for Costco, Kirkland Signature by Borghese. The classic Borghese line is sold in Bloomingdale's and Lord and Taylor departments stores.
Marcella Borghese remained involved in the line named after her until her death in 2002 in her home in Montreux, Switzerland. She was 90 years old, and was buried in the family crypt at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome.
Notes
 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (June 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
References
- http://www.nycourts.gov/comdiv/Law%20Report%20Files/July%201998/digrandi.htm
- http://www.thepeerage.com/p8753.htm
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE6D6173CF93BA35751C0A9649C8B63
- http://www.lifeinitaly.com/beauty/borghese.asp
- http://www.seopressreleases.com/united-feather-borghese-ink-unique-license-agreement/4222
- http://www.borghesenailcare.com
- http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Financial/Borghese-expands-into-eyeware-with-licensing-deal
| Revlon Inc. | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current brands |  | |
| Defunct brands | ||
| Former brands, under new ownership | ||