Elizabeth Arden Essay, Research Paper

Elizabeth Arden

Elizabeth Arden, formally known as Florence Nightingale, changed her name in 1909 with the introduction of her first shop selling facial creams. She began as a normal working girl, taking different odd jobs here and there. Then she was introduced into the cosmetic world by Eleanor Adair, who hired Arden on as a clerical consultant at her London firm in Saks Fifth Ave. There, Arden learned to give facial treatments and studied the basic formulas of make-up, which allowed her the basic knowledge to open her own cosmetics shop. With partner Elizabeth Hubbard the shop flourished, they had a winning product with their own Elizabeth Arden’s youthful complexion to advertise it. Later when Hubbard died Arden took over the company to own and manage with only a group of advisees, which she seldom listened to.

Elizabeth Arden was an astute businesswoman who not only focused on what the company already had but what it could have. Therefore, she spent much of her time perfecting current products and creating new and innovative products. Her downfalls though were her violent temper, she was a very demanding and difficult employer who easily blew up at hr employees and was often too proud and arrogant to apologize.

In 1904, Arden began her career in cosmetics working at the Eleanor Adair shop. Later in 1909, she opened her own shop and facial cream line. In 1914, at a time when women scorned make-up and women who did wear it were gossiped about terribly, Arden opened a new cosmetic line. Where many others had failed in the past, her products and advertising changed the way women viewed makeup forever. In 1940, she began designing and selling clothing. In addition, by 1957 she owned over 150 Elizabeth Arden Salon branches that sold anything from make-up to face cream to clothing.

I became interested in writing a report on Elizabeth Arden because I really love make-up, especially Elizabeth Arden and Christian Dior make-up. In addition, I believe that her ability to sell make-up and change the world’s views of it has a major affect on how things are today. Walk into any mall and there are hundreds of brands of make-up that would not exist if it were not for her willingness to take a risk in a market where none had succeeded before.