Felicia Soh
... on reviving a French heritage brand in 21st century Singapore
Crème Simon is a brand that the French (or rather their parents and grandparents) are familiar with. And what a story it had to tell! It is one of the oldest skincare brands from France, dating back to 1860, and the brand’s founder, Joseph Simon, revolutionized the industry by using botanical glycerin, which is still one of the best-known moisturizing ingredients today. This marked the birth of modern cosmetology, making it possible for everyone to buy over the counter products with a longer, stable shelf life. In fact, before WWII, Crème Simon was considered the unrivalled French skincare brand.
While not as well known in this side of the world, bringing it over was an obvious choice and opportunity for us. Firstly, the French legacy is quite unlike other brands we’ve come across. Secondly, it is marketed as a natural whitening cream that heals and brightens skin, making it all the more relevant for Asia. Other than its legacy, it is, above all, an authentic timeless brand with honest apothecary values.
I believe our brand comes to the market at an opportune time when Singaporeans are savvier and looking to challenge the marketing hype and exaggerations made by other brands in the market. Consumers are smarter and more empowered, propelled by the popularity of social media and the Internet, making them more aware of what goes into their beauty regimen.
These days, in a competitive market where many companies are downsizing costs by outsourcing production to countries like China, Indonesia, or Korea, or choose to use synthetic equivalents to natural ingredients, we insist on being natural and wholly French made — from R&D, production, and even our packaging. Crème Simon has to maintain its strict and uncompromising French standards of quality to be considered a true French brand.
By going back to our French apothecary roots, it makes sense for us to launch other complementary holistic lines, such as wellness teas and nutritional supplements to complement the sustainable approach of beauty inside out.