Goop boss: “Smelling Gwyneth’s vagina is part of my job!”
Closer chats to British-born Goop chief Shaun Kearney about life inside Gwyneth Paltrow’s controversial lifestyle brand
SHE KNOWS NOT EVERYONE WILL BE A FAN, BUT THAT’S
PART OF HER ALLURE
She’s turned her lifestyle company,
Goop – which has become renowned for its eccentric products, as the Hollywood star has brought vaginal eggs, £10k dildos and orgasm-scented candles into the mainstream – into a £200m empire.
OFF THE WALL
And as Gwyneth Paltrow, 47, continues to raise eyebrows with her alternative take on wellness – documented in a Netflix series earlier this year – Goop’s chief designer and head of merchandise, Shaun Kearney, tells Closer that working at Goop is as off-the-wall as the products themselves.
“We all live and breathe these products,” Shaun, 46, says. “The Goop office is unlike any workplace in the world. You will find staff sitting at their desk with a bunch of needles in their face or wearing a necklace vibrator while discussing which sex toys
gave them the best orgasm that weekend. It’s the most hilariously wonderful and crazy environment.”
And while many have criticised celebrity-endorsed brands like Goop for their lack of authenticity, Shaun insists the Oscar-winning actressturned-entrepreneur is behind every product and procedure.
AUTHENTICITY
So much so, the frequently sold-out “This smells like my vagina” and “This smells like my orgasm” candles, released earlier this year, are based on the star’s own aromas.
Shaun quips, “For the Goop team, smelling Gwyneth’s vagina became just another day at the office!
“She’s the ultimate embodiment of the brand, and that means ensuring its authenticity with the products.”
Since launching as a weekly newsletter in 2008, Goop now has four retail shops in the US and UK, in addition to its online blog, magazine, podcast and wellness summits for devout followers.
But the company has received its fair share of criticism. It came under fire for its hefty price tags, and was sued in 2018 over its controversial ‘Jade Egg’ after gynaecologists blasted the brand’s claims it boosts sexual energy, health and pleasure when inserted into the vagina.
And while Gwyneth has taken the brunt of the backlash, Shaun insists her fearlessness and ability to push boundaries is the key to the brand’s success.
He says, “Gwen’s a trailblazer and isn’t afraid to have conversations we think about but often don’t have.
“She loves pushing buttons and knows that not everyone’s going to be a fan, but that’s part of her allure and what makes Goop so unique.”
The mum of two – who shares daughter Apple, 16, and son Moses, 14, with her ex-husband Chris Martin, 43 – famously brought the phrase “conscious uncoupling” into the headlines when she announced her amicable separation from the
Coldplay star in 2016 after 13 years of marriage.
And Shaun says the actress – who regularly posts snaps of her second husband, producer Brad Falchuk, 49, playing happy families with her ex – embodies her brand’s philosophy in her private life.
FEARLESS
He adds, “She bought conscious uncoupling to the surface as that’s who she is.
“She wants to talk about things we often are too afraid to open up about, even if it’s really personal to her. She’s fearless, abrupt and passionate about bringing things to the surface, and that’s what’s made her the icon she is.”