Bliss (Spa)

Infobox Company
name = Blissworld, LLC.

type = Limited liability corporation
genre = Spa and Retail Product Company
foundation = New York City, U.S. (1996)
founder = Marcia Kilgore
location_city = New York City
location_country = United States
location =
locations = 9
area_served = North America, United Kingdom
key_people =
industry =
products = Bath, Body and Skincare
services = Facial, Massage, Body treatment, Manicure, Pedicure and Waxing
market c

revenue =
operating_income =
net_income =
assets =
equity =
owner =
num_employees =
parent = Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide
divisions =
subsid =
homepage = [http://www.blissworld.com www.blissworld.com]
footnotes =
intl =

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 [cite web |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-121682552.html |title=Starwood Follows Its Bliss With Spa Chain |accessdate=2008-05-23 |publisher=HighBeam Research Inc |date=9/3/2004 ] .

Current Locations

There are presently nine Bliss Spas worldwide: [cite web |url=http://www.etravelblackboard.com/showarticle.asp?id=49305&nav=1&suc=&cid=&email=&news= |title=Bliss Spa opens new location at the W Los Angeles-Westwood |accessdate=2008-05-23 |publisher=Agents Support Systems Pty Ltd |date=3/27/2006]

New York City
*Bliss Soho
*Bliss 57
*Bliss 49

Other U.S. locations
*Bliss San Francisco

*Bliss Chicago

*Bliss Los Angeles

*Bliss Dallas

*Bliss Atlanta – Midtown [cite web |url=http://www.jezebelmagazine.com/ArticleView.aspx?article=ccbf0769-48fd-42d4-a118-c3cff6f61ec5 |title=Blissful Thinking |accessdate=2008-05-23 |publisher=Dickey Publishing, Inc |author=Beth Weitzman]

United Kingdom
*Bliss London

Future Locations

Bliss continues to expand globally, with future locations planned at W Hotels in Scottsdale, Arizona, U.S., Hoboken, New Jersey, U.S., Hong Kong and Doha, Qatar [cite web |url=http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/explore/world/upcoming.html |title=List of Future Blissworld Locations |accessdate=2008-05-23 |publisher=Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc] .

History

Bliss was founded by Marcia Kilgore, a Saskatchewan, 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 facials to her friends out of her East Village apartment [cite web |url=http://www.karastan.com/statement_mk.asp |title=Make a statement. Your own |accessdate=2008-05-23 |publisher= Karastan] [http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=M1ARTM0012126 Marcia Kilgore's Spa ] ] . 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 1993cite book | first=Angela | last=Pumphrey | year=2005 | title=CoolBrands ] . To accommodate increasing demand, Kilgore opened the first Bliss Spa in SoHo in July 1996.

Timeline

*July 1996 - Bliss’ flagship spa, Bliss Soho, opens on Broadway in New York City

*March 19, 1999 - LVMH 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 Nichols Knightsbridge in London, offering an abbreviated menu of fast facials, waxing and nail services

*January 2004 - Starwood Hotels & Resorts 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

The Brand

"Atmosphere"

Bliss is known for introducing a fun, unpretentious spa atmosphere and is often credited with kickstarting the mid 90's spa boom [http://www.hospitalitynet.org/news/4018292.search?query=starwood+bliss Hospitality Net - Industry News - Starwood Acquires Bliss from LVMH; Bliss Spas to Debut in W Hotels as Part of Acquisition of Spa, Catalog and Beauty Products Company ] ] . 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 catalog covers and the Bliss website. 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 even 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 you to recreate the spa experience at home [ [http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22259/29414 DIY Spa Guide ] ] . This is evident in such products as the Poetic Waxing Kit (the kit contains the same gentle 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 positions itself as the young, modern antithesis to stuffy, intimidating spas , featuring unconventional touches such as rhythm & blues music, a brownie buffet and movie-while-you-manicure nail stations [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2005_July_19/ai_n14794978 Bliss Opens Its First West Coast Spa At The W San Francisco; Bliss Continues to Grow with Spas Set to Debut at W Hotels in Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas | Business Wire | Find Articles at BNET.com ] ] [ [http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/property/features/attraction_detail.html?propertyID=97518&attractionId=1000621511 W Hotels Los Angeles: W Los Angeles - Westwood - Hotel Rooms at whotels.com ] ] . The spa has attracted celebrity clientele including Oprah Winfrey, Julia Roberts, Uma Thurman, Jennifer Lopez and Madonna.

Acquisition by LVMH

In March 1999, the world’s leading luxury products group, LVMH (Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton), announced the acquisition of a majority stake in Bliss World for a reported $30 million [ [http://www.allbusiness.com/banking-finance/financial-markets-investing-securities/6745536-1.html LVMH Acquires Majority Stake in BlissWorld. | Banking & Finance > Financial Markets & Investing from AllBusiness.com ] ] . It was LVMH’s first North American acquisition, and a break with their previous strategy of pursuing European prestige brands [ [http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/bizfinance/columns/bottomline/1660/ Marital Bliss ] ] . 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 & Resorts

In January 2004, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. acquired Bliss from LVMH (Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton) for a reported $25 million in cash [ [http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2004-01-21-w-bliss_x.htm USATODAY.com - Starwood buys Bliss spa to build W resorts ] ] . 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 of 2004. All W Hotels also feature Bliss in-room amenities [ [http://passionsofazealot.wordpress.com/2007/11/07/starwood-hotels-starting-to-increase-promotion-of-their-bliss-spa-brand/ Starwood Hotels Starting to Increase Promotion of their Bliss Spa Brand? « Passions Of A Zealot ] ] , regardless of whether or not the hotel houses an actual Bliss Spa. This “Bliss Sinkside Six-Pack” includes a face wash, body wash, body butter, shampoo, conditioner and bar of soap. Starwood’s aloft hotel chain will also feature Bliss amenities [ [http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.aspx?Feed=BW&Date=20080317&ID=8349105&Symbol=HOT aloft(SM) Hotels Prepare for Takeoff - Reservation Lines Open for Business: Business Wire Business News: HOT - MSN Money ] ] .

Partnership With JetBlue

In April 2006, JetBlue Airways partnered with Bliss, hoping to fill seats in fiercely competitive transcontinental markets [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12147823/ JetBlue adds spa amenities on redeyes - Aviation - MSNBC.com ] ] . 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 [ [http://www.jetblue.com/about/whyyoulllike/about_whyshuteye2.html JetBlue | About JetBlue | Shut eye ] ] [ [http://www.jetblue.com/about/ourcompany/flightlog/archive_september2006.html JetBlue | About JetBlue | CEO David Neelman's flight log ] ] . The kits were distributed only on flights between Western states and the East Coast for a one year period.

Awards

*Spa Finder :"Best Brand 2007" [ [http://www.spafinder.com/spaguide/readerschoice/categorydetail.jsp?award=Brand&year=2007 Outstanding in a Particular Category 2007 at SpaFinder ] ]

*Conde Nast Traveler :"Hot List 2006" - Bliss San Francisco [ [http://blog.travelpost.com/2006/04/19/conde-nasts-annual-hot-list-hotels-spas-more/ Conde Nast’s Annual Hot List Hotels, Spas & More ] ] :"Hot List 2007" - Bliss Los Angeles [ [http://www.htrends.com/researcharticle27275.html Conde Nast Traveler Unveils its Annual Hotels, Restaurants, Spas, and Clubs Hot List :: Hospitality Trends ] ]

*Allure:"Best Body Scrub - Super Minty Soap n’ Scrub" [ [http://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=15374581 Amazon.com: Beauty ] ]

:"Best Hotel Day Spa - Bliss 49" [ [http://www.blissworld.com/category/spa/spa+treatments/locations/bliss+49.do Bliss 49 at W Hotel New York - bliss ] ]

*InStyle Magazine :"Best Beauty Buy 2007 - Baggage Handler" [ [http://www.instyle.com/instyle/products/details/0,,1594749,00.html?o=InStylePFNavOnt:BeautyISPFNavClass_InStylePFNavOnt:FaceProductsISPFNavClass_InStylePFNavOnt:EyeCreamsISPFNavClass Details - Best Beauty Buys 2007 - Product Finder - Products - In Style ] ]

References