LUXURY LONDON
PROMOTION
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t all started with a pair of hands. Ricardo Fisas, the then president of a protein hydrolyzing company, was doing the rounds in his Barcelona-based factory when he spotted an unusual similarity between his employees’ palms: they were soft, supple and, more to the point, youthful. A bit more digging revealed the amino acids his workers were handling were having a favourable affect on their skin, drastically improving the texture and helping to delay visible signs of ageing. That year, 1979, Ricardo founded Natura Bissé with the launch of five face creams, each based on amino acid technology. “At that time, it was early days in the luxury skincare industry generally and we were the new kid on the block – developing high-tech skincare products, techniques and treatments with very limited distribution,” says Ricardo Fisas Jr, the late-businessman’s son and now corporate communications director of the company. “Now, we are an international brand, working with many spas around the world. Our original product line has grown and we have many different lines, because as a brand we understand that everyone’s skin is unique and has its own voice. Today, the industry looks to us for inspiration and innovation; we aren’t the new kid on the block anymore.” Indeed, in 2018 Natura Bissé was awarded World’s Best Spa Brand at the World Spa Awards. In perfect timing, the brand launched its first standalone spa in Westfield London shortly after accepting the gong. Here, customers can try results-driven treatments and cutting-edge products, including an exclusive Signature Diamond Chrono-Lift, an age-reversing treatment that was developed using the brand’s hero products. The spa’s rooms have been designed with the skin in mind, too; each one has 99.9 per cent filtered air, which, Ricardo Jr explains, aids Natura Bissé’s treatments. “This avant-garde system is highly beneficial and often overlooked. After many studies, pure air has been proved to provide exceptional antiageing properties, enhancing the body’s antioxidant mechanisms. It also encourages the elimination of toxins and dead cells and re-oxygenates the brain, helping with physical and mental relaxation.” With the proverbial ribbon cut on its first standalone store, the Natura Bissé team is set to celebrate the brand’s 40th anniversary this year with new product launches and an exciting project in Barcelona. When it comes to the specifics, however, Ricardo Jr is coy. “Ah, these are family secrets!” He
jokes. Whatever the future holds, there’s no doubt the Fisas unit will continue to uphold the family legacy – one pot of miracle cream at a time. “Our father was a person of integrity, with a strong set of beliefs and a sense of excellence in everything he did – and this has continued with the brand in his absence,” says Ricardo Jr. “He was pure energy and that energy, combined with the family’s passion for business, goes to create a brand that is committed to providing incredible treatments and products – all with a warm Mediterranean heart.” Here’s to the next 40 years. Natura Bissé Spa At The Village, Ground Floor, The Village Westfield Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, W12, naturabisse.com
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