Lise Watier

Lise Watier is a Canadian prestige cosmetic company and brand, launched in 1972 by Madame Lise Watier, and distributed through department and select drugstores.[1][2][3]

Lise Watier
Subsidiary of Groupe Marcelle Inc.
IndustryCosmetics
Founded1972
FounderLise Watier 
HeadquartersMontreal, Canada
ProductsMakeup, skincare and fragrances
Websitelisewatier.com

History

Lise Watier was born in Montreal in 1942. Her father worked his way up to become manager of a car dealership and her mother had a sense of fashion.[4]

She told the Toronto Star that the heavy makeup she wore for her job as a researcher and host for a women's interest television program from 1963 to 1968 inspired her to create a self-improvement and makeup course company, Charme et Beauté Lise Watier Inc., in 1965, and to launch her own line of cosmetics in 1972.[5]

The Montreal-based company first attempted to expand in the 1980s, but a fire in the company's factory and offices was a major setback. Watier later told the National Post, "It took until 1995 to get back to the point we were at in 1990."[6] By the turn of the century, the company's cosmetics were distributed in France and across Canada.[6]

Watier was a family-owned company; Watier's husband, Serge Rocheleau was chairman and general manager, and daughters Nathalie and Marie-Lise worked in marketing.[6]

The brand is distributed in Canada and the United States.

In 1986, the company's founder was honoured as Canadian business woman of the year.[7]

In 2007, Imperial Capital Corporation of Toronto, an investment firm, purchased a majority stake in the company, with Watier and Rocheleau retaining seats on the board and a minority share in the company.[8]

In 2009, the company signed Mitsou Gélinas, a Canadian singer, actor and television personality, as ambassador.[9]

In 2013, Watier stepped down as CEO, appointing Pierre Plasard, previously of L'Oréal, to take her place.[8] As of that time, the company had 175 employees and did approximately $90 million in sales annually.[8]

The company was acquired by Groupe Marcelle Inc. in 2016.[10][11]

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References
  1. Béchade, Sandrine (January 19, 2016). Lise Watier : Une vie à entreprendre. CBC/Radio-Canada. p. 210. ISBN 9782981549723.
  2. Lachance, Micheline (1998). Lise Watier: la beauté en affaires. Biographie / Femme Plus. Publicor. p. 13. ISSN 0838-9446.
  3. Lise Watier, une vie à entreprendre (videorecording) / Société Radio-Canada. -- Montréal : Société Radio-Canada, 2015
  4. Jaimer, Kate (31 July 1999). "A touch of beauty: Determination and hard work have made Lise Watier the Celine Dion of Quebec's cosmetics business". Ottawa Citizen. ProQuest 240263430.
  5. Bot, Ellen (2 July 1987). "Watier favors subtle makeup look". Toronto Star. ProQuest 435598489.
  6. Allossery, Patrick (25 October 1999). "Quebec's Watier finds the sweet smell of success It's all in the family; Despite setbacks, firm is still tops in its home market". National Post. ProQuest 329574649.
  7. "Founder of Lise Watier cosmetics honoured as businesswoman of the year". The Montreal Gazette. May 23, 1986.
  8. Friede, Eve (September 18, 2013). "End of an era: Tearful CEO Lise Watier steps down". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
  9. "French Canadian beauty company Lise Watier Cosmetiques has signed a new ambassadress". Cosmetics International. March 13, 2009. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018.
  10. "Montreal's Groupe Marcelle buys Lise Watier Cosmetiques with help from Caisse de depot". CTV News. February 18, 2016.
  11. "Groupe Marcelle buys Lise Watier cosmetics company". Montreal Gazette. February 18, 2016.
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