What's the story? Head pharmacist for the Imperial Navy, Arinobu Fukuhara, founded Shiseido in 1872 as Japan's first western-style pharmacy in Tokyo's Ginza district. The name derives from a Chinese expression meaning 'all things come from mother earth'. The company began making products in 1897, when it launched a skin lotion called Eudermine (right).
Anything else? CEO Carsten Fischer says Shiseido has survived for so long because of its three-pillars philosophy. 'This looks at the quality of the product, omotenashi, a Japanese word for 'hospitality', and caring about the details of the aesthetics.' Fisher considers skin whitening, or brightening, and anti-ageing to be Shiseido's 'areas of strength', especially in Asia.
Did you know? The company runs a three-star Michelin restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo, called L'Osier. Fisher explains the thinking behind this: 'Beauty is more than cosmetics, it's about the aesthetics, about the art. And if you talk about art, it's about the food so it's a holistic approach. We try to see beauty and culture in a broader perspective - it's more than about delivering products.' The brand also has a spa in Hong Kong - Qi Shiseido Esthetics.
