An interview with Mr. Christophe Lesueur, CEO of Dermalab SA
Founded in Zurich Switzerland in 1989, the anti-aging pioneer Swissline has integrated authentic Swiss heritage, cellular therapy and Alpine plant extracts to deliver revolutionary skincare experience. Swissline has created for itself the GlamScience concept which combines cutting-edge science resulting in visible effects with genuine glamour resulting from sensuous textures.
Mr. Christophe Lesueur, CEO of Dermalab SA, says he finds it truly satisfying and rewarding to develop brands that contribute in their own way to happier, healthier people all around the world, and Swissline is definitely one of those brands. Christophe embarked on his globetrotting career in the luxury arena after graduating from a top business school in France. He has lived in three continents while taking on various business development assignments for some of the leading luxury brands (Dior, Prada and Chalhoub). Having settled down in Zurich five years ago, he is keen to harness his entrepreneurial spirit to further build the Swissline brand. Influenced by his physician parents, Christophe believes in the science behind wellness. With such scientific attitude, unique understanding of luxurious beauty and multi-cultural background, Christophe and his team make Swissline a miracle in the anti-aging skincare world.
Christophe believes that “a happy team equates to a happy brand, and a happy brand is a beautiful thing.” So he not only lives a holistic balanced life himself, but also leads his team to embrace a healthy lifestyle. SpaChina interviewed Christophe. He shares with us the mystery of Swissline and consumers’ latest needs to beauty and wellness.
What new anti-aging and wellness trends do you see in the global market?
There is a real appetite from customers to know more about the ingredients used by cosmetic brands, not only about their effects, but as well about their origin. Customers require more transparency and purity. Therefore, luxury brands need to be more respectful of the environment and be more sustainability driven. We see in addition an increasing demand for treatments and products not only focusing on the pampering side but as well on delivering on the promised results.
Why did Swissline decide to build upon cellular therapy, alpine plant essence and huge usage of medical level ingredients?
Swiss born and bred, the purity of Switzerland is coded into our DNA. For three decades, our R&D team has been working closely with world-renowned Swiss medical clinics as well as cosmetics and pharmaceutical laboratories. Aesthetic doctors offer us their input and “green-light” the products, whenever relevant. Our products contain time-tested ingredients as well as innovative game-changers, active natural bases and organic alpine extracts. It is the combination of all that makes our range so unique.
More and more anti-aging products and treatments are coming to market now. What is the competitive edge of Swissline?
Our skincare products offer measurable results and indulgent rituals. Younger, healthier skin is the ultimate reference point in in skincare. It is what women want, and what Swissline delivers, along with the prerequisite dose of luxury. In addition, we continuously reinforce our point of differentiation, with lines like Age Intelligence which focuses on ‘Youth-Inducing’ rather than fighting age with the purpose of enhancing the mechanisms of cutaneous self-repair.
How do you attract the young generation?
The generation today, referred to as Millennials, reacts differently to skincare. Well-informed thanks to the digital revolution, they are the ones now influencing the consumer behavior of the elders and not the other way round. These new consumers know their skin’s needs and the ingredients they want to find in their skincare formulas. They want to create their own customized solution. They place their trust in R&D and are intrigued by the latest innovations. Our new Age Intelligence collection perfectly fits into this growing trend and helps Swissline to continue educating the customers.
How many countries has Swissline entered so far? Who are your target customers? What brand style or concept have you created to attract them?
Swissline is now present in 20 countries around the globe including Switzerland, Canada, the United States, Russia, South East Asian, Middle-Eastern and some European markets. We continue reinforcing our distribution footprint, both in countries where we are already present and in new ones. Our customers are skincare savvy, modern and urban. They request the best that a brand can offer. This is why we put a lot of effort in building what we call our ‘Golden Circle’, a collection of handpicked haute couture medi-spas in 5-star hotels, medical clinics, and premium retailers where science and glamour come together as one.
What are the reasons for Swissline to launch the GlamScience concept? What kinds of experience do you want to deliver to the market?
We couldn’t find any word to embody our brand positioning, so we decided to create one: Glamscience. We define Glamscience as a blend of Swiss science and genuine glamour. In skincare, luxury means visible results but the pleasure from sensuous textures cannot be underestimated. Swissline is serious enough to convince doctors yet glamorous enough to seduce women. Swissline combines the best of both the scientific and luxury worlds. A perfect illustration of that concept is our ‘Brightening Diamond serum’ which has already snapped up some of the most prestigious awards in the industry.
Do you see any distinctive beauty and wellness needs in China’s market, compared with that of Europe? How will Swissline satisfy them? Will you make any adjustments or innovations in your products and treatments?
We see the Chinese market as being very technology driven, especially when it comes to treatment procedures. This is the reason why we are proud to partner with Venus Concept beauty machines, to offer the best of machine treatments used in combination with our unique skincare products. When it comes to technology used in skincare ingredients, we will continue innovating, taking into account the specificities of Chinese needs as we have always done.
What are your concrete development plans in China?
Developing a very qualitative Chinese distribution network is one of the key priorities for Swissline. We plan to build a stronger footprint in tier-one cities thanks to partnerships with leading 5-star hotels, Spas and Medi-spas. We plan as well to gradually roll out the Glamscience Centre concept which is a true expression of our brand promise.
