Some of this information I've read about her is dubious, so if what I have written is wrong, my apologies.
If you live in the western world, you will most likely have heard of Chaja with her changed first name, becoming Helena Rubinstein.
She was born in Poland in 1872 and at the age of 30 she moved to Australia armed with creams her mother had put in her luggage to keep Helena's complexion smooth. In the country Victorian town of Coleraine, her complexion was admired as was her outgoing personality. She was in the right place to collect lanolin to make complexion creams with it being a sheep area.
The detail in between living in the country and the opening of her Melbourne city store is scant. Her cosmetic salon was very successful.
In 1908 her sister took over managing the Melbourne stores when Helena travelled to London to open a store there. She by then had stores in Sydney and New Zealand. At the outbreak of WWI she moved to New York and was equally successful there. Post war she was in Paris. She had created a world wide business, an empire if you like.
Her basic formula from the beginning was cream to protect skin from the sun and wind, moisturising and getting good sleep. Sounds sensible to me.
She was also something of a philanthropist having funded Tel Aviv's Pavilion for Contemporary Art and also an art scholarship in Australia.
From her death bed in 1965 she was still issuing orders to staff.
Well, what an amazing entrepreneurial woman! Think about her approaching a bank to borrow money to expand her business. As a woman she would not have even been given a bank manager appointment. She did it all on her own.
One hundred and one years after Helena was born, in 1973 the brand was sold to Colgate-Palmolive and then to L'Oreal.
There is a plaque in Melbourne's Collins Street to note her and the history of the building. Whether you are local or an overseas person, I doubt many people know that the brand Helena Rubinstein began in Melbourne.
Shopfronts sounds cheap and nasty, so I shall call them salons. She had two in Collins Street and one in Elizabeth Street.
I believe this was her first store. Ah, it seems the original was replaced in the 60s by this absolutely stunning building. No?
I became tired of Helena research, so no photo of the Elizabeth Street store. It is a nice little claim to fame for Melbourne.
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Indeed it is a nice claim to fame for your city - and one that is new to me. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteEC, from memory it seemed like such a glamorous brand.
DeleteThis woman is certainly a success story. Flight Centre shares is one of the most shorted stock option in Australia Market. I cannot help thinking of that after I saw your photo on Elizabeth St.
ReplyDeleteRoentare, I have to think about what short selling is. I know I know but I just have to remember.
DeleteI did not know any of this! Very interesting. Issuing orders from her death bed. Isn't that a hoot? Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Sandra, issuing orders from her death bed is rather what my mother did, except we didn't know she was about to die.
DeleteWhat neat history. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting Darla.
DeleteThanks. I had not previously realised that the Helena Rubinstein empire began in Melbourne. From now on I will remember this when I apply my various facial creams.
ReplyDeleteSorry to say YP, you need more than creams. Some derma filling will help.
DeleteThe part I had found to be fascinating about Helena Rubinstein was that she was raised in a fairly modest childhood and young adulthood in Poland. But she mixed with the impressive cultural world once she moved to Melbourne then later to London, Paris and New York.
ReplyDeleteYes, Hels. I guess she was Jewish and came from quite a humble background, although clearly not a really poor background. What motivated her to come to Australia?
DeleteI had no idea Helena Rubinstein began her business in Melbourne. And I don't recall any of her products. I stick with the cheaper ranges, like Nivea or plain old Sorbolene.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I think in our lives it was a rather upmarket brand.
DeleteI did not know anything about a Melbourne connection. I can't see it too well, but it looks like an interesting mural on that second building.
ReplyDeleteKirk, the mural is interesting. I posted about the building many years ago with winter photos where trees had no leaves. Now, I remember nothing about its history.
DeleteI had no idea about where Helena came from or that she started her business in Australia - sure did a great job with it.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, she certainly did well, a global empire. What other man or woman did that back then?
DeleteInteresting. I suppose I had always thought she was American.
ReplyDeleteJB, I thought of her as European. I did not know of her connection to here.
DeleteWell...here's another thing that I learned from reading blogs. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDebby, what we learn from blogs is truly amazing.
DeleteThe things you think you know about- then it turns out you really don’t know anything at all. Thanks Andrew for an interesting read
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure Cathy. It was an interesting matter to investigate.
DeleteSounds like she did get around the world.
ReplyDeleteConquered rather than just get around, I think TP.
DeleteI knew the name and that was all. I think I could have said it was a brand of cosmetics. Interesting. Every day is a school day.
ReplyDeleteIt was a very well known brand here Graham. Maybe that's because of its local business origins although few people know about it.
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