In September 2009, men’s skincare brand, VitaMan Australia launches into the famous Barneys New York department store and six of its other flagship stores: Beverly Hills, Las Vegas, Chicago, Dallas, Boston and San Franciso. Barneys New York is a chain of luxury department stores housing the world’s most prestigious designer houses such as Manolo Blahnik, Fendi, Givenchy and Zegna.
Each store will offer VitaMan express treatments by dedicated VitaMan-trained therapists.
Following the brand’s recent success in becoming the exclusive men’s spa range in the day spa at the Encore Wynn Las Vegas hotel, VitaMan is rapidly expanding its global spa presence within a country where it is estimated that almost 50 per cent of all spa-goers now are men.
The company claims that a key to its global success, in addition to the products themselves, is the VitaMan signature massage technique. The massage is a unique ‘muscle stretching’ component for the back, shoulders, neck, chest – and even the jaw – so men can achieve the most effective de-stressing results in the shortest time available.
VitaMan co-founder, Glenn Kiddell, who has 25 years extensive sports massage experience at Olympic level, described VitaMan massage as the most effective muscle massage technique he has witnessed. More importantly, he said, any therapist can learn it.
Commenting on the brand’s global growth, Kiddell said: “VitaMan has the potential to become the number one men’s grooming brand in the USA due to the huge prestige of being chosen as the exclusive men’s brand for Barneys. VitaMan is being exalted by Barneys as a true male-specific and comprehensive men’s grooming range, due to its masculine image, and unique, natural Australian ingredients that provide real solutions to male-related shaving and skin conditions.
“Australia is viewed as clean, green and vibrant with Aussie men possessing a ruggedness and magnetic charm that most Americans still find appealing,” he added. “Being chosen for seven flagship Barneys stores brings with it immediate associated industry and media interest. [It] certainly opens up doors with other prestigious stores now also enquiring about our brand.”
VitaMan also celebrates ten years in the industry this November.