Napoleon Shuts Up Shop In U.S To Focus On Oz

It’s the end of an era for makeup mogul Napoleon Perdis, who’s announced he’s pulling his cosmetics empire from the U.S market.

In a move few could predict, the king of makeup has hung up his hat in the world’s biggest cosmetic market, America.

After more than a decade battling the odds in the competitive U.S landscape, Napoleon Perdis says the decision to throw in the towel was founded on practical grounds.

“Even with the millions of dollars we were investing into America, we were barely scratching the surface. It is such a huge and complex market, it just did not make sound commercial sense to keep going.”

And the ball has already begun rolling on Perdis’s plan to bring the international chapter of his business to a close.

“By the end of the financial year, there will be nothing left in America,” said a resolute Perdis.

And that means American consumers can expect to see Napoleon Perdis products disappear from the shelves of Niemen Marcus, Nordstrom, Bergdorf Goodman, Dillard’s and Target where they’ve become a staple for the last decade, while Perdis’s flagship Beverly Hills store and Californian warehouse operations follow suit.

It’s all part of a plan to get back to his roots in his original home, says Perdis.

“Our business is just so incredibly strong in Australia, it is our home market and there is plenty of opportunity there too, especially in the regional markets.”

In fact, despite 11 years investing in the American market, Perdis’s Australian turnover more than quadruples his highest annual U.S revenue, which seems meagre at $17 million when you compare it to the $120 million Perdis has been raking in annually on home soil.

But paring back your operations is not without its challenges, as some 120 U.S staff will learn when they lose their jobs in the coming weeks. It’s a sombre part of the beauty business tycoon’s new chapter he’s not keen to focus on. Instead, the makeup giant prefers to reflect on just how far he’s come in the face of adversity.

“We survived there [in America] for 11 years, we survived the greatest economic collapse America has seen in generations.”

And as for where this decision will steer the business’s direction? Besides finessing his success on home ground, Perdis plans to explore other areas of the globe for future expansion, with a deal in the works with Dubai-based Luxuria Trading, who are set to distribute his products across the Middle East.

“These are markets which fit the entrepreneurial spirit we embrace…in America I had become a bean counter,” Perdis said in an interview earlier this week.

“I’m not passionate about counting beans. I’m passionate about beauty and making women beautiful.”

Have your say: What are your thoughts about Perdis’s move? Do you think it was a wise decision?