INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISE AWARD

Marie-Hélène Marcelli

Staying focused in all areas of her life

“Perfume can be an artifice, but, above all, it’s something very personal, like a garment, an extension of yourself, the identity that you want to convey,” says Marie-Hélène Marcelli, who, for her part, chose For Her by Narciso Rodriguez, a musky perfume with a fresh scent. This manager keeps an old lithograph representing perfume labels in her office: an engraving published by Carestia, a family business founded in 1883 and specialised initially in litho printing and then in offset. The company has since become part of the Arcade Beauty group, one of the world leaders in the perfume, skincare, and cosmetic samples field. “The grandson of Carestia’s founder was very friendly with the Grasse Nez, and that’s how he came up with the idea of developing and printing an absorbent paper suited for faithful olfactory restitution of the perfume. Brands then turned it into a major communication tool. This product is their first contact with the customer, and they attach a lot of importance to it,” says Marie-Hélène Marcelli, who began her career in communications before branching out into this industrial sector. Carestia’s Managing Director for eight years likes to refocus each morning with yoga before getting to the 4,000 m2 factory, where she manages a team of fewer than 100 people.

BEING IN BETTER SHAPE IN THE MORNING
”We are in a niche market with very little subcontracting possible. We create products with high added value, from simple blotter strips to flower or butterfly-shaped perfume cards used as takeaway gifts. You can put perfume on a lot of other materials besides paper, like ceramic and cork.” She is keen to open up her employees to sophrology and shiatsu massage through external speakers. She works in the region’s secondary schools, speaking to young women about their legitimacy within the industry. She also ensures gender parity within her teams and equality between young and old. All a question of harmony - in short, balance.

arcadebeauty.com

Localisation : Mouans-Sartoux
Création : 1883
Activité : imprimeur de blotters, packagings et produits parfumés
Dirigeante : Marie-Hélène Marcelli
Capital : 540 000 € (filiale 100 % d’Arcade Beauty Europe)
Collaborateurs : 84

CARESTIA ARCADE BEAUTY

From Mouans-Sartoux and Grasse, the historical birthplace of perfumes, Carestia supports the biggest names in perfumery and cosmetics in France and around the world. In 2013, Arcade Marketing, a sampling solutions provider, acquired the capital of this family-owned business. In 2014, the group merged with Bioplan Beauty, a specialist in single-dose and promotional products for skincare, perfume, and make-up. This merger created an international platform, Arcade Beauty, where Carestia positions itself as an expert. The Côte d’Azur-based company has discreetly become a key player in the visual and olfactory communication markets. Today, it is one of the leaders in designing and manufacturing scented products ranging from scent cards, buttons, notebooks, folding cartons, sample cards, editions, inserts, and scented solutions.