Published: February 03, 2010

L'Oréal Examines the Past, Present and Future of Beauty

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Commissioned by the L'Oréal Corporate Foundation, "100,000 Years of Beauty" Presents an Original Approach to Research Surrounding the Human Quest for Beauty

Global beauty leader L'Oréal, through its Corporate Foundation in Paris, has commissioned "100,000 Years of Beauty," a new book that aims to explore the age old question, "What is beauty?" Convinced that beauty has been an essential preoccupation since the origins of humanity, the L'Oréal Corporate Foundation hopes to use this book to share knowledge and encourage the emergence of new perspectives about beauty.

As part of this initiative, "100,000 Years of Beauty," one of the most comprehensive, academic studies on beauty ever written, will be used by the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) in "Innovations in the Development of the Beauty Industry," a course in the graduate degree program in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management. The book will provide a platform for students to explore historical, sociological and socio-economic perspectives of beauty throughout the ages and across civilizations.

"'100,000 Years of Beauty' is a stunning and comprehensive study of the history of beauty culture and evidence of the important historical and sociological underpinnings of the modern beauty industry," said Stephan Kanlian, Chairperson of the Master's Degree Program in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management at FIT. "Because the Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management graduate program at FIT, now celebrating its tenth anniversary, is the beauty industry's think tank, we're very excited about the learning opportunity this book provides for the executives in our program."

A major editorial endeavor which began in 2006, "100,000 Years of Beauty" unites contributions from 300 writers of 35 different nationalities and 20 different disciplines including anthropology, archeology, ethnology, sociology, psychology and more. The end result is a holistic look at the role of appearance through the profound lens of social sciences.

"In a fast-changing world L'Oréal explores the fundamental question of the meaning of beauty," comments Béatrice Daustresme, CEO, L'Oréal Corporate Foundation. "Contributing to and shedding light on knowledge of beauty and reflecting on the business of beauty -- these are some of the motivations inspiring this work of social sciences research."

Pyramid in shape, "100,000 Years of Beauty's" innovative design is beautiful in both form and content. Published by Gallimard and under the editorial direction of Elisabeth Azoulay, the book features five volumes, spanning five major time-periods in chronological order:

-- Volume 1: Prehistory - Features the origins of beauty in the earliest human societies

-- Volume 2: Antiquity - Examines the great changes that transform, from a sociological and psychological point of view, the pursuit of beauty

-- Volume 3: Classical Age - Explores the medieval and early modern periods as bringing about worldwide shifts in fashion and beauty

-- Volume 4: Globalization - Journeys through the modern era, which are marked by the age of the individual and the desire to achieve social equalities such as fighting against racism, claiming equal rights for women, and sexual liberation

-- Volume 5: The Future - Dawns the new digital age and alternative movements where beauty is a focus for cutting-edge medical and biotechnological research

"100,000 Years of Beauty" retails on Amazon.com for $295.00.

About The L'Oréal Corporate Foundation

The L'Oréal Corporate Foundation, created in 2007, pursues the goal of making the world a better place each day. It draws on the L'Oréal Group's values and business to strengthen and perpetuate the company's commitment to social responsibility. As the second-largest corporate foundation in France with a multi-annual budget of EUR 40 million, the L'Oréal Foundation is committed to three types of action: promoting scientific research in the fundamental and human sciences, supporting education and helping individuals made vulnerable by alternations to their appearance to reclaim their rightful place in society.

About the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Master of Professional Studies Degree Program: Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management

The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) Master of Professional Studies Degree (MPS) Program in Cosmetics and Fragrance Marketing and Management is the only program of its kind in the United States. The program is designed to provide advanced managerial and marketing education for outstanding emerging executives in the cosmetics and fragrance industries.

A professional degree program, the MPS is geared toward individuals who have been recommended by their employers because of their strong managerial potential. Structured as a two-year evening program to accommodate working professionals, the curriculum has been designed to impart the core skills of a business degree alongside the creative and technical skills unique to the cosmetics and fragrance fields. The curriculum also incorporates two global field studies, in Asia and Europe, and an Executive Mentor Program. As the beauty industry's think tank for leadership, graduates present solutions to complex issues in the business each May to an audience of over 400 industry executives, and the program regularly sponsors conferences and speakers that provide innovative approaches to business.

The Fashion Institute of Technology is a selective college of art and design, business and technology of the State University of New York, with 44 majors leading to the AAS, BFA, BS, MA, and MPS degrees. Visit www.fitnyc.edu.