Napoleon Perdis
{{Short description|Australian makeup artist (born 1970)}}
{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Napoleon Perdis
| image = Napoleon Perdis 2016.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1970|3|19}}
| birth_place = Sydney
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality =
| other_names =
| occupation = Make-up artist, businessman
| years_active =
| known_for =
| notable_works = Napoleon Perdis cosmetics line
}}
Napoleon Perdis (born 19 March 1970) is an Australian make-up artist and businessman. Perdis launched a small makeup studio in the Sydney suburb of Leichhardt in 1992. He created a line of cosmetic products which he sold through his own store in the Sydney suburb of Paddington in 1995 and later through major department stores.{{Cite web|url=http://www.napoleonperdis.com/Shared/Home/Menu/CodeNapoleon/About_Napoleon.aspx|title = Napoleon Perdis | Official Site | Makeup, Skincare & Beauty Tools}} By 2011, the brand operated 65 stores across Australia and New Zealand and sold its cosmetics from 4,500 locations. His business expanded to the United States with a number of stores; his products are also stocked by Ulta beauty product stores and independent retailers throughout the country.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
Perdis set up The Napoleon Perdis Makeup Academy in 1993 which provides makeup education by professional trainers for people who want to pursue a career in makeup.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}} Perdis' business partners are his younger brother Emanuel Perdis and his wife Soula-Marie, with both of whom he co-founded his cosmetics company.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rescu.com.au/council/Napoleon-Perdis|title = Napoleon Perdis|date = 6 February 2013}}
Career
File:Napoleon Perdis Westfield Sydney.jpg
Perdis started his career as a make-up artist doing bridal make-up.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/two-of-us-napoleon-and-soulamarie-perdis-20141203-11zk2c.html|title=Two of us: Napoleon and Soula-Marie Perdis|last=Koziol|first=Michael|date=16 December 2014|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180315064647/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/two-of-us-napoleon-and-soulamarie-perdis-20141203-11zk2c.html|archive-date=2018-03-15|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} In 1992, he opened his own make-up studio in a small shop in Leichhardt, New South Wales.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/date-with-kate-napoleon-perdis-20140328-35mbl.html|title=Date with Kate: Napoleon Perdis|last=Waterhouse|first=Kate|date=29 March 2014|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211043638/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/celebrity/date-with-kate-napoleon-perdis-20140328-35mbl.html|archive-date=2019-02-11|url-status=live|access-date=11 February 2019}} In 1993, he won a make-up competition at a beauty expo with a look that was inspired by Cher. He won a trip to Los Angeles, where he met Cher's make-up artist and agreed to become the Australian distributor for his 'Taut' make-up products. Perdis sold the make-up to brides through his Ultimo studio and hair salons. He sold the business when he launched his own make-up products under the successive names, The Look, then The Look by Napoleon, followed with Napoleon and finally to its current Napoleon Perdis name from 1994.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
Perdis opened the first Napoleon Perdis store in Paddington in 1995 with the help of a $30,000 loan from his father.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/business/retail/napoleon-perdis-what-went-wrong-20190201-h1ar2i|title=Napoleon Perdis: what went wrong?|last=Sams|first=Lauren|date=1 February 2019|website=Australian Financial Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210135324/https://www.afr.com/business/retail/napoleon-perdis-what-went-wrong-20190201-h1ar2i|archive-date=2019-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} His wife Soula-Mari was the company's chief financial officer and his brother Emanuel is the managing director.
Perdis made his debut on BRW's Young Rich List in 2004, with a net worth of $20 million.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/young-entrepreneurs-not-afraid-of-risk-20040918-gdjrg2.html|title=Young entrepreneurs not afraid of risk|date=18 September 2004|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=10 February 2019}}
In 2006, the Napoleon Perdis business expanded to the United States. Their flagship store was located in Beverly Hills, California. To reduce costs, a distribution centre was set up in Los Angeles to distribute products instead of relying on middlemen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/napoleon-knocks-back-offers-to-go-it-alone-20090318-9289.html|title=Napoleon knocks back offers to go it alone|last=Lee|first=Julian|date=18 March 2009|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210162338/https://www.smh.com.au/business/napoleon-knocks-back-offers-to-go-it-alone-20090318-9289.html|archive-date=2019-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} Napoleon Perdis products was stocked in stores including Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Dillard's, along with Target stores which carried the NP Set diffusion range.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney-napoleon-perdis-quits-america-to-focus-on-australia-20150528-ghbj0a.html|title=Private Sydney: Napoleon Perdis quits America to focus on Australia|last=Hornery|first=Andrew|date=28 May 2015|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210140532/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/private-sydney-napoleon-perdis-quits-america-to-focus-on-australia-20150528-ghbj0a.html|archive-date=2019-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} In 2015, the company pulled out completely from the country. Perdis said "The retail scene there is being driven by equity groups rather than great creative retailers who once made American department stores such fantastic places. Just doing business there, on that huge scale, was costing us millions of dollars a year, it just wasn't profitable for us."
In 2008, Napoleon Perdis launched a budget-conscious diffusion line, NP Set, which was sold in Target stores in Australia and the United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/napoleon-perdis-finds-his-target-20081016-gdsyw3.html|title=Napoleon Perdis finds his Target|last=Hughes|first=Natasha|date=16 October 2008|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210174204/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/napoleon-perdis-finds-his-target-20081016-gdsyw3.html|archive-date=2019-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}}
In 2012, Perdis opened a Napoleon Perdis Life.Style concept store in a former post office in Woollahra, New South Wales. The store sold home furnishings, furniture, art, jewellery and other items that reflected Perdis' tastes.{{Cite web|url=https://theinteriorsaddict.com/napoleon-perdis-on-the-first-6-months-of-his-woollahra-concept-store-life-style|title=Napoleon Perdis on the first 6 months of his Woollahra concept store Life.Style|last=Bishop|first=Jen|date=6 December 2012|website=The Interiors Addict|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211035955/https://theinteriorsaddict.com/napoleon-perdis-on-the-first-6-months-of-his-woollahra-concept-store-life-style|archive-date=2019-02-11|url-status=live|access-date=11 February 2019}} A second store was opened in the Como Centre in South Yarra, Victoria the following year.{{Cite web|url=http://www.couturing.com/napoleon-perdis-life-style-store/|title=Napoleon Perdis: Life.Style Store|last=Gower|first=Camille|date=25 April 2013|website=Couturing.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211040811/http://www.couturing.com/napoleon-perdis-life-style-store/|archive-date=2019-02-11|url-status=live|access-date=11 February 2019}}
Following the expiration of the company's five-year exclusive contract with David Jones in 2013, Perdis began stocking his products at rival department store Myer.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/cosmetics-brand-napoleon-perdis-planning-a-myer-campaign/news-story/204287b2e4070dcec74a53427ba06a78|title=Napoleon planning Myer campaign|date=11 February 2013|website=The Australian|access-date=11 February 2019|url-access=subscription }} In 2015, Perdis signed a deal with Dubai-based Luxuria Trading to distribute his products in the Middle East. In 2017, Perdis installed his then-17-year-old daughter, Lianna, as creative director of diffusion line Total Bae. In August 2018, Napoleon Perdis entered into an exclusive supply deal with the Priceline chain. The company also withdrew from David Jones due to the Priceline partnership.
In late January 2019, Napoleon Perdis went into voluntary administration.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/make-up-empire-napoleon-perdis-has-collapsed-20190131-p50ur6.html|title=Make-up empire Napoleon Perdis collapses with hundreds of jobs at risk|last1=Cummins|first1=Carolyn|last2=Hatch|first2=Patrick|date=31 January 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190204044135/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/make-up-empire-napoleon-perdis-has-collapsed-20190131-p50ur6.html|archive-date=2019-02-04|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019|last3=Hornery|first3=Andrew}} The company has 56 stores across Australia at the time, 28 of which was closed by administrators Worrells Solvency & Forensic Accountants in February 2019 as part of a right-sizing process.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/napoleon-perdis-28-stores-shuttered-as-chain-put-up-for-sale-20190204-p50vln.html|title=28 Napoleon Perdis stores shuttered as chain put up for sale|last=Hatch|first=Patrick|date=4 February 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190205155400/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/napoleon-perdis-28-stores-shuttered-as-chain-put-up-for-sale-20190204-p50vln.html|archive-date=2019-02-05|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} In April 2019, it was announced that KUBA investments would purchase Napoleon Perdis and restructure the business. {{Cite web|date=2019-04-09|title=Napoleon Perdis to be restructured under $1.6 million deal|url=https://www.smartcompany.com.au/industries/retail/napoleon-perdis-bought/|access-date=2021-09-19|website=SmartCompany|language=en-US}} In June 2019, Napoleon Perdis severed ties with Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics.{{Cite web|date=2019-06-17|title=Napoleon Perdis severs ties with Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics|url=https://www.afr.com/companies/retail/napoleon-perdis-severs-ties-with-napoleon-perdis-cosmetics-20190617-p51ye6|access-date=2021-09-19|website=Australian Financial Review|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2019-03-28|title=Make-up king Perdis dethroned after company sold|url=https://thewest.com.au/business/make-up-king-napoleon-perdis-dethroned-after-company-sold-ng-b881151203z|access-date=2021-09-19|website=The West Australian|language=en}}
File:Napoleon Perdis, Westfield Booragoon 02.jpg]]
As of 2024, Napoleon Perdis remains in business and is actively trading, with 25 stores and 250 independent stockists across Australia, including in-store and mobile makeup services.{{Cite web |title=Store Locator & Stockists |url=https://napoleonperdis.com/pages/store-locator |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics |language=en}} Its products are also available through multiple online retailers{{Cite web |title=Buy Napoleon Perdis Stockist - Napoleon Perdis |url=https://www.adorebeauty.com.au/b/napoleon-perdis.html |access-date=2024-09-17 |website=Adore Beauty |language=en}} for sale in China.
Popular culture
In 2005 to 2008, Perdis appeared as a special guest on a few episodes of the reality television show Australia's Next Top Model, and the winner of the first 4 cycles became the face of Perdis's cosmetic, as part of their prizes. Australian Melissa George campaigned as the face of the Napoleon DeVine Goddess line of cosmetics in 2007.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
In 2008, he starred in his own reality television show Get Your Face On, which followed him as he looked for a protégé to help the brand expand in the American market. Get Your Face On began airing in August 2008 on TLC.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sassybella.com/2008/07/napoleon-perdis-looks-for-a-protege-and-launches-a-diffusion-make-up-line-for-target-2/|title=Napoleon Perdis wants a protege and launches a make-up line for Target|last=Lee|first=Helen|date=15 July 2008|website=Sassybella.com|access-date=11 February 2019}}
Personal life
Perdis was born in Sydney to John and Liana Perdis.{{Cite web|url=http://www.dailylife.com.au/dl-beauty/makeup/how-napoleon-conquered-the-cosmetics-industry-20131024-2w31u.html|title=How Napoleon conquered the cosmetics industry|last=Idato|first=Michael|date=27 October 2013|website=Daily Life|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210143429/http://www.dailylife.com.au/dl-beauty/makeup/how-napoleon-conquered-the-cosmetics-industry-20131024-2w31u.html|archive-date=2019-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} His parents were Greek immigrants who arrived in Australia in the 1950s.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/perdis-builds-on-his-foundation-20120215-1t6b8.html|title=Perdis builds on his foundation|last=Safe|first=Georgina|date=15 February 2012|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210164352/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/beauty/perdis-builds-on-his-foundation-20120215-1t6b8.html|archive-date=2019-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} Perdis went to school at Arthur Phillip High School and later at the Redeemer Baptist School.{{citation needed|date=June 2019}} He completed a Bachelor of Arts at Macquarie University, where he met his wife Soula-Marie.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}} They married in 1991 and have four daughters, which include triplets. He worked as a barrister's assistant while his wife was completing her actuary studies.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}
In 2015, Perdis and his family moved from Los Angeles to live in Athens, Greece.{{Cite news|url=https://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/napolean-perdis-paves-way-for-next-generation-to-step-up-ng-b88857283z|title=Make-up mogul brings daughter into fold|date=5 June 2018|website=PerthNow|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211042411/https://www.perthnow.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/napolean-perdis-paves-way-for-next-generation-to-step-up-ng-b88857283z|archive-date=2019-02-11|url-status=live|access-date=11 February 2019|quote=Napoleon, you relocated your family from LA to Athens three years ago…}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/sick-of-being-milked-for-money-how-napoleon-lost-his-beauty-empire-20190131-p50usk.html|title='Sick of being milked for money': How Napoleon lost his beauty empire|last=Hornery|first=Andrew|date=31 January 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203225205/https://www.smh.com.au/business/companies/sick-of-being-milked-for-money-how-napoleon-lost-his-beauty-empire-20190131-p50usk.html|archive-date=2019-02-03|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} As of 2013, he also had homes in Los Angeles and Sydney.{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/inside-the-eccentric-home-of-napoleon-perdis-20131021-2vwiv.html|title=Inside the eccentric home of Napoleon Perdis|last=Horton|first=Shelly|date=23 October 2013|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210133448/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/inside-the-eccentric-home-of-napoleon-perdis-20131021-2vwiv.html|archive-date=2019-02-10|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}} Perdis is a collector of owls and books. He has had lap band surgery to lose weight.{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/napoleon-perdis-loses-65kg-after-lapband-surgery/news-story/f9e476814b2933fd3069c509c58596d8|title=How losing 65kg helped my sex life|last=Koha|first=Nui Te|date=8 March 2015|website=Herald Sun|access-date=10 February 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.afr.com/business/health/the-implant-files-napoleon-perdis-cleans-up-after-lap-band-gift-20181126-h18d65|title=The Implant Files: Napoleon Perdis cleans up after lap band gift|last=Margo|first=Jill|date=26 November 2018|website=Australian Financial Review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126152430/https://www.afr.com/business/health/the-implant-files-napoleon-perdis-cleans-up-after-lap-band-gift-20181126-h18d65|archive-date=2018-11-26|url-status=live|access-date=10 February 2019}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{official website|http://www.napoleonperdis.com}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perdis, Napoleon}}
Category:Australian people of Greek descent
Category:Macquarie University alumni