Yardley London

The company was established by the Cleaver family in 1770,{{cite book|author=E. Wynne Thomas|title=The House of Yardley, 1770-1953|year=1953|publisher=Sylvan Press|page=20}} which is the official date displayed on its product labels. According to the company's website, an earlier incarnation existed prior to this, but most records of the earlier company were lost in the Great Fire of London of 1666.

The company is named after William Yardley, who purchased the firm in 1823 from the sons of founder, Samuel Cleaver, who had gone into bankruptcy. The company became Yardley & Statham in 1841 when Charles Yardley, son of William, took on William Statham as a partner in the business. At the time, the business sold perfumes, soaps, powders, hair pomades and other toiletries.{{cite web|url=http://www.cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/yardley.php|title=Yardley|publisher=Cosmetics and Skin|author=James Bennett|access-date=May 7, 2014}}

In 1851, the company, which was still known as Yardley & Statham, exhibited at the Great Exhibition in The Crystal Palace. The same year, they changed their name to Yardley & Co.{{cite web|url=http://www.cosmeticsbusiness.com/technical/article_page/Yardley__quintessentially_British/58536|title=Yardley - quintessentially British|publisher=HPCi Media Limited|access-date=June 23, 2013}} Yardley & Statham exhibited soap and perfume, including a soap called Old Brown Windsor, which was embossed with a picture of Windsor Castle and was one of their first production soaps.{{cite web|url=http://www.yardleylondon.co.uk/blog/a-little-history-about-yardley-londons-soaps/|title=A little history about Yardley London's soaps|publisher=Yardley London Ltd|access-date=June 23, 2013}}

In 1913, Yardley adopted Francis Wheatley's Flowersellers painting, from his Cries of London series, as their new corporate logo. The Primula vulgaris being sold in baskets in the painting, were replaced, in the logo, with sheaths of lavender.{{cite web|url=http://www.newhamstory.com/node/997|title=Yardley's 'Lavender Girls'|publisher=Newham Council|access-date=June 17, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://spitalfieldslife.com/2011/01/26/wheatleys-cries-of-london/|title=Wheatley's Cries of London|publisher=Spitalfields Life|access-date=June 17, 2013}}

File:Yardley English Lavender Talcum Powder 250g can.JPG

Yardley's signature scent is English Lavender, which was launched in 1873.{{cite web|url=http://www.basenotes.net/products/english-lavender|title=English Lavender by Yardley, 1873|publisher=Basenotes|access-date=June 14, 2013}} English Lavender was popular during the Victorian era in England, and was exported to the USA in the 1880s, where it became popular in American households.{{cite web|url=http://www.yardleylondon.co.uk/our-world/|title=All About Yardley London|publisher=Yardley London Ltd|access-date=June 14, 2013}}

The variety of lavender that Yardley uses in their products is Lavandula angustifolia, which is specially grown for Yardley in the South of England.{{cite web|url=http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/beauty/news-features/TMG9800135/Beauty-Icon-Yardley-English-Lavender.html|title=Beauty Icon:Yardley English Lavender|publisher=Telegraph Media Group Limited|access-date=June 15, 2013}} Lavandula angustifolia was selected by the company in the 1930s, after a several year search for the finest variety.

Due to the growing popularity of Yardley soaps and cosmetics at the turn of the 20th century, the company opened a shop in 1910 on Bond Street in London. The original Yardley shop on Bond Street was at 8 New Bond Street, but it later moved to 33 Old Bond Street.{{cite web|url=http://www.englishheritageimages.com/yardley_shop_front_aa49_04824/print/4592065.html|title=Yardley Shop front|publisher=English Heritage|access-date=June 16, 2013}}{{cite web|url=http://www.yardleylondon.co.uk/media/our-world/Yardley-London-Historical-Timeline.pdf|title=Yardley London Historical Timeline|publisher=Lornamead Group|access-date=June 14, 2013}}

Yardley was acquired in 1967 by British American Tobacco (BAT). That same year, British model Twiggy became the face of Yardley. The company sold "Twiggy Eyelashes," "Twiggy Paint," and other cosmetics with her as the spokesmodel.{{cite web|url=http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Twiggy|title=Twiggy - Voguepedia|publisher=Vogue|access-date=June 19, 2013}} Yardley became a symbol of Swinging Sixties and was associated with the 1960s British youth culture of miniskirts, Carnaby Street and mod fashions.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UNo4KteorpsC|title=Brainstorm:Surviving and Thriving in the New Consumer-Led Marketplace|date=13 November 2012|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=9781137096821|access-date=June 19, 2013}}

In 1970, Yardley was the title sponsor of British Racing Motors for two years, with the team racing as Yardley Team BRM. Yardley then moved to the then-Bruce McLaren Motor Racing in 1972, becoming the team's first title sponsor. The team raced as Yardley Team McLaren for three years. Part of the sponsorship deal with the two Formula One teams is a black, gold and ochre stripes in a stylised "Y" painted on the car's bodywork.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-16 |title=The shambles, success and demise of Britain’s first big F1 team |url=https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/british-team-brm-full-story/4793013/ |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.motorsport.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=McLaren & Papaya |url=https://www.mclaren.com/racing/formula-1/2018/car-launch/mclaren-and-papaya-2174925/ |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=www.mclaren.com |language=en-GB}}

In 1970, BAT organized its cosmetic businesses, which included Yardley, into British American Cosmetics. The cosmetics division was sold to Beecham Group in 1984. The following year, Yardley was sold to Wasserstein Perella & Co.{{fact|date=January 2022}}

In 1991, Yardley introduced English Blazer, a range of men's grooming products.{{cite news|last=Cloud|first=Barbara|title=Blazer still blazin': Classic jacket dresses variety of occasions.|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KN8cAAAAIBAJ&pg=1471,1736036&dq=english-blazer+yardley&hl=en|access-date=5 February 2013|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|date=20 October 1991}}

As part to update the company's old-fashioned image, in September 1996 Yardley signed up Canadian supermodel Linda Evangelista for a fee of $7.75 million. {{cite magazine|title=Linda Evangelista - Voguepedia|url=http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Linda_Evangelista|magazine=Vogue|access-date=May 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140806181129/http://www.vogue.com/voguepedia/Linda_Evangelista|archive-date=August 6, 2014|url-status=dead}} However the project backfired when in August 1998, Yardley was placed into receivership .Victor, Peter (27 August 1998). [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/yardley-no-longer-smelling-of-roses-goes-into-receivership-1174316.html "Yardley, no longer smelling of roses, goes into receivership"]. The Independent. That same year, Yardley was acquired by Wella.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/26/business/international-business-yardley-brands-are-sold.html|title=International Business: Yardley brands are sold|first=|last=|work=The New York Times|date=November 26, 1998|access-date=January 30, 2022}}

In 2005, Lornamead acquired Yardley for £60 million.{{cite web|url=https://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Article/2005/10/05/P-G-sells-Yardley-to-Lornamead|title=P&G sells Yardley to Lornamead|first=|last=|work=CosmeticsDesign.com USA|date=October 4, 2005|access-date=January 30, 2022}}Lall, Rashmee Roshan (May 3, 2006). [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/international-business/jatanias-buy-americas-biggest-hair-care-brands/articleshow/1514894.cms "Jatanias buy America's biggest hair-care brands"]. Times of India. In 2013, Li & Fung Group (now Fung Group) acquired Lornamead.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/lifung-acquisitions-idUSH9N09R02420130115|title=Li & Fung buys Lornamead for $190 mln to beef up personal care business|first=|last=|work=Reuters|date=January 15, 2013|access-date=January 30, 2022}}

In 2009, Wipro Consumer Care and Lighting acquired Yardley from Lornamead for certain markets (Asia, Middle East, Australasia, as well as North and West Africa) for $45.5 million. In 2012, Wipro purchased the UK-European division from Lornamead, with the exception of Germany and Austria, where Lornamead remains the owner/rights holder.Deepti Chaudhary and K. Raghu (November 6, 2009). [http://www.livemint.com/2009/11/05234923/Wipro-buys-some-Yardley-busine.html "Wipro buys some Yardley businesses for $45.5 million"]. Live Mint.

In 2010, Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif was made the brand ambassador for Yardleys in India.{{cite news|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/press-releases/katrina-kaif-is-the-brand-ambassador-for-yardley-110090700142_1.html |title=Katrina Kaif is the Brand Ambassador for Yardley | Business Standard News |newspaper=Business Standard |date=2010-09-07 |access-date=2018-11-11}}

Yardley has had a long association with the British Royal Family and has been awarded the Royal Warrant of Appointment (UK) six times. The company has supplied several British monarchs with toiletries.

• 1921 – Edward, Prince of Wales; Perfumers and fine soap makers
• 1932 – Queen Mary; Perfumer
• 1949 – George VI; Purveyors of soap
• 1955 – Elizabeth II; Manufacturers of soap
• 1960 – Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother; Perfumers and manufacturers
• 1995 – Charles III; Manufacturers of toilet preparations

• David Montgomery, 2nd Viscount Montgomery of Alamein

{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Commons category|Yardley of London}}

• [https://www.yardleylondon.co.uk/ Official UK website] – part of the Yardley markets owned by Wipro
• [https://yardleylondon.com/ Official US website] – part of the Yardley markets owned by Lornamead
• [https://www.lornamead.com/ Lornamead website]
• [https://www.cosmeticsandskin.com/companies/yardley.php History of Yardley]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yardley Of London}}

Category:Wipro

Category:History of cosmetics

Category:Perfume houses

Category:British royal warrant holders

Category:British companies established in 1770

Category:1770 establishments in England

Category:Cosmetics companies of the United Kingdom

Category:2012 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1770