Paris, Heritage, and the Power of a Brand That Knows Who It Is

How a visit to the Sothys Institut reignited my love for a legacy brand — and why that matters more than ever

There are moments in this industry where something just clicks back into place.

Not because of a new launch, a reformulation, or a sexy campaign — but because you’re reminded why a brand mattered in the first place.

My visit to the Sothys Institut in Paris was one of those moments.

Tucked into the streets of the city, the Institut isn’t trying to be loud or disruptive. It doesn’t need to be. Instead, it invites you into a world that has been carefully, intentionally built over decades — where skincare is not a trend, but a career. Where beauty is not bold. And where heritage is not something to be rebranded every few years, but something lived, protected, and passed on.

You can stock a brand for years. You can attend trainings, know the hero products, understand the protocols, and still not fully feel it.

Being immersed in Paris (and more specifically, within the walls of the Sothys Institut) reinstalled something deeper than product knowledge. It reconnected me to the heart of the brand.

Paris is not just an aesthetic for Sothys. It’s a language the brand speaks fluently.

From the understated elegance of the space to the protocol of the treatments, the attention to brand detail, and the reverence for ritual — everything felt intentional. Nothing was rushed. Nothing was over-sold. There was an ai of confidence in knowing exactly who they are.

And that’s something you can’t fake.

We are currently operating in an industry flooded with newness.

New brands. New founders. New claims. New actives. New aesthetics. New positioning every six months. Innovation is important — but saturation has consequences.

Many newer brands enter the market with impressive branding and compelling language, yet lack one crucial element: attachment. Not just to clients and consumers, but to the professional industry itself. To treatment rooms. To therapists. To education. To long-term relationships.

Sothys is the opposite of that.

Its credibility doesn’t come from chasing relevance. It comes from decades of consistent presence, professional trust, and global respect. The brand has grown with the industry, not on alongside of it.

What struck me most during my visit wasn’t nostalgia — it was relevance.

Sothys hasn’t survived by clinging to the past. It has evolved without abandoning its core. The brand understands that culture isn’t just about history; it’s about how you behave, how you educate, how you support professionals, and how you protect your standards.

In an era where brands are often built for algorithms rather than treatments, Sothys continues to centre the therapist, the ritual, and the client experience.

Why brand story equals loyalty

In professional beauty, loyalty is rarely driven by rewards or orders alone.

It’s driven by trust. By familiarity. By a sense of alignment. By knowing that the brand standing behind you has substance.

A rich brand story (one that is lived, not manufactured) gives clinics confidence. It gives therapists pride in what they use. And it gives clients something they can feel, even if they can’t articulate it.

Sothys’ story is inseparable from its credibility. And that credibility translates directly into long-term loyalty — not just from stockists, but from generations of professionals who have grown alongside the brand.

That kind of loyalty can’t be built in an instagram carousel.

The importance of continuing to tell these stories

One of the risks legacy brands face is assuming their story is already known.

But in a fast-moving industry, new generations of therapists are entering the workforce every year — many of whom have only ever known “fast beauty”. They haven’t experienced brands that were built slowly, deliberately, and in close relationship with professionals.

That’s why it’s more important than ever to continue telling stories like Sothys’.

Not as nostalgia. Not as heritage for heritage’s sake. But as a reminder of what longevity, integrity, and genuine industry connection look like.

Because when professionals understand where a brand comes from, they understand why it does what it does.

Walking through the Sothys Institut felt like being reminded of a grounded, more luxury version of professional beauty — one that values expertise over marketing noise and depth over speed to market.

It reinstalled my love for the brand not because Sothys has changed dramatically — but because it hasn’t lost itself in a market that often rewards the opposite.

In a world chasing what’s next, Sothys stands as proof that knowing who you are (and honouring where you come from) is still one of the most powerful brand strategies of all.

And perhaps more importantly, it’s a reminder to our industry that heritage, when nurtured properly, isn’t a limitation. It’s a competitive advantage.