An Ode to Rodin Olio Lusso

Linda Rodin at Barneys New York (2016)

Back in 2016 I was invited to meet Linda Rodin at a press event at Barneys New York, and given the extent to which I admired her, and loved her skincare products, I jumped at the chance. What ended up happening was a remarkable day in which we hung out, along with her close friend and stylist Marlene, for most of the afternoon. She is an incredibly intelligent, and trail-blazing, person who is a true visionary (and an utter delight to be around). 

Linda told me about her decision to sell Rodin Olio Lusso to Estée Lauder (acquired in 2014), and even told me about her meetings with the top brass (who incidentally bore the surname Lauder). She maintained creative control, her vision for the company, and she assured me that her formulas were to remain completely intact.

In 2017, however, Linda stepped down as creative director of Rodin Olio Lusso, and that was about the time that I noticed that a new marketing strategy was put in place. The once exclusive brand, with a cult following, began to market to a decidedly young audience, where before there was no indicated demographic. Clearly the intention was to introduce a wider range of people to this luxury niche brand (who probably hadn't heard of it before, and likely didn't shop at places like Barneys New York), but I remember thinking how odd it was to launch campaigns depicting people (of any age, frankly), where before campaign photographs only depicted the products themselves. 

There was a timeless and ageless quality to Linda's visionary brand that didn't make wild claims about the products, but instead she created effective and gorgeous skincare and makeup that pampered the skin. I wondered whether this new Estée Lauder strategy would work, or if it foreshadowed the ultimate demise of the company. I hoped that it was going to pay off in a big way, and that I would always be able to buy my favorite Rodin Olio Lusso products, but clearly that was not the case.

Estée Lauder announced that it would shutter Rodin Olio Lusso on April 19, 2021, and they offered a 20% discount sitewide. Presumably the company was not profitable enough to keep going, and therefore they shut it down. 

However, they announced that in October 2021 that Rodin Olio Lusso and Jo Malone (another Estée Lauder brand) will release a limited-edition collaboration.

According to the Jo Malone website (Affiliated Link), 

An Enchanting New Collaboration: Jo Malone London will be joining with Rodin olio lusso for a limited-edition collaboration. This is a journey forged in true common ground - a love of unique, treasured ingredients and olfactive clarity.

In signature Jo Malone London style, this collaboration will explore both houses' heritages and commitments to craftsmanship, whilst continuing to deliver unexpected fragrances, beautiful textures, and uplifting new ways to slow down and escape through scented rituals.

This fragrant skincare collaboration will launch in October 2021.

I have no idea what such a collaboration will look like. Resurrecting Rodin Olio Lusso 7 months after its demise, and in collaboration with Jo Malone, sounds like the launch of new collaborative products, rather than bringing back brand staples. We will all have to wait and see. I really hope that this collaboration is amazing, and that it could lead to bringing back Rodin Olio Lusso in a more permanent way.

I mourn the loss of Rodin Olio Lusso, and I am coveting the last drops that I have of my remaining products. If I feel this way, I can only imagine how Linda must feel. I completely see the way in which a big company can take a small brand to new heights because of their seemingly unlimited resources, but they also have a very different financial threshold for determining the health of a company than do small companies. I just wish that there was some way that they could have kept Rodin Olio Lusso going, perhaps by creating a different division for comparatively tiny businesses that could allow them to thrive.