Marie-France: Thirty, sexy, and transcending

MANILA, Philippines - They say when you’re 30, it’s a quick and steady downhill. Bulges start to grow, lines start to show, and hair starts retreating. But not for the country’s pioneer non-invasive aesthetic center  — Marie-France has never been in better shape after three decades.

They marked this milestone with a longtime Marie-France client, one of showbiz’s most iconic and enduring faces, Dawn Zulueta. “We’ve proven how we can defy society’s expectations of looking good with our endorser Dawn Zulueta, who, at age 46, managed to look better than before,” Jackie Siy-Share, Marie-France’s executive vice president, notes.

The multi-awarded actress and now politician’s wife, mother, and still a commanding presence on the silver screen, Dawn is currently emblazoned on Marie-France’s billboards sporting a one-piece suit that tastefully flaunts her well-maintained physique, bannered with the brand’s new tagline of “Transcending Expectations.”

While Marie-France can be credited with having selected celebrities endorsing their non-invasive slimming procedures — from the Megastar to the Queen of all Media — they believe that it is the genuine testimonials that greatly push the technologies that have cemented their reputation as the country’s most credible aesthetic center.

“We were the first to feature the celebrity ‘before and after’ formula for our endorsers, and we’ve maintained this because it works,” explains Siy-Share. This has led Marie-France to cancel some of its celebrity endorsements through the years, particularly those who refuse to sincerely share their personal plights of losing weight. By being attuned to the realities of weight loss, the aesthetic center doesn’t promise miracle results but rather remains grounded in the real, sometimes painstaking road to achieving one’s ideal body.

Pioneering practice

It was sort of accidental. But it’s a good accident,” shares Marie France Group of Companies’ president George Siy, who, right before 1985, was in the business of textiles until a group of British and American businessmen decided to partner with his family to open what would be the Philippines’ first slimming center. Now, with over 10 branches around the country, the fortuitous venture has led to plenty of success stories in weight loss and fat management, from leading celebrities to ordinary folk.

“At that time, there were very few players because people were embarrassed to talk about it then. Today, people are very open about wanting to be beautiful. There are many more dimensions to beauty. Much has grown, but fragmented into so many choices,” shares Siy, who has expanded the Marie France brand to include Facial Care Center to specialize in skincare; Svenson, which focuses on hair loss; and Marie-France Men, to cater to the booming male aesthetic market. Yet much of the family-run business is still built on the premise of losing weight.

“We started with a Swiss technology. The Fat Mobilization System, or FMS, is the foundation of the business. It’s a cold wrap that causes you to burn calories and fat,” says Siy of the miracle procedure that lets one lose up to 2,000 calories and continues to do so to up to 48 hours, and while comfortably lying down. While the aesthetic center now offers a myriad other weight-loss procedures and options, they find that the most loyal customers still stick with this decades-old technology due to its efficiency and easy results.

Shape shifting

But just as the aesthetic industry experiences a boom in technology, so do the demands. “Today, it’s no longer just Swiss, but whatever is the best in the market,” Siy emphasizes about their investments in state-of- the-art machines. Now, Marie-France offers treatments that lead clients from weight loss to body sculpting — from the Endermologie+, which reduces cellulite and fat bulges on the body through rollers and suction; to the innovative iLipo, the non-surgical form of body sculpting via cutting- edge laser lipolysis.

The target demographic is quickly changing as well. From its main clients of mothers and middle-aged women, Marie-France now also attracts the younger set with their laser hair-removal treatments, and men with their hair-loss treatments, abdominal sculpting procedures, and, curiously, a rising demand for “mistress makeovers.” While the owners prefer to remain mum about it, they share instances when wives and mistresses have crossed paths in their clinics. “That’s why we train our staff to observe the utmost discretion,” Siy assures us.

This shifting tide in the beauty industry can be credited to the booming economy, Siy observes, where the abundance of wealth can easily lead to excessive lifestyles. “People are having a lot more choice. People are also becoming vainer. People with more income don’t just look for the basics in life. On one hand, there are more technologies on looking good and being healthy, but on the other, there are plenty more temptations. People will violate and compensate, and that’s how the whole industry is growing.

“Right now, everything is moving so fast, everyone is in a hurry,” adds Siy-Share. “Sometimes going to the gym takes time. So, for those on the go, what we offer is something that is faster, not as time-consuming, and more targeted. After 30 years of experience, we already have tried the different cycles of technology that work, so we’re able to come up with the perfect combinations to specifically address your concerns.”

One step ahead

So, to keep up to date, George Siy assures, “We usually go around the world to look at the latest technologies. Also, suppliers tend to present their products and equipment to us first, being the leading chain in the Philippines. So we generally have a six-month to one-year head start among our competitors when it comes to new technologies.”

But, despite being on top of the gadget game, Siy notes that going a step further can best guarantee the efficiency of their procedures. “You’ll lose credibility if you’re not holistic. So, we also have nutrition programs to ensure that our clients maintain the shape that our technologies provide.”

Hence, a substantial part of the Marie-France weight loss regimen is centered on post-procedure plans that aim to instill a lifestyle of more conscious living among its patrons. “Sometimes, it’s the type of food that they eat that keeps people from losing weight, so nutritionists are part of our programs. We monitor our clients’ progress every now and then. So, we not only offer the procedures but the full support system and the actual lifestyle change,” stresses Jackie Siy-Share.

For this, Angeline Siy-Fiechter, Marie-France’s director, sees that the company’s nutrition research is at par with the latest diet developments. “If we want to have weight loss, the number-one rule is to make sure that your calorie intake is less than what you expend,” she notes. “We’ve had instances when our clients have achieved their ideal weight loss with us, and were happy, and so they visit the center less. But after six months, they come back because of their unhealthy lifestyles,” she reveals.

Whether they are high-profile personalities or loyal customers, Siy-Feichter believes that self- restraint is key in keeping what their innovative machines can do for one’s body. “Determination is what will carry you through. If you choose to go with Marie-France, you have to follow through. They have to couple it with discipline. But, of course, we have to be realistic. If you’re too strict with your diet, you can’t sustain it. So, we suggest moderation so you can keep it in the long term,” she reminds.

Proof that the business of beauty and the success of being sexy is more than skin deep, Marie-France has learned how to scratch beneath the surface to ensure real and lasting results. And with its maturity in the industry, its penchant for new technology, and its well-rounded approach to losing weight, it’s easy to see how Marie-France plans to keep on defining the shape of things to come.

Marie-France currently has 10 branches all over the country: in Fort Bonifacio, Makati, Alabang, Tomas Morato, Ortigas, E. Rodriguez Jr. (C-5), Congressional Avenue, Binondo, Pampanga, and Cebu.