Forget the full-body metal suits of Iron Man. Recently, “Avengers: Endgame” star Gwyneth Paltrow wasn’t afraid to show some skin donning her new swimwear on Goop’s Instagram. The post reveals Paltrow basking in the sun in Goop’s black V bikini top and low-rise bikini briefs, both of which will put you over $300 on the Goop website.
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According to the website, the swimwear collection is inspired by style icons such as Kate Moss and Cindy Crawford, and each piece is described with a catchy tag phrase. An orange triangle bikini top “pairs well with vacations in Italy and Aperol spritz,” and an asymmetrical one-piece is “sexy, streamlined, and perfect in the surf.”
So far, Goop’s marketing tactics — which might be described as somewhat absurd, yet consistently on-message — have been working. More than a decade after its launch, the lifestyle brand is still going strong with Paltrow as CEO and creative director. Goop told Fortune last year that it had tripled its revenue for the past two years and was on track to more than double revenue in 2018. Currently valued at $250 million, Goop continues to gain the favors — and investments — of venture capitalists.
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This despite Goop’s involvement in a 2018 lawsuit that accused the company of falsely advertising several health products such as vaginal eggs. (You read that correctly.) In the resulting financial settlement, the court judgment included new rules that prevent Goop from making “any claims regarding the efficacy or effects of any of its products without possessing competent and reliable scientific evidence that substantiates the claims,” as taken from the Santa Clara District Attorney’s statement.
But Goop has no plans of stopping its flow: Its latest swimwear line is the smallest critter in a sea of health, beauty, and clothing products, some fishier than others. Not to mention Goop’s digital content, which includes an eponymous podcast that was one of the most downloaded in 2018. The podcast has since signed an exclusive deal with Delta Airlines through which Goop hopes to reach over 18 million people. A few standalone podcasts are in the works, including one featuring in-house beauty expert Jean Godfrey-June.
While Goop has been quietly distributing print and digital content for years, it’s set to roll out an ambitious new Netflix docuseries this fall. According to Variety, the project will span more than 190 countries with 130 million subscribers, giving Goop what it has been secretly craving: a mass audience. Hosted by chief content officer Elise Loehnen and Paltrow herself, the series will consist of short episodes that delve into physical and spiritual wellness. The series, still untitled, will benefit from Paltrow’s Hollywood experience while targeting Goop’s growing health-conscious fan base.
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Goop’s critics are still at large, though. Many have called out the company’s lack of scientific basis and blamed Goop for “promoting misleading, exploitative and harmful wellness woo” and for “the dumbing down of our society.”
“In this era of misinformation, it is tremendously frustrating to see an entity like Goop get yet another platform to spread science-free nonsense,” Tim Caulfield, a health researcher and author of Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything?, told Vox. “While we should reserve judgment until we see content, Goop’s history tells us we can’t be optimistic.”
This summer, at least, Goop will keep its focus on suits that are “a sexy option when you’re posting up poolside” as Paltrow’s brand oozes toward international recognition.
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