2020 is a very special year, as it marks the 20th anniversary of the SHUNGA Erotic Art brand. Sylvain Séguin, its President and Co-Founder, remembers the brand’s first presence at the ANME Show in Los Angeles. Eau Zone Oils & Fragrances Ltd, the company behind the brand, established for 32 years this year, had been in traditional cosmetics for 12 years already at the time of the launch of SHUNGA Erotic Art.

IN THE BEGINNING

“We had a lot of difficulty getting a kiosk at ANME and we didn’t really know what to expect … What would be the market’s response. We had worked very hard so that the concept of SHUNGA was to be very different of everything that existed in the adult market at the time.” says Sylvain Séguin. He explains that the goal of this new-to-market brand was to offer a high-end and very refined alternative in the field of adult products. SHUNGA was a first-mover in this segment of the industry and contributed immensely to changing its landscape to what we now know today. “The first day of the ANME show, we were a bit confused by the kiosks present at the event which presented fairly explicit pornographic works!” says Manon Vallée, Vice-President and Co-founder. The concept of this new range of products was definitely aimed at a market very different from what was showcased twenty years ago. 

SHUNGA was aimed at lovers of love who wanted beautiful quality products, enchanting perfumes and delicious flavors in order to create rituals filled with sensuality. “For a few hours we wondered if we were in the right place to launch this brand. Then, the buzz ran throughout the show that there was a new innovative range in town. People started to flock and were waiting in line to meet us and discover the brand. We were taken in by this rapid success!” says Sylvain. By the end of their first ever show in the adult industry, SHUNGA Erotic Art had sold its entire inventory. This new innovative idea had sparked so much enthusiasm that the company sold all the stock they had planned for the first 6 months … in just 3 days. “We were very happy and grateful despite the logistical puzzle ahead of us.” says Manon Vallée.

The following October was SHUNGA Erotic Art’s first appearance at the Business to Business event in Berlin. It was another major success for the brand. Only a few months later, it had established a network of distributors that covered the entirety of Europe – most of which they still do business with today. The brand’s success came with such recognition at the time that the biggest stores in the world contacted SHUNGA to obtain the range including, Les Galeries Lafayette Paris, Henri Bendel New York, El Corte Inglés Spain, and Le Cirque du Soleil Las Vegas, to name a few. 

THE BRAND TODAY

20 years later, SHUNGA Erotic Art works continuously in close cooperation with all its distributors around the world – its products are distributed in over 70 countries in order to meet the ever-growing demand for the brand. The reputation of SHUNGA is grounded in the high quality and effectiveness of its products, combined with the great care that the company takes in designing refined packaging with an artistic touch. “Today, SHUNGA Erotic Art is very proud to be the best-selling and recognized erotic cosmetics brand worldwide.” says Sylvain Séguin.

A SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY 

SHUNGA owes its success first and foremost to the quality of its products and the thoughtfulness that goes in every aspects of the conception – from formula to packaging. “This has been engrained in the company’s philosophy since its inception and everyone at SHUNGA takes great pride in the seal of quality that is associated with our brand.” says Linda McLean, Customer Service Representative.

Manon Vallée : “The best way to know if a product is of good quality and if your customer is satisfied is when the customer buys it and then recommends it to a friend.” The notoriety of the SHUNGA Erotic Art brand has been made over the years through its loyal customer base. Manon Vallée has been travelling the planet for the past 20 years as a brand ambassador. From Siberia to Beijing, Paris to New York, and Mumbai to Buenos Air – everywhere the people she meets give her positive comments about the products. “It’s very energizing to have this kind of relationship with our customers. It makes us want to continue to do better and to go further.” says Manon. 

SHUNGA Erotic Art also has a strong brand recognition through its artwork. The company prides itself on its colourful images and loves to work with in-store retailers to create a branded SHUNGA space for an optimal shopping experience. “We work hard to allow our brand to be seen and recognized at a retail level. We love to help our customers with the creation and decoration of window and wall displays. Our boutique customers are very happy with the turnover of our products when they are grouped together and highlighted in the store. When the customers come in, they know exactly where to find us.” says KimChanel Vallée-Séguin, Director of Business Development.

THE FUTURE OF SHUNGA 

“We are very happy to have our daughter, KimChanel, in the company full-time for two years now. It brings a new perspective to all our projects. We are truly excited to have a great vision for the future of SHUNGA Erotic Art and above all a dynamic team to meet these new challenges. ” says Manon Vallée Vice President and Co-Founder. 

Without being able to say too much, SHUNGA Erotic Art reveals that several very exciting projects will materialize in the next year and you will not want to miss it …

A Few Words From The Founders 

“We would like to thank, from the bottom of our hearts, all our partners, customers and employees who have made these past 20 years a huge success. We have a lot of fun doing what we do and the satisfaction of each and every one is – and has always been – our commitment. We are now looking to the future to continue to innovate in the adult market for many more years to come …” – Manon Vallée and Sylvain Séguin.