NEW YORK--Beauty brand Elizabeth Arden has appointed Lippe Taylor to handle consumer PR activities, following an extensive agency search.

Lippe Taylor becomes the first PR firm appointed to work across the overall Elizabeth Arden brand.

The $1.2bn company is understood to have considered proposals from other contenders before selecting Lippe Taylor late last year. The account is being led by the firm’s MD, Jessica DiPietro.

Independent firm Lippe Taylor is particularly well-known for its marketing to women prowess, with a client roster that is dominated by fashion, beauty and health clients.

“We have a real heritage in marketing to women, deep experience in the beauty industry, and experience in building brands,” said Lippe Taylor president Jim Joseph. “It’s also a really nice cultural match.”

Founded in 1910, Elizabeth Arden is considered a pioneer in terms of beauty branding, with a product range that encompasses skincare, cosmetics and fragrances, along with its Red Door spas. Key competitors include L’Oreal, Estee Lauder and Revlon.

The company’s results for its most-recently completed fiscal year, ending 30 June 2011, demonstrated an increase in net sales of almost six percent, driven by international growth and a marketing realignment that helped branded product sales grow by eight percent.

Lippe Taylor also recently retained its six-year hold as Ikea’s corporate AOR.