When a new staffer joins Goop – Gwyneth Paltrow’s multimillion-dollar ‘new age’ wellnessempire – the recruit is asked to share something embarrassing about themselves. In return, the actor will answer a series of candid questions in front of the entire company. ‘They range from “what is your exact shade of hair colour”, to “can you give the background on jade eggs”,’ Elise Loehnen, chief content creator at Goop, and Gwyneth’s right-hand woman, tells Grazia. ‘She’s totally unabashed about answering questions as she feels like transparency is essential.’
This first ice-breaking experience makes perfect sense; especially as a large majority of Goop’s meetings consist of talking about orgasms, pastel-pink vibrators and vaginal steaming: a ritual that promises to cleanse the vagina with mugwort-infused steam. The Goop headquarters – a group of low-slung buildings in Santa Monica – are equally unconventional. ‘You’ll be walking through the kitchen and there’ll be people on the ground doing foam-rolling classes,’ Elise told us. (Foam-rolling, for those of you who don’t know, is a type of yoga that uses a three-foot long bolster that is ‘great for your fascia’, according to Elise.)
But what is a fascia, we hear you ask? ‘The thin membrane – sort of like the stringy bits on a chicken breast – which are also all over our bodies,’ Elise explained. ‘The idea is that the foam roller relieves tension.’ Gwyneth encourages these types of activities in the office because ‘it’s important that Goop practises the things we talk about,’ Elise explained. There are ‘knitting and thinking classes’, face massages at your desk and, in the new office (they’re moving in two weeks) there will be a yoga studio for meditation and classes. ‘Gwyneth didn’t have a traditional corporate upbringing,’ added Elise. ‘So she brings a totally unique perspective, which forces people to do things differently.’ Indeed, Gwyneth likes to have ‘walking meetings’ (for when a ‘conversation needs space around it and doesn’t need a computer’) and hold brainstorms while the team is ‘staring at the ocean’.
‘Gwyneth is super hands-on,’ continued Elise. ‘She pretty much knows everybody’s name and could probably identify what they do. She’s involved in everything; she reads the entire newsletter, full-proofing every news line and story. I don’t know how she does it – she’s capacious; it’s impressive.’ Goop has faced vitriolic criticism over its 10-year existence. Last year, the company faced a number of lawsuits for ‘deceptive marketing claims’; one, that its Inner Judge Flower Essence could cure depression, contributed to in a $145,000 fine under Californian law – without any admission of liability by Goop. But despite this, the empire has officially gone global, with a Goop Netflix documentary on the horizon.
‘There will be six mini docs about the concept of wellness,’ explained Elise. ‘Gwyneth’s been approached for about a decade about a TV show, but until recently we didn’t feel the timing was right.’ As the show will feature doctors, researchers and alternative health practitioners, Elise thinks there will be many ‘Goop converts’. ‘Typically, people think we’re totally whacky and they’re going to deride or mock us, but then they realise that they’re totally into it and it completely resonates with their lives,’ she affirmed.
‘Gwyneth,’ she continued, calls this ‘pattern recognition’. Indeed, the Oscar- winning actress was among the first to popularise gluten-free food; at first, she was widely lambasted, but now it’s a multimillion-dollar business. The mockery ‘doesn’t bother her’, added Elise. ‘She’s a big force in terms of mainstreaming new concepts. She knows criticism will follow, but recognises this is her role in culture.’
So, with an impending Netflix documentary and ‘In Goop Health’ coming to Britain (an all-day workshop with 600 people, featuring Gwyneth herself ), is Goop on the cusp of world domination? ‘Well, obviously!’ Elise jested. ‘We will continue to grow subtly, with care, as we want everyone who touches the brand to have the same incredible experience.’ Perhaps soon, Goop’s chakra crystals – which are ‘activated by mantras and blessed with Reiki’ – will find their way into most of our households.