Celebrity Websites:Blake Lively’s Preserve vs. Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop!
updated the 6 October 2015 à 23:58
Hollywood actress Blake Lively has recently followed in the footsteps of Gwyneth Paltrow and launched her own lifestyle website. But the question is: Who does it better?
26-year-old Blake Lively launched her new lifestyle website Preserve last Monday, to a lot of buzz. “Part magazine, part e-commerce hub, part philanthropic endeavor”, Preserve aims to promote people and their stories, through selling products made by artisans, both young and old, in the US. It is, essentially, a more modern, hip, slightly less expensive version of Gwyneth Paltrow’s website, Goop.
So while it does appear that Preserve has plenty of potential, the difference here is that Blake’s website has just launched, whilst Gwyneth’s has been running successfully, for a number of years. Both websites are meant to be geared toward the same audience – which is essentially people with a decent spending capacity, i.e. the rich. Although the stories are about the average talented American, the products they sell can get pretty pricey, although not as pricey as nearly every item on Goop. Both websites promote helping important causes, with lists of the charities the website is a part of and both include interesting stories about the celebrities’ philanthropic endeavours.
The stories on Preserve are about fashion, food, cool new places and feature artsy stories and video clips. Blake initially hesitated about calling it a lifestyle website, but because it has such a multidimensional outlook, she realized it is basically that, but one that focuses on people and not just the products. What we love about Preserve is the fact that there are such a wide range of interests addressed – from street food to the latest fashion covets. Where Goop loses out in that respect is that its products are mostly designer and horribly unaffordable. Unless you’ve got significant spending capacity, or are as rich as Gwyneth herself, the website definitely is nice to look at, but not something the average person can really be a part of, unlike with Preserve. The website is also a little more impersonal because of the lack of stories – it is more like an online store for the wealthy. We do, however adore Goop’s recipes and food photos – now that’s a little something for everyone.
Although it would be unfair not to give Gwyneth some credit, as Blake’s website was definitely influenced by the successful older actress’s website, Blake has made Preserve seem like a newer, improved, remodeled version of Goop.
Some of the products you can find on Preserve include artisanal foods like whole grain mustard, BBQ and hot sauces and even an artisanal salt collection. You can also find clothes that are generally cool and casual looking, handmade jewelry, travel bags and other interesting things. Some of the things for sale are a little odd, like the overpriced wooden crate (USD $95) and a ridiculously overpriced butcher’s apron (USD $140) – I mean really, who buys aprons online anyway? The photos on the website, however, are stunning, albeit slightly eerie, and the layout in general has this slightly indie, hipster vibe to it, making the whole approach seem rather bohemian, something we definitely approve of.
Despite the storm of criticism Blake has received about her website in the past few days, she is bravely foraging on. “I’m no editor, no artisan, no expert. And certainly no arbiter of what you should buy, wear, or eat,”, she relates in her letter from the editor on the website. We love her humble approach to this new endeavour and we wish her the very best. In essence, Preserve easily takes the trophy for being the better celebrity website – sorry Gwyneth!
Diya-Maya Tsering Bhalla
