She was the woman in the background of the early Magie and O de Lancôme advertising tests—never named in the ads, but physically present at every major launch. Fashion journalists began referring to her as "the Silvia of Lancôme" as a shorthand, and eventually, the name stuck. She legally changed her stage name to in 1960 to avoid confusion with other Italian models named Silvia.
Silvia explained her logic in a memo that later became a business school case study. She wrote: silvia lancome
In 1956, Silvia Lancome founded Laboratoire Lancome, a small company that would eventually become one of the world's leading beauty brands. With a focus on innovation and quality, Silvia developed a range of skincare products that combined the best of French expertise with cutting-edge technology. Her vision was simple yet ambitious: to provide women with effective, gentle, and luxurious skincare solutions that would help them achieve healthy, radiant skin. She was the woman in the background of