Top 10 Best-selling Masculine Fragrances in France

According to a study by Promise Inc. conducted in April 2011 over a male specimen of 1000 online users in France, three are the main attributes of consumers of fine fragrance in the masculine sector: luxury status, perceived virility in image and an intermediary slot reserved just for Jean Paul Gaultier (a position between design and creativity in regards to bottle, content and house image).

The study seeks primarily "to decrypt consumer’s perception of fragrance brands for men, it also highlights masculine consumption patterns". "Male buyers in selective distribution networks (e.g., Sephora, Marionnaud, Nocibé ...) purchase 64% of perfumes they use. These however do not forget woman. Since, 41% of fragrances bought in selective network are offered to women. Finally, if male buyers buy on average one fragrance every 9 months, they are offered on average a bottle every 16 months".

The best-selling list of masculine fragrances in France, as of 2011 goes like this:

1. Huge Boss by Hugo Boss
2. Le Male by J.P.Gaultier
3. Eau Sauvage by Dior
4. Dior Homme by Dior
5. Farhenheit by Dior
6. Azzaro Chrome
7. Chanel Allure
8. CK One by Calvin Klein
9. Azzaro pour Homme
10.Habit Rouge by Guerlain

It is interesting to note both the international infiltration into a national market as well as the super-conservative status of online male consumers, opting for fragrances that for the most part have been circulating for the last 15 years on the market (with only two exceptions, Dior Homme and Allure, these two benefiting from the halo effect of their respective houses)

info via www.premiumbeautynews.com

Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire no.2: fragrance review

Sharing the news a while ago on a second "model" of La Petite Robe Noire, a previous Guerlain fragrance that divided perfume enthusiasts, was a double-edged sword: On the one hand, one wants to like a new Guerlain, possibly because of the heritage and the luxe French factor. On the other hand, Guerlain lately have been reviving the brand in ways which have left a bitter taste in the mouth of hard-core fans, even though it garnered them new audiences and certainly a lot money in Swiss banks. La Petite Robe Noire no.2 has a problematic name to begin with, but that's not all.

Just imagine having to answer someone asking what perfume you're wearing; that affix of "2" in the end sounds fake and ridiculous to me. I realise that copyrighting names isn't easy, but if anyone could, Guerlain is the one who could recycle hundreds of names from their rich archives to spare this embarrassment. Olfactorily, La Petite Robe Noire model 2 leaves something to be desired and I can't say it has won me over, although arguably it's rather easier and less tooth-achingly fruity-sweet than the previous first installment which scared me with its insolent intrusion into my personal space when I had placed a blotter atop my book on Minoan pottery I was consulting at the time.

To its detriment La Petite Robe Noire no. 2 still features the gimauve accord (that's the marshmallow "note"), this time garlanded by orange blossom and dusted with powdery-dry notes that are oscillating between face makeup and white suede. The opening of La Petite Robe Noire model 2, clean, scrubbed and bright, is still revealing a light gourmand character with a vanillic interlay that veers into almond nuances; but it's smoother, cuter and thankfully less berry-rich than the previous effort. The cuddly quality and the dry musky suede feel are not without some charm, better expressed on a blotter or fabric than on skin (Is this also an effort to grab the consumer into the first instances of testing?).

Still, these "hip" fragrant launches, destined by their shelf placement for the connoisseur circuit of people shopping for fragrance (and Guerlain fragrance at that!) at the eponymous boutiques or the Bergdorf Goodman "corner", pose a question: Why are they becoming a central focus requiring ample time off in-house Thierry Wasser's busy schedule instead of having these powers directed at working on a smashing new mainstream release or a beautiful classy exclusive instead (like Tonka Impériale before)? Unless teenager gamines shop regularly at the above mentioned places and are cognizant of the Guerlain brand apart from their makeup line and the Terracotta range (which still drives a huge percentage of the company sales), I'm at a loss to understand the positioning of those fragrances, just like I was perplexed by the romantic thinking behind Idylle as advertised on US soil.


Apparently Sylvaine Delacourte, art director chez Guerlain, says the first La Petite Robe Noire sold well and we do know from the US launch ahead that the American audience was (oddly?) targeted mainly: The latter isn't anything new, even as far back as Chanel No.5 and Coty's bestsellers America has been the greatest luxury devouring market on the planet and justifiably a marketer's wet dream. Often they underestimate that market.
Still La Petite Robe Noire and La Petite Robe Noire 2 occupy that middle ground that is hesitant between donning a full on couture gown for special occasions or just everyday wear with hip accents for that party and end up smelling like they don't know what they're doing, raising their cocktail glass like the nouveau rich amidst family guests at a chateau in the Loire valley.

The bottle, still in the iconic inverted heart design that houses Mitsouko and L'Heure Bleue, is now reprised in dark rose and the black dress on it is strappy with a lacy hem; more like a negligee, really, but in good fun.

Notes for Guerlain La Petite Robe Noire no.2:
Head notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Galbanum
Heart notes: Orange Blossom, Marshmallow, Iris
Base notes: Leather, White Musk


bottle pic via placevendome.be

Smells Like 2010: Hits & Flops in Perfume

In an article in the New York Times, penned by Catherine Saint Louis, we learn which fragrances made it and which tanked last year, according to the NPD Group market research team. Oddly enough the text reads like a nicely placed endorsement instead of a critical commentary one would expect on the results, but of course the scope of the article never was to criticize, merely to report. Additionally, it's mentioned that "Final annual tallies from NPD won’t be available until later this month". So why the rush dear?

The most important feature is this quote however:

"Ms. Grant dared to hope for “at least a flat year,” which would be an improvement, she said, considering that “fragrance has pretty much been in decline, except for a few years with celebrity fragrances” since 2001."

So which were the big sellers? In the mainstream circuit, they were:

Gucci Guilty

Chanel Chance Eau Tendre

Bleu de Chanel (apparently the biggest men's premiere in Bloomingdale's ever)

Ralph Lauren Big Pony collection

May I say yawn, at this point...

The celebrity fragrances were many (as usual, especially in view of the above quote) but apparently they didn't do that well, Beyonce's Heat mentioned in those. It's a bit contradictory to what was circulated at the moment of launch, when Heat was quoted as being a "fly off the shelves" item that was unprecedented. Hmmm.....

The other interesting thing that begs for commentary is Jennifer Aniston's celebrity perfume, initially hailed as Lola Vie (LOL@vie, if you're slow on the up-taking) and then changed into simply Aniston . Everyone is reporting that it didn't sell well, it flopped etc. Now, where's the catch? It's definitely not a reflection on Jennifer's popularity which remains as strong as ever. It's simple really: Aniston, the fragrance, was launched as an exclusive at Harrod's in the UK who didn't ship outside the country, thus effectively cutting off the core audience of Jennifer (America) from access to the product that would first and foremost appeal to them! The rationale behind such a distribution move remains to be seen, as Aniston did make it all the way to London to appear to the launch, hugging the bottle in rapture, apparently oblivious to what would ensue.

Best-selling fragrances in the niche sector (according to Barney's and Aedes)?

Byredo M/Ink

Bois 1920 Classic

Santa Maria Novella Melograno

Gendarme original cologne

Aedes de Venustas by L'Artisan

F.Malle Portrait of a Lady

Somehow, I don't think the rather iconoclastic minerals & musks M/Ink or the intricately complex Aedes de Venustas fragrance can be viewed in the same light as Gendarme, or Portrait of a Lady, which cater to more traditional tastes. But this is what has been reported all the same. Melograno is such an old niche mainstay that I can't but think these are repeat buyers.

As to trands to look out for in fragrance for 2011? The continuation of oud in the mainstream, more flankers coming up (one for Marc Jacob's Daisy for sure), the resurgence of powder (according to Karen Dubin of Sniffapalooza and her love of...Love, Chloé) and the return of ThreeASFOUR by Colette (a concept perfume).

For a glimpse on what we thought as best in 2010, please refer to our 2010 Best & Worst list.

Parfums Boucheron Change Hands

Parfums Boucheron, sprung out of the famous jewellers by the same name and until recently in the hands of L’Oréal, will soon join Interparfums, a dynamic group of no less than 259 millions of euros in sales last year. The agreement will be effective January 1st 2011 and will last for 15 years.

Founded in 1982, Interparfums control the licences of fragrances for Burberry, Paul Smith and Jimmy Choo (a new, upcoming fragrance by the celebrated shoe-maker is in the works), while they also own parfums Lanvin.
Boucheron, on the other hand, is making its presence known in the Far East with the launch of 6 to 10 jewellery boutiques in the following 5 years in the Chinese market, in accordance to Sparkle Roll Group Limited of Hong Kong.

The fragrance portfolio of Parfums Boucheron is fairly restrained: Five fragrances comprise the current line-up, invariably of high quality (and in the case of Boucheron de Boucheron, to majestic effect): B de Boucheron, Boucheron (femme), Boucheron pour homme, Miss Boucheron et Jaïpur Homme. Boucheron Trouble and Initial have been discontinued, according to our sources.
Usually take-overs spell news on the fragrant front, be it in the way of repackaging (usually with a face-lift to the scent itself) or a new plate of advertising opportunities. Let's hope for the latter, rather than the former. Parfums Boucheron are fine as they are.

Esxence 2011 Niche Perfumery Exhibition

ESXENCE 2011, the exhibition for the appreciation of Artistic Perfumery will take place at Le Palazzo della Permanente, Via F. Turati 34, in Milan, Italy from 31 March to 3 April 2011.
Opening Hours:
Thursday 31 March and Friday 1 April, for professional and press visitors only: 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 April, open to the public: 10.00 a.m. – 6.00 p.m.
For further information, please contact: I.C.E. Organising Secretariat: tel. +39.02.34538354 or visit the official Esxence link.

Esxence The Scent of Excellence, now on its third installation, is once again the must-attend benchmark and rendezvous for brand owners, creators, producers, distributors, buyers and retailers from all over the world, an ideal event for developing a constantly growing market that can offer competitive advantages to those who produce fragrances that are not intended to appeal to everybody, but to express olfactory creativity and communication. This is a sector that the statistics show to be maturing coherently, guaranteeing that its dealers achieve results comparable to those of conventional perfumery. After achieving an increase of 54% in brands represented in 2010 compared to the previous year and thousands of visitors from more than 24 different countries, the main aim of the 2011 edition is to pursue its activity of contributing to developing Artistic Perfumery as a creative art that springs from human talent, so as to spread knowledge about it and encourage its diffusion as a unique, fascinating artistic heritage. In Italy alone, this sector has reached a turnover estimated at 120 million Euros and has a total potential of more than 850 million Euros at European level.
The Promoting Committee – which has confirmed I.C.E. International Club Exhibitions, a company specialising in niche events, as organiser of Esxence for the third year running – has already chosen the new International Technical Committee of experts in the sector, whose task is to apply predetermined shared parameters to filter the numerous applications to participate, so as to keep access selective and highly qualified.

Esxence The Scent of Excellence 2011 will feature perfume products that make a distinctive mark for their expressive capacity, quality, authenticity and finesse, created to give olfactory form to metals, to stones, to seas, to oceans and to deserts, adopting combinations previously considered impossible. These refined creations convey a sense of strength and vigour, narrating unique, magical stories, acting out dramas and comedies and telling fables from different eras, always plucking the chords of the emotions with their undeniable power to evoke.

info via press release

How will the LVMH Hostile Stake Affect Hermes Fragrances?

It's no news that Louis Vuitton Moët Hennesy (LVMH) acts as a real-life Pacman, trying to eat all pac dots, i.e. luxe companies, through the maze of the international luxury market, digesting them into an undistinguishable mush which tends to divest them of their artisanal roots and top-notch quality control in lieu of creative bean-counting and super profits for crass product that screams "look at me".

Their latest desire to impose a hostile takeover at Hermès International (or at least the deciding majority of votes at board meetings), as announced at the end of October 2010, poses some serious problems and lots of opposition, no less from the heirs of the late Jean Louis Dumas. Of course with Hermès set to report another revenue increase, a 30% for the third quarter 0f 2010, it’s easy to understand why LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault ~whose own profits have slipped in the last year~ has such a keen interest in the company! "The family has clearly and unanimously told Le Figaro that the French mogul is to back off: "If you want to be friendly, Mister Arnault, you need to withdraw," Bertrand Puech, a fifth-generation descendant of founder Thierry Hermes, was quoted as saying. The family owns about 73% of Hermès' share capital, and its partnership structure means no change in contral can take place without family agreement. Afterall, it's family-run which cemented both their heritage and their endurance during the international economic crisis. With Arnault banging down the door, "will class be turned to mass", as Newsweek wondered?

It is not widely known however that LVMH had already acquired some shares at the beginning of 2008 through societies which belonged to them (equity shares), but it was the announcement on Reuters of 17,1% retaining of the total capital of the rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré house which sparked the flames, especially since it was reported to the saddle-producing house only hours before going on air: Actually it was 5% and 10% of the capital of Hermès on October 21st and 15% on October 24th, to be more precise. According to the same source "LVMH said over the weekend it had acquired its Hermes holdings at an average price of 80.5 euros a share, or a 54 percent discount to Hermes' closing share price prior to the announcement, raising questions as to how it had secured such a price."

Women’s Wear Daily reports that the company used a number of stealth maneuvers, including cash-settle equity swaps and use of several cannily named LVMH subsidiaries, to increase its stake in Hermes by over 14% without identifying itself as a competitor to Hermès brass! [quote] Is Bernaud Arnault the Anti-Chirst? Meanwhile, the group will await the French market regulator's decision on whether LVMH's stake purchase happened legally.

The fiercest competition and the heavyweight fight concerns handbags, the two competitors owning the top prestigious manufacturing of coveted luxury handbags in the world. But since they also own some of the best known and respected fragrances sectors respectively the questions does enter the scope of the Perfume Shrine.

Hermès is a peculiar case and merits its own analysis, because it's the last ultra-traditional, ultra-refined, top-notch recognisable luxe company with fragrances in its portfolio standing on French soil still. The historic house of Guerlain has been already taken-over by LVMH several years ago and the effects have been somewhat less than satisfactory for those of us who appreciate history, family-held tradition and minute attention to quality controls and artistic concepts. The flux of the the behemoth's money benefited the refurbishing of the perfume mecca that is the flaship store at Champs Elysees, yet it has resulted in dubious reformulations, an avalanche of questionable releases priced for Arab shieks with a penchant for showing off French insignia and the reliquinshing of the firm's control by the last heir, Jean Paul Guerlain.
Parfums Dior have suffered an even worse fate in the hands of LVMH, lowering the quality of the vintages and repackaging blatant lies with the same names on the tags but half the soul. Givenchy, the former bastion of restrained elegance under Hubert de Givenchy, became the producer of myriads of mainstream fragrances for men and women who dare not differ from their fellow commuters on the train to work.
Chanel, on the other hand, although still independent, stirred surely by the Wertheimers, has profited by a long-held respect and almost awe which it doesn't wholly deserve nowadays. Although the Les Exclusifs move was one of quality, albeit also of impressionalism and opposite awe towards Hermes who had just issued the Hermessences before them, the latest releases ~from the shampoo-formula trite Chance Eau Tendre to the uber-bland and predictable masculine Bleu de Chanel~ point to a downspiral fall which is echoed through the halls of Rue Cambon and its mirrored staircase in no uncertain terms.

The only one left to guard Thermopylae in what seems like the last bastion of French tradition is Hermès and I for one sincerely hope it does not go down in history for a Spartan ending. In perfumery terms, that would mean a capitulation to the lowest common denominator, an eradication of everything and starting afresh (look what happened to the Italian house of Fendi parfums, which had a sudden discontinuation of ALL its perfumers upon seizure by LVMH) and a spike at prices on faux-luxury "fountain" extraits de parfum with fancy names going for several thousands of dollars...

Luxury writer Dana Thomas, who famously wrote the pithy Deluxe: How Luxury Lost is Lustre is fingering the French mogul as a fiendish money-making former property developer with no artistic sensibility and comparing Louis Vuitton to McDonald’s “A million served,” says Thomas drily. The logo is as recognisable as the golden arches. “It really is. I would certainly put it in the top 10, along with Nike, Coca-Cola...”

Hermès, to their credit, continued to be family-run in a world which moved into complex corporate circles and in a rare perceptive move hired an in-house perfumer of international renown, Jean Claude Ellena, who with his masterful, very refined palette and distinctive style imbued the Hermes fragrances with a clear signature, a refined intellectualism and a sense of true old-money luxury: not trying too hard, no gilted logos, no vulgar display of affluence, a in-the-know hush-hush acceptance of secret codes. Of course this move proved to be financially intelligent while still a continuation of the spirit of the house: The fragrance sector for Hermès bloomed to unprecedented heights and the company even considers expanding to the Asian market with a specific line geared only to them.
Would a take-over by LVMH signal the destruction of such a happy co-existence of quality and successful presence in the market?

According to a very perceptive and spot-on article in Forbes: "Unlike many of its competitors, including major French conglomerates Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy and PPR, owned by billionaires Bernard Arnault and Francois Pinault, respectively, the brand has been able to increase sales by continuing to please its core customer, rather than aiming to attract a broader audience. At Hermès, you won’t find a $500 dollar handbag like you will at PPR-owned Gucci, or $300 plastic costume earrings, which are on sale at privately-owned Chanel. Instead, the 170-year-old company focuses on producing limited editions of their handbags, which begin at $5,000. “What’s really interesting about Hermès is that they have not followed the typical luxury model,” says Lucian James , president of Agenda Inc, a brand strategy firm in Paris and San Francisco. “When other luxury brands were reaching to a slightly bigger mass market, Hermès made a very specific decision not to do that.”

It's interesting to note, according to an interview in French newspaper Le Figaro, how the manager Patrick Thomas has since opposed the behemoth's insatiable appetite in no unclear terms, going at the root of the matter: “Hermès has absolutely no need of help, support or guardian.” “This culture (of craftmanship and strong traditions) is hardly compatible with one of a big group. It is not a financial battle, it’s a cultural battle.”

Indeed...

All opinions pronounced by Elena Vosnaki are the sole responsibility of its author and are not endorsed by any luxury house.

pics via mediairte.com, newsweek & dana thomas

Martin Margiela Untitled wins Grand Prix Strategies Design 2010

Maison Martin Margiela (MMM) won Le Grand Prix Stratégies du design 2010 on the 6th of October thanks to his new perfume release, Untitled (more info on the fragrance on our previous article). The prize includes accolades for both his dossier de press (press-kit) and the Wed design for the homonymous site. Apparently, Untitled is not to remain Unsung; that is for sure.

Dior Diorama new re-issue 2010: Fragrance Review & Musings on Reformulation

When one of the revered classics gets re-issued, it is cause for celebration. Or disenchantment. It really is a delicate balance. Diorama is no stranger to various versions circulating through the years since its original creation by Edmond Roudnitska in 1949. (You can read our own review on this page) Alternatively dirtier/raunchier (perfume aficionado speak is "skanky") or like a bowl of sunny late summer fruit left on the table to ripen a tad longer than usual (thanks to the famous Prunol base which Roudnitska was so fond of), Diorama has had its phases. The latest one involves a re-issue, just this minute going downtown in specific stores wordlwide (contrary to its Parisian Avenue Montaigne exclusivity as of last year) and a different attribution: to François Demachy, creative art director and head perfumer at parfums Dior, rather to Edmond Roudnitska. What does this mean? Many things.

• First of all, the industry secret on it being reworked was revealed to me quite a while ago alongside the difference attribution, when approached by a journalist who wanted my input for his research on something concerning the brand and the perfumer. I hope to be able to reveal the length of our coming and goings in the future. But I digress. The matter is the attribution to Demachy signals a change in the formula. Surely, the formula had been tweaked a couple of times already, like mentioned above. But the name of the illustrious creator was guarded as a porte-chance (a good luck charm). Divesting it of its legendary lineage creates an enigma as to whether Demachy has gained full creative control at Dior under the LVMH shortage of budgets for creations or whether his talents are sort of "sold short" as I believed, especially given his tutoring under Edmond himself. (After all François Demachy did beautiful work when the formula restrains were either lifted momentarily for J'Afore L'Absolu or concaved into the inherent idea of simplicity in the style proposed, as in Escale à Portofino). Is an attribution of the reworking of an acclaimed fragrance the final test and the signal from LVMH that there is perfumer lineage there? Is it merely a marketing trick? Or a desire to highlight the role of their head perfumer?

• Another aspect is that the former unattainability of Diorama (being a Paris flagship Dior store exclusive) for most of the perfume lovers the world over is now into crumbles, even if the places of sale are not low-brow at all. Still, the opening to the Anglo-Saxon market signals something important in the luxury business outlook. Namely that creating a hard-to-get exclusive creates a frenzy (uncle Serge played this game first and best) but you have to make sure that that frenzy finds a way to invade the biggest consumer market of them all and the one more attuned to the Internet: the USA and North America in general. Ergo Saks is now carrying Diorama as an exclusive, catering for the increased awareness of classics and more obscure fragrances by an audience which was brought up on the Internet or delurked enough to take notice. It was with surprise I had found out last year that even regular fare which we consider normal perfume counter-material (Diorella, Miss Dior etc.) is hiding beneath specific counters in the US and you have to explicitly ask for them to try them out. Maybe LVMH has finally realised they're sitting on a (very) dumped down brand (lately) and decided to make amends? Let's hope so!

• Which leaves us with the actual fragrance of the re-issued Diorama. How does it smell like? To cut a long story short, it is still recognisably Diorama, meaning a ripe juice with plummy goodness embracing an unidentified white flower at the heart, somewhere between sweet jasmine and the caramelised scent of immortelle.
  Comparing with the till recently circulating re-issue on Avenue Montaigne one would detect some cleaning up which veered it further into Le Parfum de Thèrese direction with a bastardised peach overripeness rather than melon; and at the same time further away from Femme (both Roudnitska creations, the latter preceding Diorama, the former following it). It was still a nice perfume, but not on a par with the older vintages and I personally voted with my wallet for the contemporary bottles of Diorling.
  The Diorama re-issue of 2010, much like the 50s vintage versions, is closer to Femme with its patisserie density and its bosom-heavy cumin tonalities and sports a particularly vivid Damascena rose on its lapel alongside the peaches and plums. Still, the inky, muddy depth of oakmoss is flamboyant in its...absence. The new re-issue of Diorama feels more like a fruity woody with a thin voice than a traditional chypre with timber tibre, much as it tries...

The re-issued Diorama is currently a Saks exclusive in the US, and available at Harrods and Fortnum's in London. Dior is re-issuing their classics under an umbrella collection called Les Créations de Monsieur Dior (no matter that Dior died in 1957 before many were conceived). You can read all about those here.

If it smells good and enough people like it and buy it all the time, , constantly, it becomes a classic

It's in those terms that Rochelle Bloom, president of the Fragrance Foundation, the educational non-profit center devoted to fine fragrance, explains the fact that 7 out of the 10 top sellers in the US have remained the same in the last 10 years. The notiong of "modern classic", thus defined. The only thing remaining to be clarified is what smells "good". Apparently Forbes reports several interesting tidbits, one of which is that perfume companies are not playing their distribution channels smartly: Mary J.Blige's new fragrance is sold through the Home Shopping Network, so buyers buy before even sniffing! And they do let on about what makes for the popularity stakes: "According to the NPD Group, a market research company that tracks fragrance sales, the top five best-selling prestige fragrance brands sold in U.S. department stores in 2009 were:
1. Chanel's Coco Mademoiselle (2001)
2. Giorgio Armani's Acqua Di Gio Pour Homme (1997)
3. Estee Lauder's Beautiful (1985)
4. Dolce and Gabbana's Light Blue (2001)
5. Chanel's Chanel No. 5 (1921)"
White Diamonds by Elizabeth Taylor is a firm favourite in the top-10 of mass appeal, ever since its launch in 1991.
Ancilary products are another way of adding cachet & sales to the scented routine. Nourish your skin with skin care lotion and add Sarah Jessica Parker perfume for extra results.That would be one example of toping up the experience, wouldn't it.

In contrast the Top 10 Best Selling Fragrances in France according to popular L'Internaute are:
1. Angel by Thierry Mugler
2. Lolita Lempicka by Lolita Lempicka
3. Flower by Kenzo
4. Allure by Chanel
5. Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel
6. J'Adore by Dior
7. No.5 by Chanel
8. Shalimar by Guerlain
9. Dior Addict
10. Samsara by Guerlain

Discuss!

The Givaudan iPerfumer Application: Cutting-Edge or Demystifying?

Technology would get to perfume; it was only a matter of time! Studies had suggested that "particularly among young people, there is no propensity to buy perfume, but on the contrary, they are enthusiastic about technology" (according to Maurizio Volpi). So in order to boost perfume sales, what better than to engage them through technology? This after all is the method employed by several companies of other products as well: entice with something irrelevant so as to stir into the wanted direction. We "consume" loads of digital media every day (blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) so is this the new direction, especially for luxury brands to communicate their message? And is this message a frank one? Vivien Westwood had said during a speech at Unesco: "We can lie to one person once, two persons twice.... but never to everyone everytime".

According to the press release by Givaudan who introduced the iPerfumer application (for iPhone) in mid-June, shortly after beauty giant Estée Lauder announced its Ascent iPhone application to facilitate in-store perfume shopping: "Givaudan, the industry-leading perfumery house has created a unique tool to help individuals select their perfect fragrance. Now available for free download from the Apple App Store, iPerfumer offers individuals tailored advice on which perfumes to try, removing the confusion that often surrounds choosing perfume. Revolutionary in its approach, iPerfumer is a personal fragrance consultant in your pocket. It provides fragrance recommendations to help make informed choices, either for yourself, or when buying gifts for others". The technique is a rather standard one, pioneered by Michael Edwards who also has his own "recommendations" method on his Fragrances of the World site and has Sephora utilize his system (by fragrance sub-families and common notes).
On iPerfumer, after identifying yourself by sex, age and country, you're asked to take note of the six olfactory families proposed (Citrus / Chypre / Floral / Fougere / Oriental / Woody) ~famous examples for each provided to make it easy for novices. Then you can enter some of the perfumes which you like. And after processing those results, the application recommends several fragrances for you personally.
But is the new iPerfumer application as plain sailing as all that? We decided to investigate.


Michel Gutsatz, a brand strategy expert at The Scriptorium Company and the head of Le Jardin Retrouve, takes a critical look at the iPerfumer application by Givaudan at LuxurySociety.com. His doubts corner three drawbacks which also seem crucial to me: no motivation to try out the recommended fragrances (no info, no story, nothing), lack of ergonomy in acessing previous part of the profile created, "sterile" treatment of perfumery (the application doesn't create any of the inherent magic of perfume).
The matter of Augmented Reality (a hot topic that garnered a lot of momentum after the success of James Cameron's Avatar) surfaces when talking about how the iPhone rates compared to other methods. iPhone applications are entertaining, but the technology within the iPhone (and soon the iPad) is not yet able to unlock the true potential of Augmented Reality to the same extent that different media (a web-cam enabled shop display, a home computer or laptop) can. In the luxury industry (and perfumes do belong there for better or worse) where gimmicks are usually not taken very seriously will the iPhone and its applications find the fertile ground they need to catch the eye of the consumer and would they need to make the leap from "techie geek" to "lifestyle" to do so?

My additional qualm is that the results garnered on the iPerfumer often bear little relation to what a seasoned perfume enthusiast would expect out of the submitted information to begin with. But bearing in mind how in order to get recommendations in the first place, you're asked to "rate" (enough) fragrances according to preference, I would think that the ulterior purpose of the application is to provide Givaudan with an extraordinary cheap market research tool via which to monitor the scented tastes of iPhone users worldwide! And it does look like it's going to be updated at intervals, with a version 2.0 to roll around when there is need for yet more monitoring and see how tastes have evolved.

What do you think?

Sony Wafts Welcoming Scents

The electronics giant we all know, Sony, employs a special blend of smelly essences in its stores diffused through scattered electronic devices in order to welcome women and men projecting feelings of ease and quality. The special blend includes essences of vanilla, mandarin, bourbon and other secret ingredients.

This is what we learn through an article in the ABC News: "Gino Biondi, the chief marketing officer for ScentAir, the company that developed the scent for Sony and makes the diffusers, says the smell of vanilla puts women, typically intimidated by electronics, at ease, while the mandarin denotes class. The bourbon is there for the guys. "It basically enhances the environment for a first great impression," says Biondi, whose company serves everyone from Express clothing to Mandalay Bay Resorts".
But scent in general aids consumerism. A study appearing in the Journal of Consumer Research, affirms that scents improve consumers' memory in relation to products, according to scientists at the University of Michigan and Rutgers University. The co-authors Aradhna Krishna, May Lwin and Maureen Morrin claim that scented products perform better in info memory tests vs. non-scented products. "This occurs even though the product scent is not reintroduced at the time of recall, and even when memory is assessed as much as two weeks after product exposure."

Martin Lindstrom, author of "Buyology: The Truth and Lies about How we Buy" gives some examples of how specific odours act subliminally and how they're used: Vanilla is considered comforting due to its evoking breastfeeding milk, therefore "making you feel childish, young, energetic" while wood reflects a back to nature, earthy, solid, classic set of values. On the other hand fruit is summery, thus making people feel "more open-minded, happy and sexual", while lavender affects the heart beat by slowing it down thus making people linger longer in the stores. Cigars and leather are the perfect choice for banks and law firms, apparently, as these odours reflect "conservative values" (supposedly people in power having the money to afford the smell items, I'd presume, so you feel like you're in the hands of authority and successful monetary churning). Several companies from fashion to cars (and even real estate) work with these guidelines in mind and the trend is only going to expand.

Pic via blog.se-nse.net

Annick Goutal Distribution in USA Under BPI Aegis

Great news for US fans of the Annick Goutal line of pretty and interesting fragrances! After a problematic distribution which resulted in unsubstantiated rumours of discontinuing the line across the pond, Beauté Prestige International has announced (and it has been broadcast on several venues) that their USA branch will be marketing and distributing the brand themselves under an exclusive agreement.



Previously the Goutal line of fragrances, skincare, home scents and candles was carried at select doors including Barney's, Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. Several products however were out of stock for a long time in the past year, raising concerns. The explanation was simple, as stated in simple terms by The Non Blonde. Now we learn even more details. "BPI spokesperson Jessica Barlow told CosmeticsDesign.com USA that for the last 9 months Annick Goutal has been handling the distribution of its products in the US from its Paris headquarters. BPI will maintain the current distribution channel, said Barlow, which currently stands at approximately 150 prestige stores".
The Goutal brand, founded in 1980 by former model and pianist Annick Goutal herself and with a strong personal streak running through the creations, was associated with the Taittinger group and by extension with Baccarat crystal in 1985. After the death of Annick in 1999 Brigitte Taittinger entrusted Camille Goutal (one of Goutal's daughters) and Isabelle Doyen, Annick's perfumer since 1988 with the continuation of the brand, which materialised admirably. The Goutal company was acquired by the Starwood Capital Group in September 2005, alongside the whole Taittinger Group. And now, another change.
May I remind you that the Parisian-based mother company, Beauté Prestige International, are handling the Shiseido and Lutens portfolio with great results so far. And the USA branch is also handling the distribution of parfums Hermes in the States. Also included in the company’s portfolio are fragrances from Issey Miyake, Jean Paul Gaultier and Narcisco Rodriguez. So it all worked out for the best!

According to Forbes: "Over the past three decades, the name Annick Goutal has become virtually synonymous with the very highest level of quality and luxury in the realm of lifestyle fragrances," says Nicholas Munafo, President of Beaute Prestige International USA. "The perfumery house has consistently raised the bar with each successive launch, solidifying its position as a leading creator of artisanal scents, while faithfully maintaining the traditions so integral to its core values. BPI's proven strategy of growing distinctive, high-end fragrance brands in limited distribution channels seems a natural fit for Annick GoutalParfums, and we are well-positioned to maximize the brand's significant potential in the US market."
According to Brigitte Taittinger, President of Annick Goutal, "Since the creation of the brand, the US market has always been our first export market. Our distribution, very selective since the beginning, is a reflection of our brand positioning. We have total trust in the 'know how" of BPI USA to support the development of Annick Goutal in the states, respectful of our image and specificities".

The new distribution agreement will be effective as of July 1st, 2010.

Photo of Goutal boutique by the helpful Lianne Tio in the Netherlands.

45,600 Euros for a Guerlain Bottle! Say What?

If the price is shocking to boot, let me clarify this is a historical collectible Guerlain flacon engraved and dating from as far back as 1870 which was sold at an auction in Toledano at Arachon (Gironde) this past Saturday 29th May and bought by a serious French collector.

The auction included many worthwhile specimens, among them various designs by René Lalique and one by Gabrielle Chanel, signed Ivoire, which began its course at 200 euros only to hit the ceiling at 1300 euros! At least 81% of the bottles auctioned were sold to buyers from around the world, mostly French, but also Australian, Russian, Canadian, Indian and Chinese.



According to Bernand Gangler, professional appraiser of perfume bottles, who proclaimed the auction "one of the most beautiful in the world", this particular Guerlain perfume bottle sale is a world record that will take a long time to be surpassed. The initial appraisal was estimated between 20,000 and 30,000 euros, but it skyrocketed in the end. The "Rue de la Paix" engraved bottle (featuring the original address of Guerlain, 15 rue de la Paix) was part of a massive auction of 250 lots produced between 1870 and 1900. Nota bene this was not the Rue de la Paix perfume, issued in 1908 but merely a bottle of unidentified as yet perfume signed with the old address.
Another world record was set by "Fontaines Parfumées" signé Depinoix et Julien Viard which settled at 32,400 euros while originally estimated around 10,000 euros.
It's clear that valuable perfume bottles collecting has legs! Be extra attentive to whom you're leaving your perfume collection in your will.

photo via bibliodyssey blog

Christopher Brosius: "In this country, a lot of people wear perfume for everyone else"

A very good profile of Christopher Brosius, the man behind Demeter fragrances and CB I Hate Perfume innovative scents is published on the Wall Street Journal by author Paul Glader. (click the link to read the article).

"In this country, a lot of people wear perfume for everyone else," said Mr. Brosius, 47 years old. "People wear my perfume for themselves first. Everyone else comes second." A former architectury student, Brosius now makes 36 blended perfume (costing between $65 to $275 for different sizes) and caters to those with eclectic tastes and those who....hate perfume. Well, not really, but the concept is of a perfumery that trancends the seductive, the keeping up with the Joneses and the aspirational social climbing.
What I especially liked is that "Regardless of demand, he says he wants to keep his perfume staff at five or fewer. 'This is, really, a luxury business,' he said 'Part of that means remaining small.' The recession dented his sales last year, but now he says growth is back on the rise, and he is considering a move to a larger factory and, perhaps, a storefront in Manhattan. He's also thinking of launching a clothing line."

On that last part, Avery Gilbert had the most hilarious comment (and artwork to accompany it): "I met Brosius once at a Fragrance Foundation event in New York where he was wearing a cape and black leather pants with what appeared to be a silver-studded codpiece". Codpieces or not for this new venture, let's hope Brosius maintains the perfume business anyway.


photo of Christopher Brosius via Sniffapalooza Magazine

Comme des Garcons Wonderwood: new fragrance & short film

The new fragrance by Comme des Garçons is called Wonderwood and focuses of course on...woods! The unisex fragrance is acompanied by a short film shot by the Quay Brothers who are highly renowned for their stop motion filming technique. The story involves a man for whom the love of trees simply cannot be put into words. The edgy video has been uploaded on Youtube where you can watch it with ease (the video had debuted exclusively at Love Magazine UK). The video medium is fast becoming the new vehicle through which top brands choose to promote their products, often assisted by artistic direction by top creators.

There's Hope for the Average Perfume Customer Still

I don't make a habit of reporting my fragrance consulting services, as I believe one person's qualms against jasmine and another's perception of patchouli as "mothballs-like" are of no particular interest to others, unless they happen to share them. Yet a recent session proved so particularly surprising and satisfactory on multiple levels, one of which is reinforcement of the belief that the consumer isn't a fool after all, that I thought you might get a kick out of it and maybe start a dialogue about similar observations you have made. At any rate, you'll be the judge in the comments!

My subject was a girly girl in her 20s, style-aware and groomed, interested in fragrances in general, exposed to mainstream market scents and marginally familiar with basic perfume vocabulary. Her skin is normal and lightly-toned and she has dark hair and light green eyes. She initially professed a like for floral fragrances, noticing two I wore in the preliminary conversations (Insolence Eau de Toilette and Lys Mediterranée) with no particular "NOs" pointed out. She possesses what is commonly called "a mathematical mind" and considers fragrance wearing a feminine touch but also a delight for the senses. This info is routinely amassed to summarise preferences and peculiarities, although I follow a complimentary technique based on a quick pop-quizz with multiple choices that seem out of the loop ~which you will please allow me to keep to myself for now, after all I have a business to attend to.

I organised the list of fragrance bottles to try so that most would be accessible without too much trouble where she lives, that they span across different fragrance families and different eras and that they embody some of the characteristics which came out of the short interview and test she took. I also took pains to propose fragrances which for the most part could be worn in a warmer climate, with a couple of exceptions.

So what did I present her with? Here's the list!

1. Diorella by Dior (A classic green-fruity chypre with summery appeal)
2. Cristalle by Chanel in Eau de Toilette concentration (A fresh citrusy "green" that is higher pitched)
3. Eau d'Hermès (A mid-of-the-century classic built on citrus-leather accords with a "dirty" musky underside)
4. Lys Mediterranée by F.Malle (A salty, spicy floral of lily and a foray into niche)
5. Insolence by Guerlain in Eau de Parfum concentration (A metallic and hair-spray violet & berries scent that is especially lasting)
6. Grand Amour by Annick Goutal (A heady floral bouquet that veers into floriental)
7. Rumeur by Lanvin (A modern woody musk with undefinable florals thrown in)
8. Shalimar by Guerlain in vintage Eau de Cologne (The classic oriental standby with a bronze-y feeling of smoked vanilla and oppoponax).
9. Theorema by Fendi (The discontinued marvel that combines the gourmand aspects of orange chocolate and traditional resinous heritage into an oriental fit even for summer)
10. Fumerie Turque by Serge Lutens (A milky take on a masculine theme, tobacco, and the trial by fire on baroque compositions)
11. Mitsouko by Guerlain in vintage parfum concentration (The very essence of rich fruity chypre with a murky depth of oakmoss sensuality)
12. Eau de Merveilles by Hermès (An odd duck out, fitting in no particular category, poised as it is between a salty ambergris skin-scent and woody overtones of non-definable nature)

A dozen does not a dime make: The testing period involved at home living with the fragrances for a few days, before choosing one as a favourite which would be the compass into more specific and nuanced suggestions (and to that end, I welcome your ideas!). Her pick?

No drumroll emoticon could be enough, as the choice although perfectly transparent for the two of us, is quite surprising to the rest of the world I guess: The unisex masterpiece from 1951, bring niche before there was niche, and the one which one of its accolytes, perfumer Jean Claude Ellena professes to like "one among a handful of people in France who wear it". Eau d'Hermès then, my friends, and don't let me catch anyone bad-mouthing youths as uncouth. Some of them know a good thing when they see it!

Related reading on Perfume Shrine: Fragrances for Myers Briggs types, Questions & Answers with a Fragrance Consultant, In Which I Fragrance Consult

photo collage found via troktiko , bottles photo by member Guerlain/Susana on Fragrantica's public board

BCBG Max Azria & Patricia Pepe: new fragrances

The popular fashion Group BCBG Max Azria is signing a licence with New Wave Fragrances for the launch of a feminine fragrance named after the brand (BCBG Max Azria) and set to launch in March 2011. New Wave Fragrances, founded in 2007, currently makes and distributes Ed Hardy, True Religion et Christian Audigier fragrances. The immersion of Max Azria Group (counting 20 brands in its portfolio) in the fragrance market isn't new: There were attempts with Hervé Léger designer fragrances and there are others plans for the future as well, but for the moment the company wants to concentrate on this upcoming feminine perfume. The fragrance itself is going to be developed by perfumers at Givaudan.
Distribution is going to include the brand's boutiques as well as big department stores as well as specialised beauty parlours such as Sephora, while the launch will be of rather global reach with availability in Europe, USA, Canada, South America, the Caribbean, Korea, Japan and Australia.

On the other hand, the Firenze based Italian fashion house of Patricia Pepe is also embarking on launching an eponymous fragrance. The deal is being striken with Beauty San (who is responsible for the Costume National portfolio of scents). Patrizia Bambi, artistic director, announces the plan as the fruits of a long process that was at the back of the mind for many years. It should be "a dress that will reveal my creations and myself in more detail", Bambi concludes. The launch is scheduled for the end of the year, while the international distribution is set to be handled via selected doors.

Photoshoot of SS08 campaign of BCBG Max Azria starring Karen Elson shot by Patric Demarchelier, via fadpaigns
Advertising photo of Patrizia Pepe fashions via Ermou Mag

Takashimaya: Bad News Ahead

WWD revealed that elegant Japanese department store Takashimaya which occupies more than 37,000 square feet for retail and office space on New York City's posh Fifth Avenue will close its flagship store in June. The building is owned and controlled by Takashimaya Fifth Avenue Corp. and Takashimaya Singapore Ltd. "Takashimaya said it plans to sell the real estate and dedicate the proceeds to faster growing markets in Asia," the paper reports in a short blurb. [source]

Somehow this reminds me of what I had said (a propos LVMH expanding into new markets via Tony Blair's consulting, scroll the article to the last paragraphs) in regards to the move of western companies into the Asian expansion being the only solution right now. Hermes as we had reported a while ago is even launching an exclusively Chinese line called Shang Xia!

The current issue of WWD reveals that the Takashimaya closing will be effective come 10th of June 2010. "This June, the company will shutter its New York flagship at 693 Fifth Ave., between East 54th and East 55th streets. It has been at the building, which it owns and plans to sell, since 1993, though its first store on the gilded Fifth Avenue strip opened in 1958" [source] while WWD mentioned that the store "will no longer be merging with H2O Retailing Corp., parent company of Hankyu and Hanshin department stores". Apparently not only is the Fifth Avenue store closing but another 6 stores have already closed in Japan. The reason isn't hard to see: Low sales have given the kiss of death. Given that they recently announced carrying the elusive (and unjustly underrated) Mona di Orio line, let's hope it didn't jinx it. (This is only a joke, folks!)
On the whole it was a matter of time before the hen that lays the golden eggs, namely the sector of niche fragrances, becomes oversaturated and confuses the consumer who cannot be fooled into paying, especially in this economy, for triple-the-price concoctions which are made the same way as mainstream fragrances but circulate in a je ne sais quoi way supposed to make them more "luxurious" and "exclusive"...

If interested to follow my thoughts on this track, I had posted an article wondering How Much Will the Niche Market Bear? on this link and recently discussed Niche Degeneration on that link on the Perfumism website.

Pic of Takashimaya New York via Atherton Bartelby

What Sells? A Case Study

An astounding number of articles tackles the latest, apparently unexpected ~from what I deduce, since it makes such an impression~ phenomenon: Namely that a "celeboscent" really made it. (This term is short for "celebrity scent"; those fragrances eponymously launched by stars, supposedly inspired by their personalities and lifestyle, but in fact churned out by perfume producing companies with minimal involvement by the stars themselves). Trusted reportage says that this particular frag is selling like crazy! What is it? It's Heat by Beyoncé Knowles!

"At the recent Retail & Luxury Goods Conference at Harvard Business School, Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren revealed that its already made more than $3 million in worldwide sales since its launch" [NB We're talking 3 months here] while he said that in an meet-and-greet with the singer herself "72,000 bottles of her perfume were sold that in that hour". To convert this in monetary values, Women's Wear Daily reported that first day Macy's sales made $60,000. (Talk about WOW!!) All to the point that "trying to pick up a bottle of “Heat” at Macy’s.com estimates over a month before it ships" now. "This morning I woke up and they told me the fragrance is the number one fragrance in America,” Beyoncé told Access. “I had absolutely no idea.” We're clearly talking about a huge commercial blockbuster. That made me think...

So the question arises: I am wondering whether the success has to do with the bootilicious sexy appeal of the singer herself (surely overall a positive role-model in today's celebrity world which is filled with human trash) or with the fragrance style and its perfect top-to-bottom design (corresponding so well to the celebrity herself, I mean, as celebrity brand expansion). Certainly it's not a "bootichouli" fragrance like we had suggested and hoped for on a previous occasion, at least going by the description, in which "Heat blends a floral mix of magnolias, neroli, and red vanilla orchids with the scent of almond macaroon, honeysuckle, nectar, and crème de musk" composed by perfumers Claude Dir and Olivier Gillotin. March on Perfume Posse observes that "Heat smells like a thin veneer of canned peaches in syrup over the most powerful, intensely animalic stank of unwashed ladyparts that I have ever smelled in a perfume, and I don’t mean that in a good way." Robin at NST on the other hand pegs it a warm fruity musk adding "I don’t find it even slightly sexy, and it isn’t what I’d call memorable, but it doesn’t much matter: it’s by Beyoncé and it isn’t a complete mess". Others report that real human testers (in Miami) perceive it as a cotton candy and amaretto fragrance. Take your pick!

Whatever it is, it's definitely a case-study for the heads at Coty (the perpetrator), Parlux et al. and for marketers everywhere. Expect more of the same very, very soon! And if fashion designers are "only worth as much as [their] latest collection's success", then celebrities will soon be worth the amount of their celebrity scent sales. Mark my words!

Li Edelkoort, "Priestess of Trends", Predicts

Reading the credentials of Dutch-born, Parisian-living Li Edelkoort, sounds like an astounding pile of worthy accomplishements: Internationally acclaimed for pioneering the trend-setting concept, named by Time Magazine as one of the world's 25 most influential people in fashion and an unparalleled lifestyle expert, Li is president of Edelkoort Inc. but also of Trend Union Paris, Trend Union Japan, Studio Edelkoort and Edelkoort Editions. In short, if anyone is thinking of gauging what the market will bear, they only have to set their eyes on this meek-looking yet truly hypnotising and persuading woman with the piercing blue eyes code-named in the industry as "the oracle". As anyone who has met her knows well, she is able of persuading cows to buy milk!
So investigating about her views on upcoming beauty and lifestyles trends naturally interested me a lot and here are some thoughts worth sharing with you.

The whole notion of lifestyle is defined by Li Edelkoort as "an ensemble of ideas, attitudes, designs and aesthetics geared to celebrating life", the focus being enjoyment, deriving pleasure out of the process. But what made her become involved in it? Does she make the trends or does she read the trends? In her opinion trend-shaping happens by the public itself and by the environment. "Trends reside in the collective subconscious and in the unknown and can be detected by individuals who trust their intuition and are trained to detect signals at an early stage".

Reverting to the beauty and fragrance industry, reflecting upon the focus on wellness in the past decade, one is wondering what the evolution will be: Will there be a completely new concept or simply a recalibrating of the wellness ideal? According to Li, well-being will not cease to be important, verging not only to health and beauty but also to spirituality: "A more domestic way to look at household chores will ground us and make us appreciate life with simplicity. Sound, dance and music will be part of the well-being continuum".

For 2011 specifically the continuation of the "green" movement in the beauty industry and beyond and the reversion to the earth is looking like the main direction, especially in the realm of an economic crisis. In that regards she proposed grey as the transitionary colour. She hopes that a stronger bond between humans and animals will be generated, while the research for sustainable products as well as interesting new looks and moving fragrances will continue.

The opening of the new decade on the whole presents new challenges as the world is changing and after 30 years in the business, it comes as no surprise that Li is not only vaguely referencing a trend but putting a very specific context on it: Birds! I admit I was sceptical too, but hear her out please: "We believe that we will be moving in the next decade towards more community-oriented behavior. Our attitude will be one of respect for our environment and our species; this is the reason why we entitled our latest lifestyle & design forecast "we are family". Also, we were intrigued by birds and their social behavior for our new Trend Union autumn / winter 2011-12 fashion season, which we called "Taking Flight". Birds are a model of social connectivity and communal efficiency, as well as an incredible source of inspiration to develop rich color cards, fantasy fashion shapes, and nest-like weaves. Birds can also be a source for ideas in creative make-up, hair color, and hair styling".

Also worth reading, an article into the beginnings and confessions of Li Edelkoort on Wall Street Journal Magazine by Cecilie Rohwedder.

Li Edelkoort photo taken by Marie Taillefer