Perfume

MMR, June 19, 2006

Women's fragrance is very much a fashion business, with trends that cycle through in much the same way that hemlines rise and fall in the world of apparel.

Perfume trends are driven in part by new fragrance technologies and in part by lifestyle changes and the collective personality of society. That is the view of Virginia Bonofiglio, adjunct professor in the fragrance and cosmetics department at the Fashion Institute of Technology. In a paper for The Fragrance Foundation, Bonofiglio contends that the current trend involves warming fragrances.

"For over a decade we have been experiencing beautiful, watery, ozonic fragrances that by their very nature are cool, fleeting and ephemeral," Bonofiglio writes. "The tide has turned. We are entering a season of warm fragrances. Warm in the sense of longer-lasting accords, notes which do not evaporate quickly and create a rich base aroma which moves up into the heart note of the fragrance. Ingredients such as amber, musk and vanilla are in vogue."

These new warm scents are not to be compared with the "oriental-type" fragrances of years ago, according to Bonofiglio.

" These new warm scents are sensual and corporeal," she says. "They come to the nose quickly and beg to be put on the skin."

Another facet of the warming trend in fragrances involves the scents of tropical fruits.

"The lush syrupy notes of tropical fruits such as mango, pineapple, guava and papaya are finding their way into the top-notes of fine fragrances," Bonofiglio says. "Technology has helped us to curb the sulphur quality of these tropical fruit notes and make them enjoyable to the palette of the discerning fragrance customer."

Changing fashions impact not just the scents that are popular, but also the inspirations and images attached to perfumes. Years ago designer fragrances made an impact on the category, as well-known fashion designers lent their names to fragrances. Now consumers appear to be more interested in products linked to celebrities from the music and entertainment realms.

Coty Inc. has an extensive portfolio of celebrity fragrances and recently signed a deal with the producers of "Desperate Housewives" for a new fragrance linked to the television show, rather than any of its stars.

Elizabeth Arden Inc. has proven that celebrity brands can have longevity--Elizabeth Taylor's Passion, which debuted in 1987, is being relaunched this year. And White Diamonds Elizabeth Taylor currently ranks No. 1 in the mass market, according to company officials.

The fragrance maker has another hit on its hands with Curious Britney Spears, which became the No. 1 launch worldwide in 2005 and is still going strong.

Keeping consumers--particularly young women--loyal to a particular fragrance brand can be a challenge.

"The younger market in fragrance is a little more fickle," notes Karen Huntoon, marketing director for fragrance and global brand development. "It's much more challenging to keep that customer coming back."

One approach that seems to help is keeping the brand exciting with new programs. Elizabeth Arden is launching a larger-size version of Curious Britney Spears that comes with a special CD featuring some of the star's music, for example.

Younger women are prized customers because they typically have more active social lives, and they are likely to wear fragrance more often. At the same time, they are also more likely to have a wardrobe of different fragrances that they wear at different times of the day, or for different occasions.

Huntoon says that women's fragrance choices have become increasingly personal. "Many women will wear a fruitier fragrance during the day," she says, "and then go with an oriental during the evening, because it's a heavier scent. But some women consider a fruitier fragrance very sexy and may choose that for an evening out. So we see very different reactions from different people."

Mainstream Scent Goes Hispanic

Hispanic consumers, a group that makes up a key segment of fragrance and personal care product purchasers, have long been the focus of MAG Beauty, PUIG Fragrance and Personal Care Division NA. The unit distributes top-selling brands of fragrances--including Spirit Antonio Banderas, Paco Rabane and Nina Ricci--to major chain drug and discount stores. Many of the fragrances are popular among mainstream consumers as well as the Latino community, according to Frank Trullenque, until recently the vice president of sales and marketing of the distributor.

Spirit Antonio Banderas is a good example of a fragrance brand for men and women that has achieved mass appeal, says Trullenque. The fragrance was developed as a midprice-point product aimed at the "masstige" market, a term that refers to a combination of mass and prestige. The Banderas brand has done well in such mass retail stores as Walgreen Co. New men's and women's fragrances will be added to the line this year.

PUIG is also introducing a midprice-point women's fragrance under the brand Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, which will be sold through Target Stores, Trullenque says.