This year looks set to be another positive year for fragrance launches. Despite many retail sectors experiencing a slowdown in sales growth and reports of consumer caution with discretionary spending, Fragrances of the World recorded a seven per cent growth in fragrance launches last year and the first quarter of 2024 has shown no sign of slowing down, with the niche fragrance channel continuing to lead on 16 per cent growth last year, the only channel resulting in double-digit growth for 2023.
In March our evaluation team attended Esxence in Milan. We gathered information and evaluated novelties from 360 niche brands from 30 countries. It was the biggest edition of Esxence to date, surpassing last year’s figure with more than 12,000 visitors. The energy was undeniable with presenting brands all vying for the attention of distributors and retailers visiting from around the world. Esxence has become the world’s premier event where niche brands promote their artistry and expand their retail footprint.
A smaller but just as successful event, Nez’s first-ever Paris Perfume Week followed Esxence. Paris, a global capital for fashion and perfume, is known for Fashion Week and Nez wanted to create the same awareness for fragrance with over 40 brands presenting their work and 60 conferences, round tables, and workshops across four days. Highlights included masterclasses from renowned perfumers, Marc-Antoine Corticchiato (Parfum d’Empire), Mathilde Laurent (Cartier) and Francis Kurkdjian (Dior, Maison Francis Kurkdjian).
Fragrance for travel retail continues to influence the number of launches we record. In May the team attended the Tax-Free World Association Exhibition in Singapore and we will attend the annual global summit in Cannes in October. Niche fragrances currently represent 47 per cent of total launches and it is no coincidence that we have seen an increase in the number of niche brands presenting at travel retail trade shows, which in the past have been key events for prestige and mass brands.
American Legends Out Now:
American Legends by Michael Edwards is the long-awaited companion to Perfume Legends, the cult book in which French perfumers spoke openly for the first time about their work and the sources of their inspiration. “There is no book like it,” stated Edmond Roudnitska, the celebrated perfumer. American Legends documents the evolution, richness and sheer originality of American fragrances from Elizabeth Arden’s Blue Grass (1934) to Le Labo’s Santal 33 (2011). The result is living history, told through the words of the creators behind forty legendary American perfumes.
Michael Edwards will be presenting the book in Australia in the spring* following a hugely successful book tour in the United States where he gave lectures at the Fashion Institute of Technology, American Society of Perfumers and a special presentation at International Flavors and Fragrances, which played a pivotal role in the evolution of American perfumery for over half a century. The tour continued in the United Kingdom with the Fragrance Foundation UK and the British Society of Perfumers and more recently at the World Perfumery Congress in Switzerland. American Legends is available from www.fragrancesoftheworld.com and opportunities to hear Michael Edwards speak about his latest book in Australia will be announced soon.
*Michael Edwards presented the book in Australia at the Estée Lauder HQ in Sydney. Here also the launch of The Legacy Collection – a reinvention of five of the brand’s most iconic scents, crafted and created by world renowned perfume editor, Frédéric Malle – was celebrated.
WHAT’S TRENDING?
Amberlicious
Consumer demand for long-lasting fragrances impacts olfactory trends. We’ve seen an ongoing increase in woody and ambery fragrances where ingredients like birch tar, agarwood, labdanum and Ambrox help create diffusive and tenacious fragrances. Amber notes, some based on vanilla and labdanum, made famous by Guerlain Shalimar, as well as modern dry amber accords, which reference ambergris, are all popular themes in perfumery right now.
Examples of the trend
- Laboratorio Olfattivo Amberbomb
- Jo Loves Amber Lime & Bergamot
- Abercrombie & Fitch Amber Cove
Alpine Woods
Cooling, icy effects added to woody notes like cedarwood, sandalwood or patchouli. Often paired with camphorous aromatic notes, berries and citruses. The result is woody fragrance that has the warmth and robust sensation of heartwood but also a chilled breezy alpine effect that feels invigorating, adventurous and spirited.
Examples of the trend
- Montblanc Explorer Platinum
- Kenzo Homme Eau de Toilette Marine
- Moncler Le Bois Glacé
Tuberose Temptation
Tuberose is a perennial note in perfumery but there has been a noticeable increase in white floral fragrances lately which centre around notes of tuberose, jasmine, orange flower and ylang ylang. A versatile floral signature, tuberose can be paired with shimmering musks and aldehydes to portray a luminous, delicate flower or be paired with narcotic flowers, leather and woody-amber notes for a nocturnal, seductive scent.
Examples of the trend
- Maison Crivelli Tubéreuse Astrale
- BDK 312 Saint-Honoré
- Givenchy L’Interdit Millésime Tubéreuse Noire
Starburst Fruits
Playful fruity notes previously reserved for a younger demographic are paired with
sophisticated woody, ambery or tobacco accords. Star ingredients include cherry, mango, strawberry, banana, tropical fruit and fruit liqueurs. These new contrasts result in fragrances that feel fun, flirtatious and young, but still refined, elegant and mature.
Examples of the trend
- Sospiro Maraschino
- Jusbox Carioca Heart
- Flâner Manhattan Cherry
Vanilla Overdose
Fragrances that highlight vanilla in their names are trending. Playing on the sensual yet comforting scent of vanilla, this timelessly elegant ingredient is often paired with amber notes, tonka bean, incense, musks, mandarin, white floral notes and salicylates.
Examples of the trend
- Tom Ford Vanilla Sex
- Matiere Premiere Vanilla Powder
- Ormonde Jayne Vanille des Afriques
This article was first published in the Winter issue of Retail Beauty:
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