Romano Ricci, the founder of niche French fragrance brand Juliette Has a Gun, is no stranger to Australia.
The suave Frenchman has made flying visits to our shores to unveil his elegant, distinctive perfumes to Australian fans through the brand’s local distributor, Agence de Parfum.
Ricci is fragrance royalty. His great-grandmother was the legendary couturier, Nina Ricci, and his grandfather was the creator of one of the 20th century’s best-selling fragrances – L’Air du Temps.
Although he describes himself a self-taught, Ricci has worked with some of the great perfumers, including Francis Kurkdjian and Pierre Bourdon of Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle.
In 2005, he launched Juliette Has a Gun and the brand’s innovative juices, including Miss Charming, Lady Vengeance and Not a Perfume, have become cult favourites worldwide.
Global investment firm, Cathay Capital, which manages US$4 billion in assets and specialises in cross-border development in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa, has taken a minority stake in Juliette Has a Gun.
The shareholding will accelerate the brand’s direct-to-consumer business and focus on international expansion, notably in China.
Juliette Has a Gun is sold in 42 countries, including Australia. During Singles’ Day 2020 in November, the company ranked among the top three brands in the high-end perfume category on Tmall.
The Chinese fragrance market is predicted to reach US$1.86 billion by 2023 and the prestige sector is expected to grow by 18 per cent, adds Cathay Capital.
in 2018, Juliette Has a Gun began working with Shanghai-headquartered Ushopal, an omnichannel acceleration platform within Cathay Capital’s stable of companies.
Lanchun Duan, managing partner of Cathay Capital, notes: “With the rise of a new generation, Chinese consumers’ attitudes towards perfume have made a 180-degree turn. From rarely using perfume to buying all kinds of high-end perfumes and obsessing over niche fragrances, perfume consumption has become a habit for today’s young consumers, and Juliette Has a Gun is the one with the most tone and personality”.
In Australia, Juliette Has a Gun is available from Myer, David Jones, Sephora, Adore Beauty and libertineparfumerie.com.au.