Christine Esposito, Managing Editor08.02.22
Perfume is both personal and public. Finely tuned accords linger on the wrist, pulse points and other intimate places for the wearer and others to enjoy. But the bottle—typically kept in sacred spaces at home—also holds a revered spot with consumers. It speaks to their style, aspirations and sensibilities.
These factors are influencing fragrance marketers who have been operating in a hot marketplace. According to The NPD Group, in Q1, US prestige fragrance revenues were $1.1 billion, up 18% over Q1 2021.
Leaders continue to rise to the occasion. Their new scents deliver aesthetic experiences through bottles that interpret the story of the juice inside.
One of the more recent scents to debut is MCM Ultra, which bowed last month. Created by InterParfums, this new eau de parfum for women was inspired by the luxury fashion brand’s iconic backpack in eye-catching Berlin Gold.
“The Berlin Gold color speaks to the opulent floral woody juice inside, compared to the original MCM eau de parfum launched in 2021, Ultra is a more feminine interpretation of the brand’s travel DNA,” Baerbel Bureick, chief marketing officer, InterParfums Inc., told Happi.
According to InterParfums, the folding cartons are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified materials.
Also just hitting the market is Bare, the first new scent from Victoria’s Secret in five years. The EDP, which landed on shelves in mid-July, is housed in a bottle that is clean, paired back and evokes warmth, according to the brand. The juice inspired a more organic shape for the bottle, while the cap was designed to bring in a sense of glamour to which VS customers are accustomed.
Nautica Ocean Pacific Coast: This recently launched eco-conscious scent features an alcohol-free formula. The eau de toilette’s packaging is recyclable, including a 25% PCR glass bottle with a removable pump, 90% PCR plastic cap and water-based ink to reduce environmental impact.
Bling: Noa Kirel—one of Israel’s biggest pop stars—is bringing her bestselling fragrance to North America. Bling’s bottle design, which mimics a microphone, is fitting for this vocalist who has a deal with Atlantic Records and was named by People Magazine as one of the 22 Artists to Watch in 2022.
Bite Me & Well Played: Unisex fragrance brand Confessions of A Rebel added two new signature fragrances—Bite Me and Well Played. Both are available in a full size (100ml) bottle in the brand’s signature style, as well as an 8ml travel size.
The Phluid Project: Along with Scent Beauty, The Phluid Project has relaunched its gender-free scents. A cohesive design is used across the bottles and boxes of the four revamped eau de parfums—Humanity, Balance, Intention and Transcend.
Gdańsk: One of the oldest cities in Poland is the inspiration behind the eleventh fragrance from Gallivant, a London-founded brand created by Nick Steward. “Our collection is inspired by the emotions of travel and wanderlust. I like to think of our fragrances as escapism in a bottle,” said Steward.
32 July & Caribs for Men: Amaffi, a perfume house headquartered in Geneva, is known for its luxury fragrances and detailed bottles that compared to fine jewelry. Conceived by Founder and President Madame Amaffi, the bottles are said to reflect the character, mood, and name of each fragrance. 32 July for women is housed bottle made of glass coated with azure enamel and decorated with a filigree lace design. The base of the bottle is decorated with Swarovski crystals. The bottle created for Caribs for Men is made of gradient-colored glass adorned with a cap decorated with colored zircon in a matching tone.
Wright N°100: Wright, a 100-year-old bacon brand, has created Wright N°100, a signature fragrance that is as addicting as, well, its bacon. The limited-edition scent was created with the help of perfume veteran Ann Gottlieb. Notes include bacon, applewood, bergamot, white patchouli, sandalwood, maple syrup and Mousse de Saxe, a combination of leather and vanilla popular in 1922—the year Wright was founded.
Guess Uomo: A counterpart to the Guess Bella Vita franchise, Guess Uomo is a masculine amber fougere housed in packaging that is mix of heritage and modernity, according to InterParfums. The design features a chic black marbleized carton that holds a transparent glass bottle featuring classic black accents and the Guess Uomo logo.
Good Fortune: For Good Fortune, Viktor&Rolf tapped singer, dancer and actress FKA twigs as the face. A clear bottle, made with 15% recycled glass, showcases the purple fragrance juice suspended above a golden pedestal. Sealed with a Viktor&Rolf seal and topped with a facetted stone cap that evokes amethyst, the top can be removed so the bottle can be refilled.
Lolita Lempicka Le Parfum: Debuting a quarter-century ago, Lolita Lempicka Le Parfum will be making a comeback to the US this year, arriving in its iconic, forbidden apple-shaped bottle. According to the company, it will feature the One Voice label to indicate that no animal testing has taken place during production of the scent, which is now vegan.
Fame: Paco Rabanne’s new feminine fragrance, Fame, debuted in July at pacorabanne.com and will roll out all of the brand’s points of sale next month. The bottle design is said to evoke the designer’s chain mail dress—part of a collection he revealed in 1966.
These factors are influencing fragrance marketers who have been operating in a hot marketplace. According to The NPD Group, in Q1, US prestige fragrance revenues were $1.1 billion, up 18% over Q1 2021.
Leaders continue to rise to the occasion. Their new scents deliver aesthetic experiences through bottles that interpret the story of the juice inside.
One of the more recent scents to debut is MCM Ultra, which bowed last month. Created by InterParfums, this new eau de parfum for women was inspired by the luxury fashion brand’s iconic backpack in eye-catching Berlin Gold.
“The Berlin Gold color speaks to the opulent floral woody juice inside, compared to the original MCM eau de parfum launched in 2021, Ultra is a more feminine interpretation of the brand’s travel DNA,” Baerbel Bureick, chief marketing officer, InterParfums Inc., told Happi.
According to InterParfums, the folding cartons are made from Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified materials.
Also just hitting the market is Bare, the first new scent from Victoria’s Secret in five years. The EDP, which landed on shelves in mid-July, is housed in a bottle that is clean, paired back and evokes warmth, according to the brand. The juice inspired a more organic shape for the bottle, while the cap was designed to bring in a sense of glamour to which VS customers are accustomed.
Innovative Creations
Across in the category, new scents continue to hit the marketplace. The following pages offer a look at bottle and box designs of recent fragrance launches from mass to luxury—including one that really brings home the bacon.Nautica Ocean Pacific Coast: This recently launched eco-conscious scent features an alcohol-free formula. The eau de toilette’s packaging is recyclable, including a 25% PCR glass bottle with a removable pump, 90% PCR plastic cap and water-based ink to reduce environmental impact.
Bling: Noa Kirel—one of Israel’s biggest pop stars—is bringing her bestselling fragrance to North America. Bling’s bottle design, which mimics a microphone, is fitting for this vocalist who has a deal with Atlantic Records and was named by People Magazine as one of the 22 Artists to Watch in 2022.
Bite Me & Well Played: Unisex fragrance brand Confessions of A Rebel added two new signature fragrances—Bite Me and Well Played. Both are available in a full size (100ml) bottle in the brand’s signature style, as well as an 8ml travel size.
The Phluid Project: Along with Scent Beauty, The Phluid Project has relaunched its gender-free scents. A cohesive design is used across the bottles and boxes of the four revamped eau de parfums—Humanity, Balance, Intention and Transcend.
Gdańsk: One of the oldest cities in Poland is the inspiration behind the eleventh fragrance from Gallivant, a London-founded brand created by Nick Steward. “Our collection is inspired by the emotions of travel and wanderlust. I like to think of our fragrances as escapism in a bottle,” said Steward.
32 July & Caribs for Men: Amaffi, a perfume house headquartered in Geneva, is known for its luxury fragrances and detailed bottles that compared to fine jewelry. Conceived by Founder and President Madame Amaffi, the bottles are said to reflect the character, mood, and name of each fragrance. 32 July for women is housed bottle made of glass coated with azure enamel and decorated with a filigree lace design. The base of the bottle is decorated with Swarovski crystals. The bottle created for Caribs for Men is made of gradient-colored glass adorned with a cap decorated with colored zircon in a matching tone.
Wright N°100: Wright, a 100-year-old bacon brand, has created Wright N°100, a signature fragrance that is as addicting as, well, its bacon. The limited-edition scent was created with the help of perfume veteran Ann Gottlieb. Notes include bacon, applewood, bergamot, white patchouli, sandalwood, maple syrup and Mousse de Saxe, a combination of leather and vanilla popular in 1922—the year Wright was founded.
Guess Uomo: A counterpart to the Guess Bella Vita franchise, Guess Uomo is a masculine amber fougere housed in packaging that is mix of heritage and modernity, according to InterParfums. The design features a chic black marbleized carton that holds a transparent glass bottle featuring classic black accents and the Guess Uomo logo.
Good Fortune: For Good Fortune, Viktor&Rolf tapped singer, dancer and actress FKA twigs as the face. A clear bottle, made with 15% recycled glass, showcases the purple fragrance juice suspended above a golden pedestal. Sealed with a Viktor&Rolf seal and topped with a facetted stone cap that evokes amethyst, the top can be removed so the bottle can be refilled.
Lolita Lempicka Le Parfum: Debuting a quarter-century ago, Lolita Lempicka Le Parfum will be making a comeback to the US this year, arriving in its iconic, forbidden apple-shaped bottle. According to the company, it will feature the One Voice label to indicate that no animal testing has taken place during production of the scent, which is now vegan.
Fame: Paco Rabanne’s new feminine fragrance, Fame, debuted in July at pacorabanne.com and will roll out all of the brand’s points of sale next month. The bottle design is said to evoke the designer’s chain mail dress—part of a collection he revealed in 1966.