Orientals, woods and florals are being amped up by exotic combinations in a barrage of unique fine fragrance launches for Fall/Winter 2014, demonstrating that more shoppers are seeking signature scents with personality to call their own.

In the second quarter of 2014, sales of US prestige beauty products increased 5% to $2.5 billion, according to The NPD Group Inc., a Port Washington, NY-based market research firm. During this period, fragrance sales jumped 5% to $632 million.

“Consumers are looking for something new and fresh with each season. Delivering on this demand while sustaining engagement with established products is the balancing act that will continue to prove its benefits for the prestige beauty industry,” noted Karen Grant, vice president and global industry analyst, The NPD Group, Inc. about general market trends.

Furthermore, NPD data revealed that nine out of ten women in the US use a scented personal care product, and the majority of fine fragrance users also use some type of scented body product, according to the 2014 Women’s FragranceTrack Report from The NPD Group.

“The wide usage of scented products in the US is an outstanding opportunity for the fragrance industry; the fact that so many women are using more than one type of scented product indicates that the fragrance industry’s audience has a variety of scent needs and desires that they are looking to fulfill,” said Grant. “The scent preferences of yesterday are not the same today.
Understanding how fine fragrance now coexist with, and complement, personal ancillaries will help create new and exciting ways to engage the consumer.”

Although the prestige category is faring well this year, the mass market is another story—as both men’s and women’s fragrance sales are down.

Recent data from Information Resources Inc. (IRI) shows that men’s colognes slipped 4.3% to $307.5 million, while women’s fragrances fell 4.1% to $471.3 million.

Unique Juices and Concepts
This season, marketers are thinking outside of the box when it comes to fine fragrance juices. According to Dr. Ferdinand Storp, general manager of Drom Fragrances, Baierbrunn, Germany, “Nowadays, we can more and more notice that consumers ‘fall out of love’ of mass perfumery. They are looking for uniqueness, which should be part of the luxurious feel of perfumery for them. This trend is even truer for the young generation, which is over-informed because it is always connected and is also looking for an added value in stores, an added pleasurable benefit to enjoy…differentiation is key.”

One different launch is from Calvin Klein. Reveal Calvin Klein, available at Macy’s and other department stores, is said to define a new fragrance category—the solar oriental—characterized by intriguing duality, unexpected freshness and enveloping warmth. For the first time in fragrance, a highly sensorial, raw salt signature captures traces of the erotic scent of skin. The unique signature melts into a heart of orris, while the drydown of sandalwood reverts to the core identity of the house’s fragrances.

 Meanwhile, Aerin Lauder introduced two new fragrances—Iris Meadow and Waterlily Sun—to her namesake collection of scents based on emotion, lifestyle and aspiration, according to the company.

“The effect of scent is really interesting; It can create a mood and change a feeling immediately,” said Lauder, founder and creative director, Aerin. “I wanted to create a modern wardrobe of fragrances—fragrances that can be very personal to the woman who’s wearing them.”

Another big launch at Lauder comes from its flagship brand. Modern Muse Chic is billed as a new fragrance inspired by the bold, daring, more creative side of the original Modern Muse with a “vivid woody floral” scent.

“Modern Muse Chic is a bold, new expression of what it means to be a Modern Muse,” said Karyn Khoury, senior vice president, corporate fragrance development worldwide, The Estée Lauder Companies. “We achieved a compelling creative tension through our innovative ‘dual-impression’ fragrance structure. Some women will be attracted to the vivid floralcy, while others will be drawn to the dark sensuality of the ebony woods.”

At press time, the company was making headlines for acquiring luxury company Le Labo.

“Estée Lauder’s acquisition of Le Labo shows the company’s intention of increasing share in the premium fragrances market, a category expected to grow by $3.3 billion retail value sales between 2013-2018. Significant market value growth is forecast especially for Estée Lauder’s core markets such as the US, UK and Russia. Le Labo has developed strong consumer interest with its clever distribution strategy as their fragrances are only available through their own outlets and luxury department stores,” stated Ildiko Szalai, senior analyst, beauty and personal care, Euromonitor International.

At fellow fragrance giant Coty, the Balenciaga family is expanding with B.Balenciaga, a scent that heralds a new olfactive trend: a green woody fragrance. Fresh and alluring, the fragrance opens with green notes of lily of the valley bell and violet green leaves accord. As B.Balenciaga evolves, the iris note reveals a powdery essence before drying down with darker woody notes of cashmeran woods.

“Textural luxury is having a big moment this Fall. You can see a lot of cedarwood, sandalwood and patchouli being ‘dressed up’ with bright fruits and sensual florals,” noted Jorgelina Propato, fragrance development director for Coty, New York, who worked on major launches such as Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream.

 Other prominent “out of the box” launches this season include Lolita Lempicka Minuite Sonne, a limited-edition holiday scent with notes that include iris, vanilla and benzoin; Caudalie Divine Fragrance, a subtle, floral, woody scent modeled after the scent of Caudalie’s best-selling Divine Body collection; and the latest addition to Molton Brown’s Navigations Through Scent Collection, Shisur. This is said to be the collection’s most precious fine fragrance yet, inspired by the long-lost Arabian city of Shisur. Hidden for thousands of years under desert sands, the fragrance brings to life the Middle Eastern city’s tradition of spice trading with rich, dramatic scents. To make this blend authentic and truly opulent, no expense was spared on the ingredients, which feature an oud accord, saffron and orris concrete.

Molton Brown’s award-winning perfumer Jennifer Jambon describes the fragrance as “very unique due to the delicate balance of ingredients used in creating a harmonious, woody-oriental character. Unlike other oud perfumes, the labdanum absolute in this blend gives a smoky, leathery effect without leaving an overpowering note from the strength of oud. Moreover, the dry fruit oriental balsamic accord and iris complement oud, taking a different approach to other perfumes, which tend to use classical vanilla and rose notes.”

Star Power
The celebrity fragrance trend is showing no signs of slowing down this season, as seen with recent rollouts from famous names spanning popular TV sitcoms to sports.

“Celebrity scents themselves struggle, but celebrity endorsements help grow a scent as witnessed by the number of celebrities associated with the major brands,” observed fragrance expert Donna Barson, senior associate, Kline & Co., Parsippany, NJ. “For example, top selling Chanel No. 5 has a long list of celebrity spokesmodels associated with the brand from Brad Pitt and Marilyn Monroe to Gisele Bundchen in 2014. J’Adore continues to use Charlize Theron. For the launch of My Burberry in 2014, both Kate Moss and Cara Delevingne appear together in ads. Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam, is the face of Calvin Klein’s new Reveal scent. And the list goes on.”

Propato of Coty agreed.

She told Happi, “I think that celebrity endorsements aid in making a fragrance more acceptable to a consumer who already admires that celebrity. It makes the process of reaching that consumer much easier.”

The market is still rife with celebrity launches for Fall and Winter 2014/2015. Consider Sofia by Sofia Vergara—a fine fragrance developed by the Modern Family star. The scent, described as a juicy oriental floral, is a sparkling cocktail of exquisite ingredients, including blackberry, Colombian rose and orchid, earthy woods, vanilla and more.

Drew Barrymore’s Flower brand (available at Walmart) is branching out into fragrance this season as well. It is touted as a collection for the modern day “every” woman juggling love, friends, family and work. Wear the three scents alone or combine throughout the day.

Halle Berry and Katy Perry are also bulking up their fragrance portfolios this season with Wild Essence by Halle Berry, featuring floral notes of freesia, linden blossom and white rose; and Killer Queen’s Royal Revolution by Katy Perry with pink freesia, black thorn and pomegranate.

Avon is looking for good fortune with its newest fragrance incarnation, Avon Luck. Created in partnership with tennis legend Maria Sharapova, the scent includes variations For Her and For Him.

“Having the opportunity to partner with Avon as the face of Avon Luck is such an honor. I’ve been incredibly lucky in my own life and I love what Avon Luck stands for. I always say the harder you work, the luckier you are because you strive for bigger goals! So I am excited to represent a fragrance that reminds us to savor and truly enjoy our triumphs,” said Sharapova in a press statement.

In other celebrity news, Taylor Swift’s new fragrance, Incredible Things, is the pop star’s fourth perfume launch. It includes opening notes of vanilla orchid, suede flower and creamy musk; pink pepper, sparkling grapefruit and wild passion flower as middle notes and a white amber, Madagascar vanilla and Haitian vetiver base.

Just for Him
Coty’s classic Stetson man is back in the mass market for the “modern cowboy,” according to a new campaign. A scent that challenges men to live up to their highest potential, new Stetson Caliber marks the revival of a true American classic.  Since 1982, Stetson cologne has embodied a proud heritage of authenticity and strength. Now, Stetson Caliber evolves that legacy with a new fragrance celebrating the integrity and inner strength of today’s young, hardworking American man.

Stetson Caliber is a distinctive fragrance capturing the bold and energetic spirit of the man of action. First, a uniquely charismatic opening of sparkling lime and black pepper draws you in, where you discover a warm heart of nutmeg and an intriguing air of mystery from red basil and violet leaf. Earthy oakmoss adds depth of character, but the true star is the fresh and woody red sequoia note. Found only in America, the Red Sequoia tree embodies the quiet strength and conviction of the modern cowboy, and gives the fragrance a strong, masculine finish. Another big launch from Coty this season is Nautica Life with notes of sea salt, marine seamoss and natural violet leaf.

Calvin Klein is promoting its newest Eternity addition, Eternity Night For Men, described as a woody fougère that evokes the mysterious essence of nightfall. The scent captivates the intriguing freshness of coriander seed and vibrant plum, enhanced by wild brushstrokes of paprika. The aromatic heart is a seductive fusion of clary sage, violet and lavender that radiates a charismatic aura. A drydown of warm sandalwood and clean vetiver creates a lasting impression, said the company.

Another innovation in the men’s category this season was the expansion of skin care brand Alford & Off into fragrance. Crafted by Perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux of Givaudan, Alford & Hoff eau de toilette is made with more than 95 ingredients for “the new generation man,” according to the company. It is described as “a juxtaposition of light and dark, clarity and richness, texture and polish.”

The EDT is described as smooth with a core that consists of a drop of sweet rum leading into a core of rare oils, absolutes, addictive vanilla and tonka bean. The long-lasting background of molten amber poured over weathered leather and soft suede provides a unique combination of notes and accords.

Sephora has captured the essence of Grammy Award winner Pharrell Williams in a new collaboration of the famed singer/songwriter with avant-garde fashion house Comme des Garçons. The two collaborated to create “a stylish wood-based fragrance for girls and boys that strikes an attractive balance of masculinity and femininity.” The fragrance is available exclusively at Sephora.

Williams said, “When I do collaborations, I do them with notable masters.”

Inspired by wood-based scents, Williams partnered with his longtime favorite designer Comme des Garçons to create a dynamic scent experience using the world’s finest materials. Girl features “flirtatious” base notes of vetiver, patchouli, cedar, and Australian sandalwood with striking top notes of neroli, lavender and white pepper. The ultra-concentrated eau de parfum is said to be longlasting and is packaged in a collector’s edition bottle with an original design by New York-based artist and designer Kaws.

Taking a unique turn, Rihanna will launch her first-ever fragrance for men, Rogue Man by Rihanna. From first contact, Rogue Man by Rihanna intoxicates men with a choreographed clash of fragrance notes that are both masculine and ultra-sexy. Rogue Man by Rihanna has top notes comprised of fresh citrus, herbs, and spicy black pepper which offer a clean opening impression, the velvet floral blends, strong undertones of cedar wood and the sensation of labdanum.

“Building upon the marked success of her women’s fragrance line, we are thrilled to join Rihanna on her venture into the men’s fragrance category,” said Donald Loftus, president of Parlux, Ltd. “Rogue Man by Rihanna offers a new constituency of male consumers entrance into the bold world of Rihanna’s growing lifestyle brand.”

The Future of Fragrance
Three key fragrance trends will influence the Autumn-Winter 2015/16 season, according to the findings of Seven Scent’s latest global research report. Oud returns after a short absence, delivering a rich, musty, woody-nutty scent to create a sultry Middle Eastern backdrop to compositions; rose makes an appearance for the fourth consecutive A/W season, distinguished by its eternal femininity and used to add powdery, fruity or woody notes to a scent; and finally, evident in both masculine and feminine fragrances, a leather note brings smoothness, warmth and even an animalistic direction.

“All of the emerging trends embrace a more earthy, autumnal edge which is perfectly suited to the new season.  Fragrances will be sophisticated and sensual; drawing inspiration from traditional ingredients from around the world but in a very modern context,” explained Miri Scott, fragrance insight manager for Seven Scent.

Propato of Coty believes the industry will see fragrances that are open, sheer and approachable.

“Addictive sweetness will become a bit brighter. Darker elements, such as amber and woods, will be presented in a more transparent way,” she told Happi. “I think that consumers will be looking for fragrances that aren’t single-noted—fragrances that develop on skin. But then, in that drydown, we won’t always find ourselves in a dark place—but perhaps, instead, in a textural, soft, warm place. Luxury is back, but expressed in a more approachable way.”

Understanding the dynamics behind the desired scent experiences of today’s female fragrance consumer, and their related purchase behaviors, is necessary for the segment to evolve and grow as the consumer does, noted Grant of NPD. She said, “The fine fragrance market can expand their loyal customer base through new, complementary products and messaging.”