The US prestige fine fragrance sector finds sales up as temperatures begin to drop and the important holiday season approaches. According to year-to-date data culled by The NPD Group through August 2015, total prestige fragrances sales in the US rose 3% to $1.9 billion, with juices up 6%, helping to offset declines from gifts and sets.


“We are seeing an acceleration from juices for the last two years, and the rate [now] is more positive than we have seen in the past,” said NPD’s Karen Grant, who noted that both new introductions and classics have been posting good numbers.
The positive surge in juice sales is a healthy sign for the entire fragrance category, according to Grant.


“As the complexion of the marketplace is changing to be more designer-oriented, we see fewer gift sets. It is a good change, in many ways. It helps the category, which was becoming a bit commoditized and helps bolster the foundation overall,” she said.


This YTD growth puts the category in a great position as it heads into the always-critical holiday push.


In early October, the National Retail Federation (NRF) announced that it expects sales in November and December to increase 3.7%—which the group says is significantly higher than the 10-year average of 2.5%. Holiday sales in 2015 are expected to represent approximately 19% percent of the retail industry’s annual sales for the year, according to NRF, which is forecasting online sales to increase between 6-8%.


According to Grant, it appears that fragrance, too, is in a “position to have a really good year.”


Here is a look at some recent and planned launches that are setting out to capture consumers’ attention this autumn.


One of the newest scents from Estée Lauder is a flanker scent, Modern Muse Le Rouge, a fruity floral oriental. According to Lauder, an innovative “dual-impression” fragrance structure allows women to experience the fragrance through two contrasting accords. The first is Ripened Roses accord, which has bourgeon de cassis, raspberry, pink pepper, Bulgarian rose and rose centifolia. The second, Velvet Cream accord, is billed as a blend of Madagascar vanilla, ambrette, vetiver,  patchouli magnolia flower and jasmine.


Other Fall Launches


In the fashion front, Isabel and Ruben Toledo have partnered with Lane Bryant on two new scents that mark their first foray into the world of designer fragrance. The new juices, which bowed in September, are sold under the Hothouse Beauties banner. Developed with Givaudan, the scents are categorized as a floral, fruity gourmand (Kuba Rose) and a floral, fruity musk (Crystal Honey). 


According to Lane Bryant’s CEO Linda Heasley, the retailer’s “existing customer is drawn to the Toledos’ approach to artistry and design and hope this venture opens the door to more women experiencing the brand for the first time.”  


Fashion brand Ecko Unltd. has created a new men’s scent, Ecko Unltd. 72, a woody fougere that opens with crisp ozone, Italian bergamot and frozen apple. There’s a subtle hint of smoke in the heart along with amber and suede. Earthy notes of sandalwood are found in the base, according to the brand, which embarked on a college campus tour this fall to sample the scent.


Best known for its fine writing instruments, watches, jewelry and leather goods, Montblanc has been proving its fragrance prowess with offerings like Montblanc Legend and Montblanc Emblem. Last month, Interparfums SA extended its license agreement with the luxury firm by five years. The original accord, which was signed in 2010, provided Interparfums with the exclusive worldwide license to create, produce and distribute perfumes and ancillary products under the Montblanc brand through Dec. 31, 2020. The new agreement goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2016, and runs through Dec. 31, 2025. According to Interparfums SA, annual sales for Montblanc exceed €80 million, a 400% increase in just four years.


Location Inspiration

Luxury fragrance house Bond No. 9’s new launch is named for the thoroughfare that is dearest to the company’s heart: Bond Street in New York City. The eau de parfum, called B9, arrived on counters last month at Bond No. 9 New York boutiques, Saks Fifth Avenues nationwide, select Nordstrom stores, and Harrods in the UK.


Brisk Fall days may be here in the US, but Lisa Hoffman has just rolled out a new scent designed to transport users to the sands of Hawaii. Hawaiian Plumeria by Lisa Hoffman Beauty, inspired by family trips to the Big Island, features warm base notes of shaved coconut, lush green foliage and exotic orchids and a top note of salty ocean air combined with a fragrant heart of lemony Hawaiian plumeria.


Armando Christian Perez—better known as Pitbull—has rolled out new men’s and women’s scents this fall that have been inspired by another warm, sandy locale: Miami’s South Beach.


Pitbull Miami Man, created along with Givaudan perfumer Caroline Sabas, is a citrus fougere. It has citrus top notes of grapefruit, lemon and pink peppercorn with cardamom, apple and cool wave notes at the heart. In the base, there’s a blend of creamy cedarwood and sandalwood with warm musk and rich amber. Created with Steve DeMercado of Fragrance Resources, Pitbull Miami Woman has top notes of casaba melon and strawberry passion fruit ice mixed with Italian lemon and fresh white peach. The heart features rain drenched gardenia, blue lotus flower, jasmine sambac and orange.  Teak, Haitian vetiver and sandalwood make up the base.


Also created by DeMercado is Paris Hilton Heiress Limited Edition, a new scent from the celebrity and her scent partner, Parlux. It opens with passion fruit and juicy orange burst accompanied by peach granite and champagne mimosa. A floral melody is at the heart, with notes of star jasmine, tiare flower, ylang-ylang, honeysuckle, dewberry blossom and grandine. At its base, the dry down unfolds with violet leaf, sheer vetiver, Tahitian tonka and blonde woods, according to Parlux.


From the Famous


While activity within celebrity fragrance isn’t at the height of year’s past, there are still plenty of new launches from other boldfaced names from music and beyond.


Ariana Grande has rolled out her first signature scent, Ari by Ariana Grande, created in partnership with Luxe Brands. The scent and ancillary items are available in the US at Macys, Ulta, Bonton, Lord & Taylor and Stage, and in Canada at Shoppers Drug Mart.


“We are thrilled to have partnered with such an influential and exciting artist like Ariana Grande; we confidently anticipate this will be one of the most successful launches in the company’s history,” Tony Bajaj, president and chief executive officer of Luxe Brands, said in a press statement.


Love By Sofia Vergara is a new oriental, fruity fragrance. The top notes include mandarin, passion fruit and orange blossom. Purple Andean orchid, magnolia and Colombian coffee flower are in the middle, with a base of amberwood, ambrette seeds, vanilla. The EDP is sold at retailers nationwide, including Kohl’s and Perfumania, as well as on HSN.com.


And another celebrity scent—albeit a dead one—is hitting the market too. Los Angeles-based perfumery house Xyrena has rolled out Andy Kaufman Milk & Cookies, in honor of late performance artist. The fragrance made its public debut at the annual Andy Kaufman Award show, which was held on Oct. 11 in New York City—exactly 40 years after Kaufman’s appearance on the premiere episode of Saturday Night Live.


The gourmand fragrance is inspired by Kaufman’s performance at Carnegie Hall in April 1979, after which he took the audience of 2,800 out for milk and cookies via 24 buses he had waiting outside the venue.  The scent opens with top notes of sugar and sweet butter then develops into a heart of fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and a delicate note of creamy milk, followed by bottom notes of vanilla extract and white musk.


A juice headlined by a dead celebrity? Why not; Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamond’s continues to be a best seller.