There’s no want for “new” when it comes to the fine fragrance category. There were more than 1,600 new scents rolled out in 2014—the most ever tracked by Michael Edwards in his 31st annual “Fragrances of the World,” the quintessential guidebook to fine fragrances.


When Edwards published his first guide 30 years ago, there were just 29 new launches. There was twice that in celebrity scents alone in 2014—numbers that may have surprised even the most entrenched industry observers.


“This bucks the popular wisdom that celebrity is on the wane. There was a dip in 2013, but it has rebounded back,” Edwards told Happi in a phone interview from his office in Paris.


Seems like every nearly celebrity, even the “minor” ones, want to have their name on a bottle of fragrance. But according to Edwards, unless there’s something creative to the juice, a celebrity scent’s longevity will be fleeting—just like fame itself. 


One of the more anticipated celebrity launches of late was Our Moment, the debut scent from pop band One Direction. The fruity floral scent, which officially bowed in London in 2013, was by far the fastest growing scent in the mass category last year, tallying sales of more than $5.2 million at US multi-outlets, according to IRI’s data for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 22, 2015.


But overall, women’s mass fragrances slid 6.83% to $427.4 million during the same period, according to data from IRI (see chart).


US prestige fragrance fared better than those marketed at mass, with dollar sales reaching $3.1 billion in 2014, up 2% over 2013, according to The NPD Group, Inc. The top five launches, as tracked by NPD, were: Dolce & Gabbana Dolce, Giorgio Armani Sì, Marc Jacobs Daisy Dream, Paco Rabanne Invictus and Calvin Klein Endless Euphoria.


New On Counter
Launch activity to date in 2015 stretches from niche to designer to celebrity with concepts and juices taking inspiration from many muses.


Luxury brands Krigler and Bond No. 9, for example, have rolled out fragrances inspired by the places on the East and West coasts. For Krigler, its Charming California 215 eau de parfum, a scent that combines exotic spices with aromatic florals and hearty woods. The fragrance opens with coriander and orange blossom, Japanese green tea, Italian bergamot and Guatemalan cardamom.


Brazilian jasmine and Bulgarian rose mix with French lily of the valley and Vietnamese osmanthus in the heart, moving into a smooth and warm finish of Californian cedar wood and earthy Sandalwood from Hawaii. A 3.4oz/100ml offering is $315, according to the brand.


Bond No.9 has channeled the vibe of a nouveau hip neighborhood over on the East Coast with the launch of Park Avenue South, which hit counters on March 21. This eau de parfum, described as a dynamic, energizing contemporary floral, contains “less than a handful of superbly blended iconic and unexpected notes” that create a “springtime mélange,” according to the company. Park Avenue South’s accords include green apple, which segues to a floral heart of jasmine spiked with peach, with musk and amber in the base. Prices range from $200 for a 50ml to $295 for 100ml, with a Swarovski limited edition flacon offered at $340.


Another premium offering comes from Estée Lauder’s Aerin brand. New Aerin Rose de Grasse ($185 for 1.7oz) is the first parfum in the brand’s premier collection. The scent opens with ambrette seeds. The heart is a blend of three rose ingredients—Rose centifolio, rose otto Bulgarian and rose absolute—while the base features violet wood, ambrox and musk.


Also from Lauder comes a limited edition offering in the Pleasures line. Twenty years after the launch of its namesake, this flanker (named Pleasures Florals) opens with Naartjie mandarin complimented by orange. Additional notes include tagete blossoms, honeysuckle, dewy water lily, two jasmine accords (jasmine sambac and jasmine grandiflorum) cedarwood, ambrox and musk.
Paris Perfumes Inc. is stepping up its presence via a new exclusive US partnership with Caron Paris, the second oldest perfume house in the world.


According to Yuval Ofir, vice president, Paris Perfumes started working with Caron Paris in a wholesale capacity some years ago, which helped develop a relationship that led to this new distribution deal.


“What is great about this newly forged partnership is that both companies were founded on the principle that the quality of products and level of service offered must be beyond reproach,” explained Ofir. “Both companies also started with a timeless story of immigrants building a life for themselves and achieving success through hard work and persistence. We are confident that together, Caron Paris and Paris Perfumes Inc. will be able to open a chapter in our stories that will see us reaching a new plateau.”
The Miami-based distributor plans to roll out a collection of Caron Paris vintage scents, including rare and limited editions, making the most of the company’s rich heritage.


“Caron Paris’ very existence makes it unique in the fragrance space. At over 100 years and counting, it is one of the oldest fragrance houses still operating in the world,” said Ofir. “As a primary customer, we see the perfume house attracting men and women with timeless taste and an eye for quality. They understand that their fragrance has as much of an impact on their presence in a room as their wardrobe.”


On the celebrity fragrance front, Coty has rolled out new Beyonce Heat Wild Orchid, created with Firmenich’s Honorine Blanc. Top notes include pomegranate, coconut water and boysenberry with middle notes of butterfly orchid, honeysuckle and blooming magnolia. The base of the eau de parfum, which has a price point of $59 for 100ml, is built from blonde woods and skin musks.
And there’s another singer venturing into fragrance; two-time Grammy-nominated performer Ariana Grande has inked a deal with Luxe Brands. The accord marks Grande’s entrance in fragrance as well as Luxe’s foray into the celebrity category.


“Ariana Grande is an incredibly special talent, and a perfect partner for Luxe brands’ debut celebrity fragrance,” said Tony Bajaj, CEO of Luxe Brands, Inc., which will lead the global brand development and execution for Grande’s offering in North America, Latin America and the Caribbean regions. “With this launch, Luxe Brands adds to its growing and strategically diverse portfolio of global brands. We’re excited to bring Ariana into the Luxe family, and look forward to delivering a truly beautiful scent to her fans around the world.”


Grande’s reportedly crafting the scent (due out in September) to speak to her 24.9 million Facebook and 25 million Twitter followers.


Singular Sensations
Demeter has made a name for itself by crafting a collection of unique, singular scents—think Grass, Lobster, Pistachio Ice Cream and Provence Meadow (the latter two were the among the Great Neck, NY company’s best sellers in 2014). The newest additions to the family include Mountain Air and, fittingly, New Baby.


New Baby was a long-time coming—much more than nine months, according to Mark Crames, Demeter’s CEO.


“New Baby has been the white whale of Demeter Fragrance Library, a fragrance that took 15 years to bring to market. It is almost a relief to launch this fragrance, a concept that someone asks us for each and every week,” said Crames. “Despite its complexity, New Baby is in the Classic Library because it is linear, meaning that it expresses its nature immediately and does not change over time. That means in addition to being beautiful in its own right, it will also add depth and complexity to many personal blends.”  
Demeter’s launch pad is always busy—there’s a new fragrance rolling out almost every month, according to Crames. But the library isn’t the only thing growing; so is the company’s international presence.


“Two-thousand fourteen was a breakthrough year for us, with our Russian business almost doubling in the face of substantial economic headwinds, and a major exclusive launch at Boots [in the UK]. Overall, we grew over 25% in 2014, an indication to me that our unique and personalized approach to fragrance is taking root,” said Crames.


“We come at fragrance from a completely different perspective. Our mission is to make great fragrance available for every day, because when you smell something you love, you smile, and the world needs to smile more. That drives everything we do: simple, familiar scents inspired by real objects and experiences, designed to be wearable and affordable for everyday.”


Sampling Scents
One way to make fine fragrance more-wallet friendly is through smaller bottles. Rollerballs and more diminutive portions can lure consumers to take a new—or new to them—fragrance out for a test drive.


According to Eric Neher, lead merchant, hair and fragrance, Birchbox’s fragrance partners range from new and unknown brands to classic names with long heritage.


“Seasonality is very important with beauty in general, and certainly for fragrance, and we are always looking to help our customers see—and smell—things when they are most relevant,” he said.


“Our platform allows for customization, and we are very in sync with our customers who have raised their hands to sample fragrance,” Neher added. “Having the opportunity to try in the intimate environment of one’s home is a great experience—it’s a fantastic moment. Our mission is to be the most efficient bridge between great brands and their newest customers.”


While scent is only one part of the mix at beauty subscription leader Birchbox, there’s a start-up model called Scentbird that’s focusing entirely on fragrance. The online portal was created to expand the perfume “tastings” that founder Mariya Nurislamova had been hosting in New York City.


“We wanted to bring this to a broader audience, but saw that less than 9% of perfumes are bought online—mostly re-purchases of perfumes consumers already know, and lots of discounting,” noted Scentbird CMO and co-founder Rachel ten Brink.


Scentbird’s executives say their model overcomes issues with the in-store fragrance shopping experience—think pushy or uneducated sales people, “not to mention that your nose physically shuts down after you smell three to four perfumes in a row,” said ten Brink. “We see ourselves as Birchbox 2.0—a totally customized experience where consumers explore the scents they want.” 


For $14.95 per month, Scentbird subscribers receive an 8ml purse spray—roughly a 30-day supply—filled with the perfume of their choice. The firm works with a lab in New York City to decant the original perfumes into the purse-sized sprays.


While executives wouldn’t reveal their current subscriber numbers, they contend Scentbird is growing more than “60% each month.”


“Our objective is to provide a platform to directly engage with Millennial consumers. We look to align ourselves with a broad range of luxury brands that fit our customer’s psychographics to create a platform for fragrance exploration,” said ten Brink.
A proprietary algorithm powers Scentbird’s recommendations that come from a database of thousands of scent profiles and 350,000 reviews by real women.


“We match you to scents you’ll love based on real women’s recommendations,” said ten Brink, “so you could say 350,000 women are helping you choose the right scent for you.”


That’s a lot of noses—but maybe it’s what today’s fragrance customers need to keep pace with all those launches.