Fragrance launch explosion makes 2011 a record year
Fragrance launch explosion makes 2011 a record year
Author : Jonathan Charles
Date : Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Over the last ten years consumers across the globe have acquired an unquenchable thirst for new fragrances, but even so 2011 has been an exceptional year with over 1200 launches recorded, an average of more than three per day.
A record year for launches has made it a hectic 12-months for perfume expert Michael Edwards, author and compiler of Fragrances of the World®, the indispensable fragrance guide. Over 8,000 fragrances are listed in the 2012 edition and each entry is cross-referenced by fragrance family, gender, brand and year of launch.
Speaking about the incredible rise in new fragrance introductions, Michael says: “Fragrance houses and perfumistas alike seem to have an insatiable appetite for new fragrances. We have seen an explosion of launches in the past ten years, with a record high of 1200 new launches in 2011, compared with 372 launches in 2001 and just 76 in 1991.”
Over the last decade or so, the fragrance industry has sought to instil all year-round interest in fragrance through various marketing strategies and this has propelled the frequency of launches, says Michael. “In 1991, no one had really heard of limited edition scents or flankers,” he says, “while in 2001 there were 32 limited editions and 52 flankers. Those numbers have now skyrocketed to 236 limited edition scents and 197 flankers in 2011. The rise in these types of fragrances highlights the trend of growing the market for the world’s most popular scents by creating new or seasonal interpretations of the original that we already know and love.”
Perhaps another reason for the explosion in launches has been the public’s obsession with celebrity and in the fragrance world this is showing no sign of diminishing, says Michael. “While there is much speculation about the celebrity fragrance genre, its popularity continues with 73 celebrity scents launched in 2011, including the major success story of Justin Beiber’s Someday. This compares with only nine celebrity fragrances in 2001 and just three in 1991 including the enduring success story that is Elizabeth Taylor’s White Diamonds. In 2012, launches by Madonna and Lady Gaga, both developed in conjunction with Coty, will no doubt be ones to watch.”
The launch rate has also been fuelled by the increasing number of individual perfumers and artisans launching their own fragrances and the growing popularity and commercial success of the niche sector has also attracted the major brands, as Michael further explains: “The growth in niche fragrances is another significant trend seen over the past ten years, with 219 launches in 2011 versus 61 in 2001 and just nine in 1991. L'Artisan Parfumeur pioneered the concept of artisanal fragrances in 1978 but it was not until the new millennium that niche fragrances moved to centre stage.
“Embraced now by the major groups (such as Armani Privé, Chanel Les Exclusives, Hermès Hermessence) we view the niche category not only as a welcome opportunity for perfumers to experiment with innovative fragrances but also as a seedbed for future brand developments. In that light, it is interesting to watch the evolution of Tom Ford Private Blend from a sophisticated niche player to a major brand now in international department stores. Clearly, it has moved from niche to selective/luxury brand status,” he concludes.
About Fragrances of the World®
Fragrances of the World® includes selective, niche, masstige, mass market and direct sale fragrances available worldwide, cross-referenced for ease of use. “Fragrances of the World® generates sales for retailers by taking the guess work out of choosing a fragrance,” said Edwards. “If a customer asks for a fragrance that is not stocked, a quick cross reference of the guidebook lets sales associates offer the perfect alternative based on the fragrance family it belongs to – the universal key to the fragrances that a person likes or dislikes.”
International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF) have collaborated with Michael to feature striking photography in the book, which visually reinterprets floral and other family notes.
About Michael Edwards
Michael Edwards has become a fragrance phenomenon, an ambassador for the world of perfumery. Fragrance consumes him. “It is my passion, my life,” he says.
His first major work, Perfume Legends: French Feminine Fragrances, opened up the secret world of perfumery. For the first time, perfumers spoke of their work and the sources of their inspiration. Perfume Legends has now become a cult classic.
Michael won his first FiFi award in 2004, the Technological Achievement award for his Fragrances of the World information database. Women’s Wear Daily dubbed him: “The brain of the fragrance industry”.
Michael is one of the fragrance world’s few impartial and independent authorities. He makes no charge for listing or classifying new fragrances and he declines both advertising and sponsorship. As a result, he is able to work with every brand and perfumer to check the accuracy of his classifications and work.
Follow Michael at www.twitter.com/theperfumenose
SPECIAL OFFER: Order online at fragrancesoftheworld.com before 31st January 2012 and receive 10% off the RRP. Order now for January delivery.
Photograph
Fragrances of the World®, by Michael Edwards, is an indispensable fragrance guide listing in its 2012 edition over 8,000 fragrances. Each entry is cross-referenced by fragrance family, gender, brand and year of launch
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