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PF1803_Niche Fragrances_fcx.indd 50 2/1/18 3:06 PM New Niche: Simple or Simplistic? From simple packaging to simple product names, the trends in niche fragrances are seeing a growing demand for minimalism. Are the fragrances themselves following a similar path when it comes to formulations?

BY EDDIE BULLIQI, Independent perfume author

lobal Industry Analysts Inc. predict These subgroups, such as that the global fragrance market artistic, indie, artisanal, luxury, will reach $51 billion by 2022; experimental and cross-modal, this goes hand in hand with niche reflect a market maturation gaining market sharea. According to through diverse hierarchy and GEuromonitor the niche segment could fill some of the tiering. Brands such as L’Artisan gap left behind by the declining celebrity fragrance Parfumeur, Serge Lutens, sales, which is estimated to fall with a CAGR of 2.5% Amouage, and Clive Christian from 2016 to 2021b. However, the impact of niche originally opened up an olfactory is not just to be found in financial figures; the niche space that was the antithesis of segment also acts as an inspirational springboard, the dominant aquatic style of battleground for innovation and cultural influencer the 1990s and early 2000s. These for the rest of the industry. In the words of executive brands generally emphasized Chergui by Serge Lutens group president at the Estée Lauder Companies, complex woods, classic chypre John Demsey: “Niche is the new normal.” structures, spicy heavy orientals and a perceived high number of materials in each composition Old Niche under conceptually rich titles, such as La Chasse aux The predominant olfactory profiles of niche Papillons and Chergui, which was also traditional in perfumery, and the popular ways of marketing them, early twentieth-century perfumery. have changed a lot since the category’s inception 20 years ago. The industry’s search through niche for Golden Era effective education programs, transparency, quality The next wave, sustained and authenticity— which at first manifested itself in from around 2006–2012, complex, rich, undecipherable blends that empha- was occupied by the now sized their difference from the mainstream—has household names of Editions transformed as the segment has splintered into many de Parfums Frédéric Malle, subsets and adjacent groupings. By Kilian, Etat Libre d’Orange, Le Labo, Bond a Global Industry Analysts Inc., ‘Fragrances and Perfumes – a global strategic No. 9, Parfumerie Generale, business report’, http://www.strategyr.com/PressMCP-2533.asp (accessed January 15th 2018) Tauer Perfumes and Maison b FGRT, ‘Reviewing Trends in the Global Fragrance Market’, https://www. New packaging for La Chasse Francis Kurkdjian among fungglobalretailtech.com/research/reviewing-trends-global-fragrance-market/ aux Papillons (accessed January 15th 2018) others. These brands built

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on the consumer demand for more complex and La Collection Privée; Armani meaningful narratives to perfumery storytelling by with Armani Privé; Prada with its offering strong and memorable concepts with larger Exclusives collection; Creed with collections of scents to appeal to varied tastes across the Royal Exclusives; and, most the traditional fragrance families—in many cases recently, Louis Vuitton with its putting forward appeals towards validity through 2017 release of seven perfumes. transparency of the supply chain (as in Frédéric Coinciding with a clear Malle celebrating the role of the perfumer) or open- direction towards natural ingre- ness and willingness to champion synthetics (as in dients—driven in part by health Pierre Guillaume’s confectionary fantasies across obsessions and consumers’ desire his oeuvre). for greater knowledge—this One note of particular interest is that as these format of marketing has been companies have aged and grown in size, we can slowly pushing niche perfumery Portrait of a Lady by Frédéric Malle track a noticeable simplification towards a strategy of natural of both olfactory themes and the counterparts (with an expectation that a scent will way they are communicated. For smell as close as possible to its counterpart mate- example, Etat Libre d’Orange rial/flower/experience in nature) rather than simply focusing on lighter and less naturality (the more panoramic and general feeling challenging blends in Cologne of ‘naturalness,’ often achieved through effects of and True Lust Rayon Violet De Ses saltiness, effervescence, and/or imbalance). Yeux, while Francis Kurkdjian The brand habit of encouraging consumers to rereleased and reformulated expect natural counterparts has led to more easily Absolue Pour Le Soir into the identifiable notes and accords in more legible more easily digestible Grand fragrance profiles that smellers can quickly and Soir; and Tauer releasing the accurately read to further their sense of connoisseur- Tauerville series that highlights ship. Whilst execution of this type of scent may be Vanilla Flash by Tauerville its ingredients. very difficult technically in some olfactory areas (for To explain the gravitation towards simpler example, reconstructing faithful renditions of fruits), perfumery, fragrance education consultant Albert the design theory behind it is certainly simpler. The Powell comments, “With the increasing saturation danger is that it is, in fact, a theoretically simplistic of the niche fragrance market over the past decade, mechanism that could lead to a ‘dumbing down’ of launching a fragrance with an elaborate profile used the emotional and cognitive engagement with scent to allow specialist brands to stand out and appeal to that originally drove the path for niche and validated their specific audience. Now that there is more com- its prices. The underlying concern is rooted in the petition in the market, a simpler composition will fact that olfactory counterpart strategy may push allow for a more commercially successful launch.” scent design blueprints into a more technical area (for which there is nothing wrong), but will lose the Niche Now artistic and emotional infrastructure that lead to One of the key contemporary tropes in niche is artistic perfumery culture. a trend for naming releases by its key ingredients, Perfumer Théo Belmas from Concept Aromatique rather than abstract concepts or stories. Jo Malone expresses a similar doubt by contending that “the London was the biggest proponent of this style of relation between the name and the scent is essential. scent marketing, which in turn However, won’t this marketing influenced its scent design phenomenon cause an identity loss structure. Atelier Cologne is an for brands and a linearization of example of a follower of this the commercial offer if everyone intimate relationship between uses the ‘single note’ format?” scent name and scent profile. The success and interest in Future Niche these two brands also saw the Francois Bousquet, global paralleled release of ingredi- head of fragrance development at ent-led luxe ranges from many Givaudan, thinks that “naming by of the big commercial compa- ingredients can be quite inspiring nies looking to capitalize on for consumers on the condition that the niche space: Guerlain with Trust Lust by Etat Libre this description is true to reality Pivoine Suzhou by Armani Privé L’Art et la Matière; Dior with d’Orange … However, perfumery is not that

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simple, and those descriptions do not really reflect floral neologism: Olivier or express the notion of accords which is at the heart Polge crafted its heart as ‘an of perfumery.” Along a similar vein, founder of new imaginary flower.’ To that niche brand Aqualis Steyn Grobler professes, brief, it hit its the mark; whilst the scent “I don’t agree with the premise that ingre- touches on jasmine, dients in product names is producing more orange blossom, simplistic fragrances. I think that naming tuberose and ylang fragrances in terms of ingredients makes it ylang, it doesn’t more easily digestible for the consumer, but the smell like any one underlying fragrance can still be very complex. of them, or like a Take Pomegranate Noir by Jo Malone London, mixture of them Grand Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdjian for instance.” for that matter, too. It smells familiar but hard to decipher exactly – it That said, I still cannot imagine that Aventus lacks a natural counterpart. In doing so, one’s mind would have taken on its cult status if it was called, can wander and dream, giving the possibility of an for example, ‘Smoky Pineapple’ or, indeed, if the artistic narrative that goes beyond the ingredients. perfumer would have been as creative if they knew If niche were to re-implement fantasy dynamics that the end result would be named around a to the creative process, it will safeguard its artistic natural parallel. tradition. If the niche movement keeps moving Gabrielle by Chanel can be used as a case study towards counterpart theory, there is a strong pos- to suggest how a rejuvenated sense of fantasy woven sibility that the magic of perfumery will be lost in into niche could help it maintain its elevated status favor of more superficial tenants of design and prag- over mainstream releases. Whilst many critics matic questions of quality and realism; scents will be dismissed Gabrielle as being mundane and lacking good and bad but potentially not inspiring. character, interest can be found in its attempted

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