Prada & Fendi Launch New Perfumes
The Lucrative Allure of the Global Fragrance Market Beckons
Prada & Fendi to launch innovative new fragrances in the Fall.
With the fragrance market proving ever more lucrative, two of Italy’s most influential fashion design houses are launching new fragrances in the fall. In partnership with Christian Dior Perfumes and Cosmetics, Fendi Palazzo will be the house’s first women’s fragrance launch in almost twenty years; Prada’s Infusion d'Iris will be the third in a portfolio that includes their signature scent for women (2004) and Amber Pour Homme (2006). "It's the biggest launch in the Prada portfolio," Jose Manuel Albesa, general manager of Fragrance and Skincare SL – a joint venture between Prada and their fragrance licensee, Puig Beauty & Fashion Group & distributed by Coty Inc. – told WWD (Prada Infuses Heritage Into New Scent Friday, July 20, 2007). "We expect it to be number one in terms of volume.”
With top notes of orange blossom and mandarin, a heart of iris, and drydown of galbanum, lentisc, benzoin, incense & typically masculine vetiver and cedarwood, Infusion d'Iris – created jointly by Miuccia Prada and Givaudan’s Daniela Andrier – is anything but typically girlie. "The fragrance is very modern — it has nothing to do with feminine stereotypes," acknowledges Jordi Puig, Puig USA’s general manager. "Strong ingredient contrast contributes to the freshness of the fragrance." Fendi’s Palazzo – a collaboration between Dior in-house perfumer Patrick Demarchy, Silvia Venturini Fendi, head accessories and men's wear designer, and their womenswear designer for over four decades, Karl Lagerfeld – is also floral but balanced, featuring top notes of mandarin orange, bergamot, lemon and pink pepper, a heart of orange blossom, jasmine and Bulgarian rose and drydown of patchouli and Gaiac wood. "This fragrance is for a very particular type of woman, one who is really feminine but very strong — sophisticated, but particularly sure of herself," Venturini Fendi told WWD (Fendi Back in the Fragrance Game, Friday, July 20, 2007). "I wanted that the woman who is wearing this fragrance would enter a room and everyone would ask, 'But what is that scent?'"
The Fendi scent will be packaged in an imposing bottle inspired by Fendi’s Via del Leoncino headquarters in Rome, while the signature green Prada bottle is adorned with the traditional, century-old Prada logo, and more closely resembles vintage perfume bottles. “It reflects the rich, luxury heritage of Prada as well as innovation, a sense of tradition and uncompromisable quality," notes Prada’s Albesa. "The whole concept is to mix Prada's past with elements from its future."
Insiders estimate that Prada has a whopping $25 million budgeted for advertising and promotion, and a Steven Meisel-photographed print campaign that will launch in the October issue of the fashion and lifestyle magazines. Starring “it” model Sasha Pivovarova, and supported by a 10,000 door distribution, it should help Prada rake in $50 in retail sales in the first year. The Fendi fragrance is also projected to bring in $50 million at retail globally, based on the Lagerfeld-shot ad campaign, and 1,500 door-availability in Europe, Canada, and the U.S. However, in a typically Lagerfeld'ian twist, the Fendi perfume comes with it’s own book (sold separately at indie bookstores, thankyou). "I invented for the ad what the Italians call a fumetto, a comic book but a very chic one," explains Lagerfeld about the photo storybook which tells the tale of a Roman princess told between her American beau and her ex-lover’s brother (portrayed by models Brad Kroenig and Jake Davis). "I liked the idea of describing the story, with a touch of Henry James. The story is of a very beautiful Roman princess — not at all red-carpet bimbo — who is very chic and modern but at the same time very elegant."
