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WHAT'S NEW
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Celebrity fragrances trend watch
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From Britney Spears to Jennifer Lopez, celebrities are cashing in on fragrance. Explore the world of celebrity perfume launches and find out which women's fragrances to sniff out next.
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By Natalie Bahadur
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Covet by Sarah Jessica Parker
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It seems like everyone and their Chihuahua has got a fragrance these days. It used to be that Elizabeth Taylor ruled the roost when it came to celebrities offering consumers their unique bouquet in a bottle, but nowadays, it's officially a trend. A big one.
Perfume profits
So why are so many celebs jumping on the perfume bandwagon? Well, who wouldn't want to secure a toehold in the billion-dollar-a-year fragrance industry? Jennifer Lopez really kicked things off with the launch of her debut fragrance Glow in 2002. The fragrance launch by the sexy, sultry songbird became the second most successful perfume launch ever, falling just behind Calvin Klein's 1994 launch of CK. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Now, stroll through the fragrance and cosmetics aisles at any major department store and you'll see the names and faces of your favourite celebrities, plastered all over jars and bottles -- their images gazing at you from slick marketing materials, urging you to smell just like they do.
Perfume as a brand extension
Kirk Brierley, education and communications manager for Elizabeth Arden Canada says that celebrities view fragrance launches as an opportunity to extend their brand name. "Many are timing fragrance launches to coincide with other pursuits such as album launches and they reinforce each other," he explains. "As well, if they are a creative personality, which many celebrities are, it gives them one more outlet to express themselves. Celebrities such as Mariah Carey really do get involved in the juice and the packaging."
2007 alone saw the launch of a plethora of new celebrity fragrance launches: Shania Twain, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Moss, the Beckhams, Britney Spears, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey, even Antonio Banderas have attached their names to perfumes and colognes.
Style in a bottle
"I think that celebrities are being celebrated more than ever for their sense of style and personality, which are two elements in choosing a fragrance," says Brierley. "Does it fit your sense of style or the personality that you wish to convey? Many consumers relate to certain celebrities and their fragrance is simply an extension of that. Wearing it brings them closer."
Well, they must be doing something right. As you may or may not have guessed, Elizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds is the most enduring celebrity scent on the market. "It completely captures that glamour that is Miss Taylor ... from the packaging to the juice, and it is now a classic," says Brierley. "Typically, it's the (celebrity's) first fragrance launched that does the best and is the most enduring, but in this case it is Miss Taylor's second, after Black Pearls."
With Miss Taylor's incomparable career and contribution to the world of film, it's not all that surprising that one of her fragrances sets the gold standard. But she's not alone. Famed Canadian designer Alfred Sung experienced similar success with the launch of his first fragrance, Sung, which is celebrating 20 years on the market this fall. "This still holds a place in the hearts of Canadian consumers," says Brierley. "Ultimately, it is the quality of the juice that will endure."
Longevity and fragrance trends
Which of the new up-and-comers will secure a spot as a consumer favourite and earn the kind of longevity Miss Taylor achieved? As Brierley says, ultimately, it's the quality of the fragrance that counts.
So what kinds of fragrances can we expect to see from celebrities this year? According to Brierley, pretty feminine florals are back but, he says, we can't ignore the gourmand influences. "Two of our biggest successes have come from incorporating "edible" qualities to the fragrance. For example, M by Mariah Carey has a unique marshmallow accord that runs throughout the fragrance. Fantasy by Britney Spears has a cupcake accord that gives it a very special tone."
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