Fragrances in France

PROSPECTS

The behemoths of luxury in action

In 2017, the fragrances category was boosted by a number of outstanding launches in premium women’s fragrances. Unlike in the review period, which saw mostly commercial flanker launches, 2017 seemed to mark a turning point, with a return to “real” perfumes.

Small perfumers change the landscape in fragrances

Small perfumers, which increased strongly in recent years, have changed the landscape in fragrances. Demanding, daring and creative, they opened up new horizons in fragrance, which was locked into the “me too” trend with flankers.

Unisex fragrances are part of the “no gender” trend

Millennials, and more so the younger generation Z, that is re-inventing itself with the growing trend of “no gender”, are turning to unisex fragrances, as they value the character and uniqueness of the fragrance beyond anything else; found, for instance, in the fragrances of Fragrance Du Bois. Frankincense, myrrh and vanilla with leathery notes replace the classic sweet and floral notes.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Is the price war set to continue?

With the steady decline in consumers’ average purchasing power, the competition from other categories, such as colour cosmetics and skin care, and consumers’ fatigue with fragrances that failed to renew themselves in recent years, the large fragrance retailers suffered. So much so, that now fragrance retailers such as Sephora, Marionnaud and Nocibé, offer reductions of 30% on a large proportion of their individual products and sets/kits at the end of the year, even before Christmas.

Mass fragrances improve their quality to attract new consumers

Mass fragrances improved their quality considerably in recent years, and the offer has widened. Elegant, fresh, peppy, sensual – there are all kinds of fragrances for all tastes, and for a low price.

Dynamism in premium women’s fragrances

Recent new launches in premium women’s fragrances included Jean Paul Gaultier’s Scandal, which has a bottle with a pair of legs in the air, Twilly de Hermès, which stands out with a strong ginger tone, and whose bottle has a cap in the shape of a bowler hat, and the new Mugler fragrance Aura, which has a vegetal scent and comes in a jewel-like bottle. A wind of creativity is blowing in premium women’s fragrances, which is hoped to be replicated in premium men’s fragrances and to continue in the forecast period.

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