“Fragrance is, to me, something very personal; because it is something you wear every day, it should represent you and be an extension of your style.”
Frida Gustavsson
Fashion and fragrances share an interesting bond.
Over one hundred years ago this bond made its first appearance to the world — all the way back in 1911, thanks to a man named Paul Poiret. He was a fashion designer who, (at the time), had a radical idea: to close the gap between the perfumery industry and the fashion industry.
This was a courageous, albeit shocking decision that led to endless criticism of Poiret. He didn’t back down, but still, no one was convinced of his conviction.
That is until fashion designer Coco Chanel stepped into the picture with her timeless perfume, Chanel No.5.
Ten years later, Coco hired a perfumer to create her signature perfume. It transformed the fragrance world. Women all over yearned to wear this iconic scent. Coco achieved what Poiret couldn’t — as a fashion designer, she melted the barrier between fashion and perfumery. And now, brands of today do exactly as she — and Poiret attempted — to do.
Nowadays, we’d argue not having a fragrance line alongside your clothing brand is a cardinal sin. Here are three major reasons why.
When your favorite clothing brand sells a perfume or cologne to compliment the style, it makes sense to buy it from them. You’re going to the designer for a certain look, maybe in hopes of achieving a certain feeling by wearing the clothes. And that “feeling” or “look” isn’t complete without a fragrance.
It’s never an afterthought. People proudly wear scents to reflect their personality. It’s how people recognize you; it represents who you are in the same vein as clothing. The difference lies in the power of fragrances.
Certain smells can trigger emotional responses. Perhaps the scent of vanilla and cupcakes makes you think of your mother’s baking. That makes you happy. Or the scent of cinnamon reminds you of those spicy candies you always got when trick-or-treating — and you despise those candies.
Fragrances give you the power to elicit a certain response, a certain emotion, from your customer. This will shape how they feel about your clothing. Think of the fragrance as an extension to your brand, the way people see it as an extension of themselves.
If you’re not sure where to start, think about your most popular clothing pieces. When people buy the pieces you can also suggest they pick up the fragrance to complete the look.
The biggest issue with fashion is trends.
One day low-rise jeans are in, the next day everyone is going gaga over high-rise skinny jeans. Or for a more recent example, think about fanny packs.
In the 90s, fanny packs were the epitome of uncool. Yet now high-end brands are selling them to teenagers and young adults who can’t seem to get enough. The unpredictability is what makes fashion so thrilling, but it can also be the demise of a clothing line too.
Perfumery follows similar trends, but not as intensely. Certain seasons and even colors can affect the popularity of a fragrance, but rarely does it kill it. There are always people trying to find dupes of their favorite discontinued perfume or cologne. Some go so far as to create their own duplicate because nothing else is satisfying.
And some fragrances never die. You’ve heard of Chanel No.5 even though it was created nearly a hundred years ago. It’s that timeless purchase still popular among women today. And likely, it will always be.
This is the power of having a fragrance line — it can supersede “popularity”. Even as the seasons pass or trends change, your fragrance can attract the hearts of new and veteran customers. Especially when you aim to create a timeless scent.
You want even more customers — and launching a fragrance line is the perfect way to do this. Not only does it increase your clothing line’s visibility, but it also brings old customers out of the woodwork and attracts new customers on the lookout for a new perfume.
You’ve created a new reason for people to talk about and share your brand. Not just any brand can create the perfect scent to complete the style your customers want — only you can do that.
Your veteran customers are more likely to try out your fragrance because they already trust your clothing and style. You understand their wants and desires, and now you can package it up in a perfectly designed blend of fragrance notes and accords.
Ready to get started?
And you don’t have to worry about blending the notes yourself or finding a manufacturer or creating packaging. We, the experts at Privé Label, handle all the minute details of bringing your fragrance vision to life. Contact us today to get started right away.
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