Celebrity perfumes are everywhere but who wins the bottle royale?
As a child, I used to make perfume - a laborious and thankless task. Plump, pregnant roses would be stripped from neighbours' bushes and brought to my back garden. It never amounted to much: one or two drips of rose oil for every velvety bulb, for every cubic litre of sweat, for every drop of blood from the thorns.
The memory floods back to me in the perfume section of a Glasgow department store, familiar, like the faces on the walls. Sarah Jessica Parker pouts on one advertising board; on another, a dripping wet Gwen Stefani leaps from the bottle of her latest fragrance. "Might be the sweat from crushing all those roses," I think, but probably not.
The Rise of Celebrity Fragrances
Celebrity fragrances form the fastest growing sector of the $2.9 billion (£1.42bn) perfume industry. Since 2004, their share of the market has soared by 2000%, and is now worth about £255 million in the UK alone.
If the stats are to be believed, one in five of 16 to 24-year-olds regularly wears a celebrity scent. And there's ample choice. This year has seen more than 30 launches and the trend looks set to continue.
The Year of the Celebrity Fragrance
"It is the year of the celebrity fragrance," says Julia Bolsom of The Perfume Shop. "We know our customers love celebrities and aspire to live a celebrity lifestyle It therefore follows that by spending a few pounds, our customers can feel that they are experiencing part of their favourite star's lifestyle."
It's a statement that seems sublime and ridiculous in roughly equal measures. But the sales figures back it up. Even if a perfume is not a celebrity fragrance per se, endorsement by a celeb is still important. Chanel No 5 is the world's most popular perfume: a bottle is sold every 30 seconds. In recent times, Nicole Kidman has become the face of the scent. "I'm a dancer," she announces in the label's plush Baz Luhrmann-directed commercial: "I love to dance."
The Art of Celebrity Perfumes
Some celebrity perfume bottles have scrimped disappointingly on the aesthetics. Jennifer Lopez's Glow has a peach-coloured bottle that even my gran would balk at, a silvery plastic pendant that only the neediest of children could admire. Paris Hilton's Just Me spouts a toxic pink liquid, more toilet cleaner than eau de toilette. The bottle for Kylie's Sweet Darling looks like a bum.
In some cases, the names, at least, are accurate. The commercial for Sean John's Unforgivable range shows the rap star in bed with two beautiful models which, sure enough, is hard to forgive. (The same could be said for the description of Sir Cliff Richard's Devil Woman scent, aimed at "Cliff fans and women who want a warm, musky fragrance"). Others contain various base notes of irony. The knickerless Britney claims to be In Control, while the loudmouthed Jade Goody has plumped for the incongruous Shhh.
The Psychology of Smell
George Dodd, a world-renowned perfumer and the founding father of the psychology of smell, believes that most celebrity fragrances are "very clichéd and innocuous". He explains that around 80% of the formulation of modern fragrances comes from cheap chemicals used in detergents. Dodd believes that the true glory of perfumery lies in the use of precious natural woods and animal musks.
While celebrity perfumes may be fine for the price, they lack the animal vitality and complex compositions of traditional French perfumes. Dodd suggests that the mass-market celebrity fragrances are formulated to appeal to almost everyone, eliminating any distinctive or daring elements. Their goal is to evoke a clean and innocent image, rather than embody the personality of the celebrity endorsing it.
The Connection Between Celebrity Fragrances and Hotels
Just as celebrities endorse perfumes, they also lend their names to hotels. The connection between celebrity fragrances and hotels lies in the allure of the lifestyle they represent. Celebrity fragrances allow consumers to experience a part of their favorite star's lifestyle, creating a sense of aspiration. Similarly, staying at a celebrity-endorsed hotel can make guests feel like they are living a luxurious and glamorous life, even if only for a short time.
Many celebrities have partnered with hotels to create signature properties that reflect their personal brand and style. These hotels often feature unique design elements, extravagant amenities, and a high level of service, all aimed at providing a luxurious experience for guests. Just like with celebrity perfumes, the endorsement of a celebrity can increase the desirability and appeal of a hotel.
Additionally, the connection between celebrity fragrances and hotels can be seen in the marketing strategies employed by both industries. Both celebrity fragrances and hotels rely on the allure of a famous name and the association with a celebrity lifestyle to attract customers. The endorsement of a well-known celebrity can generate buzz and media attention, driving sales and bookings.
While celebrity fragrances and hotels may not necessarily share the same target audience, they both tap into the universal fascination with celebrity culture and the desire to be associated with luxury and glamour. Whether it's wearing a scent endorsed by a favorite celebrity or staying at a hotel with their name attached, consumers are drawn to the idea of experiencing a taste of the celebrity lifestyle.