New: Cartier Super Deluxe Costumized fragrances.

[cedriceccentric]

WWD.com

NEW YORK — There are high-end fragrances — and then there's a bespoke fragrance project Cartier plans to commence when its 106-year-old store at 13 Rue de la Paix reopens in Paris this December.

The price tag for the limited-edition fragrance is about 60,000 euros, or $72,320 at current exchange rates, according to people close to the situation. The exact size of the bottle, which will be presented in a Baccarat crystal box, has yet to be determined. Industry sources project that 100 of the bottles could be sold, to the tune of 6 million euros, or $7.2 million, in retail sales.

To herald the start of this fragrance venture, Cartier's fragrancer for the project, Mathilde Laurent, will hold consultations with customers, during which she will custom blend essential oils to create scents that will only be available at Rue de la Paix.

"It's different, the way we do fragrance," said Anthony Ledru, assistant vice president overseeing accessories, fragrance and eyewear for Cartier. "We try to keep [momentum] year after year — not launch one men's and one women's fragrance each year," he said. "We believe in long-term bestsellers."

Ledru, a 32-year-old France native, has overseen Cartier fragrances for the past year — since the Compagnie Financière Richemont-owned firm merged its fragrance, accessories and eyewear businesses. He joined Cartier 10 years ago as a regional manager for the company's eyewear business in Argentina and Brazil.

Cartier's most recent fragrance launch was the fall 2003 entry, Le Baiser du Dragon, a women's scent Ledru called a "pillar" of the firm's fragrance portfolio. Industry sources estimate the scent has generated $8 million in the U.S. to date. It's one of seven scents Cartier actively markets. The women's side of the business generates 60 percent of sales. Also, Cartier launched candles last year.

Cartier scents are carried in about 275 doors in the U.S. and Canada, a market that accounts for between 25 and 30 percent of Cartier's fragrance business worldwide.

Industry sources estimate Cartier fragrances generate about $35 million in retail sales in the U.S., where the scents are carried at Saks Fifth Avenue; Neiman Marcus; Bergdorf Goodman, which began carrying the scent two months ago; Nordstrom, and Sephora USA.

Our strategy is not to have 500 doors," Ledru said of the firm's wholesale fragrance business in the U.S. "We want to expand space within existing doors [and] maximize selling per door, rather than expand the number of doors."

When it comes to company-owned space, Cartier has 31 boutiques in the U.S., where, in total, the company has estimated sales of $600 million. It also has a store in Vancouver and another in Toronto. Cartier's most recent store opening was in Beverly Hills in May, marking its 25th anniversary in that city. Store renovations are planned for Madison Avenue; Chicago; Atlanta; Naples, Fla., and Chevy Chase, Md. Worldwide, there are 1,000 to 1,200 Cartier fragrance doors.

Ledru hinted at future plans for a Cartier women's scent, which could launch as early as February.

[MJH]

When I first heard that Guerlain would be remodeling their flagship store, resurrecting some of their discontinued scents, and embarking on customer perfumery, I was thrilled. Just as I was thrilled when I read that Patou would be undertaking made-to-order scents as well. Why am I not quite so thrilled this time?: I'm wondering if what we're seeing is an increasing stratification between the seriously affluent classes and.....the rest of us. After all, if I budget carefully (or max out my credit card), I too can own Guerlain parfums....but custom perfumes are permanently out of my reach. Just a thought.....

[Artisankey]

I'm wondering if what we're seeing is an increasing stratification between the seriously affluent classes and.....the rest of us. *After all, if I budget carefully (or max out my credit card), I too can own Guerlain parfums....but custom perfumes are permanently out of my reach. *Just a thought.....

Astute observation. I think Cartier was first a watch-maker/jeweler and, custom perfume aside, I can't afford any of their jewelry either. It seems this custom perfume "thing" is perhaps more of an addition to their custom jewelry line and in keeping with that sort of "exclusive" thinking.

I can't say it overly disturbs me however. My reasoning goes on lines something like this:

In order to custom blend for clients, not only do you have to be an excellent perfumer, but you also have to be intuitive, sensitive, creative and be able to completely key into someone else's fantasies and sense of romance- without openly embarrassing them. At least this is what I would look for in someone to do a custom blend for me. Maybe there are a lot of perfumers out there who can do that. I can't help being skeptical though.

While most of their perfumes don't work for me, I find I would be more excited and (if I had that kind of cash) feel less awful about shelling out the kind of dough required, if Lutens/Sheldrake were to do a personal perfume for me. At least I would believe I'm getting something unique and genuinely filled with the passion that they seem to put into all their fragrances. With Cartier, I somehow don't feel the same connection, sense of drivenness or passion. All MHO of course.

[dcampen]

but custom perfumes are permanently out of my reach.

DSH will create a custom scent for $275.
http://www.dshperfumes.com/custom_eo.asp?page=18
http://www.dshperfumes.com/customscent_eo.asp?page=19

[perfumelife]

This made-to-order fragrance thing is a new trend just as Haute Couture is back again, I think. But whether it is worth the money depends on who is the perfumer. A Guerlain member, Jacques Polge or any other great noses are more sought-after than others.

[glorious1]

Yeah REALLY! For that much $ I better KNOW the nose and it better be a good one. I have to put the $ up front and then not know if I'm going to like it? I don't think so.