Are Celebrity Fragrances Killing the Art Form of Perfumery?

In today’s society it seems we can’t escape celebrity culture. It’s no longer models gracing the covers of luxury magazines, it’s our favourite singers, actors and TV stars. Searching the market for a new phone, TV, holiday destination or family car? Chances are that one of your favourite celebs will be selling it you, dangling the carrot of a lifestyle just like theirs if you indulge in the latest must-have product they are endorsing.

The fragrance and perfume industry is a key area of the beauty world that has been hit by the same celeb-endorsing bug. Celebrity fragrances are now a lucrative business, everyone from Rihanna to Lady Gaga has released their own signature scent, with teen sensation One Direction recently announcing plans to launch their own sweet scent. The prestigious fragrance industry is seeing the market saturated with these scents, creating a new generation of consumers choosing their fragrance purely based on the image on the packaging and a targeted advertising campaign to tap into the millions of fans ‘on-trend’ celebs have. Seventy three celebrity scents were launched in 2012, I’m sure such an excessive number must be taking away from the art form of perfumery and the longevity many of the most prestigious, luxury brands pride themselves on having in the market.

Brad Pitt’s advert for Chanel was recently voted the worst advert of 2012, considering he was paid millions to star in the adverts, was his involvement really worth it to such an established brand as Chanel? Or was the perfume giant simply trying to keep up with the growing move towards celebrity endorsement? Call me cynical but I wonder how involved some of the celebrities are in the creation and design process. If we are forever bombarded by how busy such mega-stars are, how do they find the time to create their fragrances? Something which takes even the most experienced of perfumers months, sometimes even years, to finalise. The creation process is often an all-consuming development over an almost holistic and at all times, authentic journey for the most dedicated of perfumers. Worryingly, thirty-one of the top one hundred selling perfumes in 2012 were endorsed by a celebrity, leaving one to wonder if such entries really are the best products or simply supported by a marketing machine worthy enough to push such big-name brands.

A worrying development is that perhaps the face of the brand is now more important than what is actually in the bottle. The next generation of consumers are unfortunately so highly influenced by their favourite musicians and actors, that their choices in life are so easily guided by the likes of Justin Bieber, Britney Spears and Beyonce. The small light at the end of the tunnel is that the average lifespan of a celebrity fragrance is just three years. Could this signal a change in the industry? Could some young consumers be taking more pride in choosing their scent and paying more attention to the work of the perfumer instead? Let’s hope so. Here at Mitonia, we represent many of the world’s most unique scents, bringing a variety of luxury, niche brands to our fans in the GCC. Brands such as LINARI, BOIS 1920, Ineke and Humiecki & Graef are created using the finest raw materials, resulting in a combination of superior quality and a high olfactory complexity. Individualism is key, leaving little room for celebrity endorsement by the latest pop star to reign supreme in the charts.

Let’s hope the sweet smell of success for niche fragrances continues to heighten and our celebrity-crazed culture takes note.

For more information on Mitonia visit: www.mitonia.ae