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Assoluta Perfection: Acqua Di Parma`s latest fragrance
June 20: It started out as an upscale hankie spritzer used to dapper up the dinner jackets of Italian gentlemen in 1916, and then quickly grew into the unisex cologne favorite of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in the `50s. Acqua di Parma, whose original fresh citrusy Colonia has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence throughout the `90s, is now ready to bestow on devoted fans its next incarnation: Colonia Assoluta.
June 20: It started out as an upscale hankie spritzer used to dapper up the dinner jackets of Italian gentlemen in 1916, and then quickly grew into the unisex cologne favorite of Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn in the '50s. Acqua di Parma, whose original fresh citrusy Colonia has enjoyed a remarkable resurgence throughout the '90s, is now ready to bestow on devoted fans its next incarnation: Colonia Assoluta.
The Italian company, together with LVMH, which owns 50 percent of the brand, presented its newest cologne -- or, "eau fraiche" as the French like to say -- to a select group of international journalists Thursday in the gorgeous hills of southern Tuscany.
"Assoluta is a re-creation of the original Colonia," explained Thomas du Pres de St. Maur, Director of Marketing for LVMH's fragrance division, speaking under a sinking Tuscan sun, champagne cocktail in hand.
"What is terrific about Italy and the Italians is their incredible ability to look back at the past and make it modern," said the French exec, who waxed on, rather contagiously, about the attractiveness of Acqua di Parma's exclusive image. "This project is no different."
For Colonia Assoluta, which makes its international debut in September 2003, the base is rooted in the original scent's electric citrus notes, but has been pushed in a spicy, deeper direction which gives the fragrance more indelible staying power.
"Fresh, discreet and long lasting just didn't exist in the market, so we said, 'let's create it.'"
This focused directive, given to Assoluta's creators, French nose veterans Bertrand Duchaufour and Jean-Claude Ellena, was remarkably absent of price restrictions, time limits, and creative constraints. Just pure freedom to re-interpret the classic fragrance into something new.
"It was like giving your wife a blank check and leaving her off at her favorite shoe store for as long as she likes," joked du Pres de St. Maur with a chuckle.
Duchaufour and Ellena went to town, selecting uber-expensive, all-natural ingredients such as sandalwood and patchouli for its wood notes, cardamom and bitter orange for its spice, and the most decadent of them all, Chinese jasmine, for the floral notes. The result is still fresh like Colonia, but decidedly warmer. And although it too is positioned as unisex, its dusty rose notes strike a more feminine chord.
silver cap and label, is offered in both 50ml and 100ml sizes. But the priciness of the project -- and of the juice (US retail prices are $60 and $95 each) -- doesn't seem to bother the bank rollers over at LVMH.
"Yes, the essence is very expensive," admitted du Pres de St. Maur. "But this is a very special product and it has special considerations."
Although its fragrance division fuels global fragrance powerhouses like Dior, Givenchy and Kenzo (and just recently cut Marc Jacobs and Kenneth Cole from its roster), LVMH clearly has a soft spot for this authentic little brand, which has used the same fragrance formula, factory and family in Parma for its entire 88-year history.
"Even the packaging is identical to what they first used," said du Pres de St. Maur, while proudly displaying idiosyncrasies on the handcrafted round yellow boxes and the slightly imperfect placement of the hand-applied labels. "I can tell you that no one else is doing this today."
Accordingly, LVMH has been reluctant to morph its small jewel into something calculated and over-blown, just to compete in the juice jungle, which grows ever larger each year.
"We're not obsessing with market share or formal marketing techniques with this brand," said du Pres de St. Maur, admitting to the notable chasm between Acqua di Parma and his giant, commercially-focused Dior business.
"It's a totally different story -- we can't even compare them. Dior has 22,000 doors world wide and Acqua di Parma has just 2,200."
Acqua di Parma received a kick start in 1994 from a trio of luxury entrepreneurs, Diego della Valle, Luca Cordeo di Montezzemolo, and Paolo Borgomaniero, who still own 50 percent of the business. But since LVMH arrived on the scene in 2001, doors have doubled, turnover has increased 30 percent, and new category additions, like the company's most recent "tourné" travel bag, have been added to the mix.
The company intends to target its same select doors for Colonia Assoluta, but hasn't mapped out sales projections for the launch of the new cologne.
Bureau Report
The Italian company, together with LVMH, which owns 50 percent of the brand, presented its newest cologne -- or, "eau fraiche" as the French like to say -- to a select group of international journalists Thursday in the gorgeous hills of southern Tuscany.
"Assoluta is a re-creation of the original Colonia," explained Thomas du Pres de St. Maur, Director of Marketing for LVMH's fragrance division, speaking under a sinking Tuscan sun, champagne cocktail in hand.
"What is terrific about Italy and the Italians is their incredible ability to look back at the past and make it modern," said the French exec, who waxed on, rather contagiously, about the attractiveness of Acqua di Parma's exclusive image. "This project is no different."
For Colonia Assoluta, which makes its international debut in September 2003, the base is rooted in the original scent's electric citrus notes, but has been pushed in a spicy, deeper direction which gives the fragrance more indelible staying power.
"Fresh, discreet and long lasting just didn't exist in the market, so we said, 'let's create it.'"
This focused directive, given to Assoluta's creators, French nose veterans Bertrand Duchaufour and Jean-Claude Ellena, was remarkably absent of price restrictions, time limits, and creative constraints. Just pure freedom to re-interpret the classic fragrance into something new.
"It was like giving your wife a blank check and leaving her off at her favorite shoe store for as long as she likes," joked du Pres de St. Maur with a chuckle.
Duchaufour and Ellena went to town, selecting uber-expensive, all-natural ingredients such as sandalwood and patchouli for its wood notes, cardamom and bitter orange for its spice, and the most decadent of them all, Chinese jasmine, for the floral notes. The result is still fresh like Colonia, but decidedly warmer. And although it too is positioned as unisex, its dusty rose notes strike a more feminine chord.
silver cap and label, is offered in both 50ml and 100ml sizes. But the priciness of the project -- and of the juice (US retail prices are $60 and $95 each) -- doesn't seem to bother the bank rollers over at LVMH.
"Yes, the essence is very expensive," admitted du Pres de St. Maur. "But this is a very special product and it has special considerations."
Although its fragrance division fuels global fragrance powerhouses like Dior, Givenchy and Kenzo (and just recently cut Marc Jacobs and Kenneth Cole from its roster), LVMH clearly has a soft spot for this authentic little brand, which has used the same fragrance formula, factory and family in Parma for its entire 88-year history.
"Even the packaging is identical to what they first used," said du Pres de St. Maur, while proudly displaying idiosyncrasies on the handcrafted round yellow boxes and the slightly imperfect placement of the hand-applied labels. "I can tell you that no one else is doing this today."
Accordingly, LVMH has been reluctant to morph its small jewel into something calculated and over-blown, just to compete in the juice jungle, which grows ever larger each year.
"We're not obsessing with market share or formal marketing techniques with this brand," said du Pres de St. Maur, admitting to the notable chasm between Acqua di Parma and his giant, commercially-focused Dior business.
"It's a totally different story -- we can't even compare them. Dior has 22,000 doors world wide and Acqua di Parma has just 2,200."
Acqua di Parma received a kick start in 1994 from a trio of luxury entrepreneurs, Diego della Valle, Luca Cordeo di Montezzemolo, and Paolo Borgomaniero, who still own 50 percent of the business. But since LVMH arrived on the scene in 2001, doors have doubled, turnover has increased 30 percent, and new category additions, like the company's most recent "tourné" travel bag, have been added to the mix.
The company intends to target its same select doors for Colonia Assoluta, but hasn't mapped out sales projections for the launch of the new cologne.
Bureau Report