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ENGLAND — As fans of Marcel Proust know, sometimes a perfume can serve as the inspiration for a book, but in Victoria Beckham’s case, the scent has actually evolved into the book, giving her a new platform from which to engage with her audience.
Three unisex scents from Victoria Beckham Beauty, which will premiere on Friday, are inspired by the fashion designer’s private experiences from the past, particularly her alone time with husband David Beckham.
Together with perfumer Jérôme Epinette, Victoria Beckham created the scents, Portofino ’97, Suite 302, and San Ysidro Drive, and she is now making them herself without a licensee. Direct-to-consumer distribution will predominate, and relationships with Bergdorf Goodman will be used to do this.
Priced at $200 for 50ml and $290 for 100ml, respectively, the scents.
This undertaking is so dear to Beckham that he even features in the Steven Klein-shot advertisement. Beckham claimed she picked him because she adores the way he captures ladies in his shots.
“This is my autobiography through scent, and a new way of communicating with my community,” Beckham said of the product, whose release will take place in conjunction with her runway presentation on Friday during Paris Fashion Week.
“All three of these perfumes hold a very special place in my heart, making this the most personal project I have ever worked on. I took my time perfecting them and working on the names, packaging, and backstories,” she continued.
Beckham was candid in an interview about the emotions she sought to evoke in each drink.
She claimed that the zesty fragrance Portofino ’97, which has bergamot undertones, makes her think of her private courting with David before they came out as a couple.
The soccer player for Manchester United and the former Spice Girl were known to rendezvous in parking lots and secret locations. She claimed that in order to avoid being seen by the British tabloids, who are still following the couple’s every move decades later, they would spend hours talking in the car.
The first trip Victoria and David made to Portofino in 1997 was significant. Both were dealing with hectic work schedules in addition to the strain of hiding their relationship.
The perfume has a passionate, youthful scent because of the couple’s amorous stay in Portofino. It’s new and pure,” she declared.
Suite 302 alludes to The Ritz in Paris, the setting for many of David’s excursions over the years, including his second honeymoon. It is the apartment where Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel resided for more than 30 years until she passed away (and totally redecorated).
The smell, according to Beckham, evokes “the opulence of Paris,” recollections of numerous date nights, and the couple’s love of the French capital, which they frequently visited when David was contracted to Real Madrid. It also includes earthy undertones of black cherry, leather, and tobacco.
With its saffron undertones, San Ysidro Drive exudes an entirely other atmosphere.
The Beckham family resided on this street when they relocated to Los Angeles when David signed with the L.A. Galaxy. She explained that the scent is intended to evoke “new beginnings” and a time in her life when she first began to meditate and use crystal energy, as well as a time when she spent time hiking, surfing, and enjoying the outdoors with her young children.
The packaging is also unique.
The gold bottle and fluted cap, according to Beckham, were modeled after a necklace she made a few seasons ago that in turn was inspired by a historic perfume bottle. The turquoise, saffron, and creamy coconut enamel colors on the bottle are from one of Victoria Beckham’s earlier collections, which are renowned for their somewhat off-kilter hues.
David Belhassen, founder and managing partner of Neo, which purchased a 30 million pound minority stake in Victoria Beckham in 2017, said fragrance has been a long time coming. Belhassen said Beckham had wanted to launch a fragrance years ago, even before Neo took its stake in the business. “I think it was at our second meeting when Victoria pulled out tons of fragrance bottles and scents, and she was eager to launch right away. She was absolutely obsessed with the idea, but I told her that we needed a bit of preparation and to time it right. And then every six months, she was asking ‘When can we do it?’ So we’re finally here,” Belhassen said. Belhassen had urged Beckham and her team to before constructing further categories, such as accessories, jewelry, lingerie, body, and beauty.
He sees it as a turning point for the company.
Belhassen added, “It turns Victoria Beckham into a fashion house.” “In Victoria, we have a creative director who oversees all aspects, from the clothes we sell to the eyeliner we make. Now, there is fragrance, which unifies and strengthens all of the brand’s components.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, or EBITDA, started to turn positive in the fiscal year 2022, Belhassen told OZIFOX earlier this year.
In the next two years, he anticipates the company to generate more than 100 million pounds in sales, of which roughly half will come from the fashion industry. The other half will come from the cosmetics and skincare company Beckham launched with Belhassen’s assistance in 2019.
Despite the company’s refusal to provide first-year predictions for the fragrances, Belhassen stated he anticipates the category to significantly contribute to the rapidly expanding overall business.
Beckham has long wanted to start a fashion house, according to Belhassen.
“For Victoria, the goal of her brand has never been to dabble in fashion and beauty for financial gain. I was initially drawn to the brand since it was all about establishing a legacy from the start. She’s never been concerned with the immediate and has always aimed to make something that would endure for a very, very long time.
Fragrance, he continued, is the most sentimental aspect of what we have to give since it is so individualized. Each of these scents is beloved by Victoria, and they hold special meaning for her.
The perfumer Epinette would concur. He claimed that developing a fragrance based on the experiences and recollections of another person is never easy. “But this was an easy collaboration and she had real conviction—which you don’t see that often.”
And he contributed his own perspective.
“I perceived the fragrance to be based on Victoria’s personality. Each of these scents has a strong woody signature since she is brash. The wood grounds and lends these scents a boldness despite how distinct they are from one another.
Victoria wanted to make a statement, so we refrained from developing pleasant, simple, fresh perfumes. Not her at all. That’s why there’s a lot of color, spice, and fruit, as well as a wooded background,” he continued.
Byredo, Atelier Cologne, and Olfactive Studio are just a few of the companies for which Epinette, senior perfumer of Robertet Fragrances, is renowned for producing gender-neutral scents.
“I listen to women; I am aware of their preferences and what is successful in the marketplace. It must ultimately have a lovely scent. I would wear them all in this situation, he declared.
Instead of using scientific language, Epinette described his formulations in sensory terms, claiming that Portofino ’97 captured “the freshness of the sea.” According to him, Suite 302 at The Ritz features undertones of “reddish-purple black cherry, which puts you in the universe of that room.”
In order to convey heat, spice, and sun on San Ysidro Drive, Epinette employed Greek saffron essential oil. “Saffron smells like you’re in the spice market; that’s how it feels. The aroma is quite unique and unexpected because of the slight saffron heat on top, he remarked.
Victoria Beckham Beauty’s CEO, Katia Beauchamp, predicted that in the future, scent will present a significant possibility for the company.
There will be a big push to increase the Victoria Beckham beauty brand’s visibility through fragrance. It’ll be an important pillar, she added.
Beckham’s cosmetics line is still unheard of, according to Beauchamp. It is largely delivered offline and is relatively unknown. You wouldn’t notice the brand if you entered a conventional beauty store, the woman claimed.
The business intends to make a significant marketing effort in the cities of Paris, London, Los Angeles, and New York through pop-up shops, outside promotions, and a focused activation during Paris Fashion Week.
Beckham’s fashion and beauty lines will be used to promote the fragrance, with samples being sent along with online orders. Product extensions are also being developed, according to Beauchamp, with formats particular to each fragrance.
But right now, we’re concentrating a lot on sampling at home and selective distribution through our site. How many people we can get to smell it over the next three months is what matters most, according to Beauchamp.
She said, despite the trio’s lofty goals, that they won’t “all of a sudden, be everywhere” and that progress would take time.
“This fragrance would become very significant if it initially accounted for 5% of the cosmetics market. Ultimately, as it matures, 10 to 15 percent penetration is appropriate, according to Beauchamp, who also noted that skin care and color cosmetics sales are expanding rapidly.
Before launching her own distinctive brand, Beckham has headed celebrity fragrances. She is aware of the risks involved in going it alone without a licensee.
“People are loyal to their scents, and this is a very competitive sector. Fragrances also don’t become popular overnight. But the moment has come. I now have the knowledge on staff,”
She spoke.
Even if there is nothing wrong with having a celebrity scent, Beckham continued, “For me, this was never about having one. In the past, I’ve done that, and the procedure is very, very different now. I’m launching now because I need to establish my credibility in the market and because I know these scents will last a very long time.