PARIS — Valentino is launching an haute couture line of fragrances, called Anatomy of Dreams.
The line’s seven fragrances, out starting Monday, come at a time when the growth of the brand’s perfume business has been in overdrive. The scents take a cue from various sources.
“It’s the hedonism of Rome interpreted by the DNA of Valentino,” said a Valentino beauty spokesperson. There are notions of a dreamy Roman palazzo blended in, as well.
The non-gendered fragrances include classic perfumery’s olfactive notes plus accords reminiscent of everyday Italy and modern twists for a heady mix. This dichotomy is something Valentino executives describe as “edgitage” — a cross between edginess and heritage.
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“It’s the meeting of these two worlds that makes the magic,” the spokesperson said.
In high-fashion style, the perfumes can be customizable — layered, according to a consumer’s desires. Additionally, there are two fragrance enhancers, which may be added on top of the scents to tweak their olfactive impression. One gives a darker olfactive element and the other, a lighter one. These can be worn alone, too.
“We create something more haute couture than what is existing in the market today, which we know is a key need, because the number-one driver of Gen Z is to feel unique,” the spokesperson said.
Sogno in Rosso, whose name translates into “Dream in Red,” was created by DSM-Firmenich perfumer Fabrice Pellegrin. He said in working on the scent there were two important elements to respect in Valentino’s DNA.
“The first was this idea of red, which is the iconic color emblematic of Valentino,” he said. “Also, there is its chic, elegant Italian side.”
For the latter, the perfumer created an olfactive accord of milk foam, an important ingredient in cappuccino. He described this as being olfactively very sensual, enveloping and a bit gourmand, although not sticky or too sweet.
“By contrast, to bring this red color, I wanted to work with spicy notes,” he continued. So Pellegrin used black pepper.
L’Innocence de l’Air includes notes of rose with hints of green tangerine, while Private Talk contains a tuberose and cappuccino accord, for example.
“What is quite unique is this sense of comfort that you have across the line,” said the Valentino beauty spokesperson.
The brand worked with perfumers from various fragrance houses on this collection. Notte d’Oro is by IFF’s Paul Guerlain; L’Innocence de l’Air, by DSM-Firmenich’s Nathalie Lorson; Private Talk, by DSM-Firmenich’s Nicolas Bonneville; Club Couture, by IFF’s Carlos Benaïm and Andrew Everett; Punk Romantic, by IFF’s Fanny Bal, and Behind the Seen, by IFF’s Delphine Lebeau and Anne Flipo.
The perfume names are in French, Italian and English, nodding to Valentino being international.
Each colorful fragrance comes in a weighty rectangular, clear glass bottle with the brand’s signature studs that nod to the design on Roman doors. The glass caps have the studs, as well, while the flacons’ name tags are made in fabric found in Valentino couture.
Anatomy of Dreams’ online campaign, featuring the perfume and its ingredients in lusciously hued shots lensed by Marius W. Hansen, is meant to be not just eye-catching, making the perfume bottles objects of desire in today’s busy visual world, but to pique the interest of what’s inside the juice.
“Some people enter [the brand] because they’re curious about the ingredient,” said the Valentino beauty spokesperson. “Some other people, you fascinate them through the story. This is something that is very new: In the last two years what has changed is that one out of four [people in] Gen Z claims they buy this kind of fragrance without trying it.”
That is even despite a luxury niche fragrance’s often lofty price tag.
“People read a lot online and inform themselves before they purchase,” the spokesperson continued. “This is when then they get tempted by the story and narrative. This way, also, the visual element of the imagery is important, because it has to be 10-times more powerful than [before].”
The spokesperson noted another trend that shifted in the same time frame was that topselling fragrances in New York, Shanghai, Dubai and Rome tend to be very similar today, thanks to social media, and especially TikTok, which has changed the playing field.
“The TikTok generation has made fragrance sexy, cool and powerful again,” the spokesperson said. “The average conversation online about luxury niche perfumery lasts three minutes. Three minutes is a lot of time.”
New times call for new strategies. Valentino is introducing a 30-ml. trial flacon, for 135 euros, at launch. That’s historically a size that enters a fragrance portfolio three to four years after a perfume franchise is introduced.
“This has been done with a purpose — to really recruit this young generation,” said the spokesperson, who added the idea is that afterward people will trade up to a larger size.
Anatomy of Dreams’ 100-ml. version will retail for 325 euros, more than 50 percent higher than Valentino’s other scents.
The collection is to roll out in very tight distribution. From Monday, the fragrances will be sold for one month exclusively in Valentino boutiques. That will be followed by a rollout in a small number of select department stores worldwide.
The Valentino beauty spokesperson would not discuss sales projections, but industry sources estimate the line will generate 200 million euros annually in retail sellout sales in the next three years.
Since the fragrance project’s development began, the house of Valentino has undergone a change of artistic director, with the departure of Pierpaolo Piccioli and arrival of Alessandro Michele. But that hasn’t altered the trajectory of Anatomy of Dreams.
“The inspiration from the very beginning was not a designer, it was really the maison’s codes and DNA,” said the spokesperson.
The brand’s fragrance and beauty license was acquired by L’Oréal six years ago, when the business was generating around 60 million euros in annual retail sales. Cut to today, and it makes more than 1 billion euros.
That spectacular growth has largely been driven by Valentino’s Born in Roma pillar, especially in the U.S., where it ranks second among prestige female fragrances and fourth among prestige men’s scents.
“We’re growing very fast in Europe, entering the top 10,” said the Valentino beauty spokesperson. There, the brand’s largest markets are the U.K., Germany and Nordics.
“There are still many markets to conquer,” the spokesperson continued.
Valentino has also entered new product categories.
“Makeup is a long marathon, but [one] which is strategic,” said the spokesperson. “There are going to be big surprises coming soon.”