NEW YORK — Fragrance supplier Firmenich feted hip-hop agent Mona Scott-Young at The Grand Wednesday night, a soiree that not only marked Scott-Young’s 40th birthday but afforded fragrance marketers the opportunity to meet with potential candidates for new fragrance deals.
“We’ve been associated with Mona Scott-Young,” said Jerry Vittoria, president of fine fragrances for North America for Firmenich. “A lot of names she has worked with, we are working with on fragrance projects. We’re very much involved in finding interested parties [for celebrity fragrance deals] but this is to celebrate what’s happened in the last year.
“I don’t want you to think this is another book-signing event,” Vittoria said, referring to a similar party Firmenich threw in September 2005 to mark the launch of a book by Warner Music Group executive vice president Kevin Liles called “Make It Happen: The Hip-Hop Generation Guide to Success.” “We want our customers to come in and relax and meet people they’re not normally exposed to. Many players show interest in signing names that are up-and-coming.”
Discussing the possibility of the party spawning new fragrance deals, Vittoria said, “If a celebrity who comes makes contact with a client and sits down to talk and signs, yes, I’d be very happy. We try to do different events outside what you see in the fragrance industry. Art, talent and music are areas we have to be tied into. Diversity in art and culture is good for us, our brands and consumers.”
Scott-Young, whose firm Violator Management handles artists like Missy Elliott, 50 Cent and LL Cool J, talked about her partnership with Firmenich amid a throng of well-wishers at the below-ground club.
“These guys are the premier perfume makers and we’re trying to find ways to do business with them,” she said. “All of my clients are interested in doing fragrances. Hopefully, we can do a fragrance for Missy. She already has a name for it: Eat ‘Em Up, Yum Yum. And LL [Cool J] and 50 [Cent] are looking to move into fragrances, now that they’ve conquered other arenas.
“Interestingly enough,” Scott-Young added, “When [Elliott] walks into a room, before you even recognize her, you actually recognize her scent. It’s a combination of stuff that she mixes up and, of course, she claims they are her ‘secret ingredients.’ It’s the most amazing, fresh, sexy, playful, everything scent that you’ve ever smelled. She’s been wanting to do a fragrance for a long time and, of course, I’m like, ‘OK, let’s figure this out.’ I can’t help but pursue this option for her.”
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Scott-Young speculated Elliott would try to duplicate her custom blend with a signature scent.
“Fifty [Cent] has actually been working on [a fragrance]. LL…maybe something along the lines of an Axe body spray.”
The crowd at The Grand included bold-faced names such as actress Robin Givens, BET founder Bob Johnson, Stacie Jones Upchurch of “The Apprentice,” Toccara Jones of “America’s Next Top Model” and actress Napiera Groves. Warner Music’s Liles was in attendance, as was Stephen Hill, vice president of programming for BET.
Vittoria’s Firmenich entourage included Marc Salmon, vice president of sales for fine fragrance in North America; Théo Spilka, vice president of fine fragrance sales and new business development; Cathleen Quinn, vice president, creative development center for fine fragrances, and fragrance evaluator Jorgelina Propato.
Givens noted that two simultaneous projects, a television show called “Saints and Sinners,” and a book called “Grace Will Lead Me Home,” were progressing well.
BET’s Johnson said he was “a believer that the people who make the [entertainment] industry go are those on stage and those backstage. When Missy [Elliott] looks good, Mona made her look good.”
“Mona’s impact [on the entertainment industry] is bigger than music,” said Liles. “She is a leader for females in business, she is a leader for males in business and she is an inspiration for everyone.”
Said Upchurch, “Mona is one of the most brilliant women in the recording industry, so of course I had to come out and celebrate. This is a milestone in a woman’s life.”
“I think Mona should represent me. I actually have a meeting with her tomorrow!” model Jones declared. On the marriage of hip-hop and the beauty industry, she added, “Hip-hop is so big. I mean, we’ve been merging with everybody. Clothing lines, TV shows, movies. Everyone is trying to be a part of hip-hop. So yeah, it works.”
Weighing in on the importance of the evening for Firmenich, Spilka said, “This is about associating ourselves with people who cultivate talent. It’s good to know people in film, athletics and music. These are the people who want to get into this industry.
“Our aim,” he added, “is to be the go-to house with respect to finding good people to enhance our clients’ fragrance portfolios.”
When asked her feelings on the 300 attendees who came to celebrate her and sang Happy Birthday at the stroke of 12:30 a.m., Scott-Young said, “I’m one of those people that are really difficult to surprise. I’m extremely intuitive — or should I say nosy — but they really did get one over on me this time. Were it not for a few people that kept expressing to me that they were surprised that I was turning 40, I would have never known that there was anything going on.”