Bath & Body Works, Elton John to Launch Fragrance

NEW YORK – Bath & Body Works is betting that Rocket Man will give it a winning edge in the celebrity beauty fray.

Elton John appeared with BBW chief executive Neil Fiske and Slatkin & Co. founder Harry Slatkin at a press conference this morning marking the launch of the Elton John Fireside Home Fragrance Collection, a line that includes a scented candle, fragranced oil and a plug-in device.

BBW began carrying the products today in 1,700 stores and on its Web site. The retailer¹s catalog will also feature the collection, which could generate upward of $10 million in first-year retail sales, according to market estimates. Plans call for 10 percent of this figure, or more than $1 million, to go to the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

“This project will raise urgently needed dollars [for] AIDS research,” said John.

For complete coverage, see tomorrow’s WWD.