BERLIN — All that glitters is the goal for Michael Michalsky.
The German designer has started his move into the fragrance world with a bang — launching men’s and women’s fragrance collections in conjunction with M&W Prestige Cosmetics, the selective arm of German fragrance firm Mäurer & Wirtz.
The eponymous scents have hit shelves in shiny metallic bottles that appear to have been dented by being stamped with the designer’s name. And fragrance is only the latest project Michalsky has put his imprint on. After working for Adidas and Levi’s, he started his own label, producing men’s and women’s wear, denim and accessories, melding fashion and streetwear. Michalsky has also partnered with bag company MCM, shirt maker Seidensticker, and even Ariel laundry detergent.
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But, he said, fragrance has always been a favorite.
“I would call myself a Douglas junkie,” said Michalsky, referring to the popular German perfumery chain. “I’ve known every shelf in the store for years — and not just because I’m working on a perfume.”
Michalsky for women, an eau de parfum, comes in a 30-ml. version for 37.50 euros, or $52.05 at current exchange, and a 50-ml. size for 48 euros, or $66.63. It’s accompanied by a 200-ml. body lotion for 19.50 euros, or $27.07. Michalsky for men, an eau de toilette, is available in a 30-ml. size for 32.50 euros, or $45.11, and a 50-ml. version for 43 euros, or $59.69. A 50-ml. aftershave lotion is included in the men’s range and is priced at 32.50 euros, or $$45.11.
Both lines also offer a 150-ml. deodorant spray and a 200-ml. shower gel for 19.50 euros, or $27.07.
The women’s scent, which was created by Firmenich perfumer Vincent Schaller, has orange brandy, licorice and praline, and it comes in a shiny gold bottle. The men’s version, in a gleaming silver flacon, features notes of ginger, sage and cedarwood.
Michalsky said he wore both — using the lighter men’s for day, and the women’s heavier, sexy scent for evening.
A black-and-white key visual also swings sultry, starring models Isabel Neumair and Eugen Bauder in a erotic grip. “We wanted to show what can happen when you spray yourself with Michalsky,” the designer quipped. This likely won’t be the last launch for the partners. With an eye toward Michalsky’s energy and showmanship, Mäurer & Wirtz’s director of marketing and new business Thomas Seeger-Helbach said, “We’re already thinking about the future — we’re not just thinking about the first but also the next concept. It’s a beauty offensive to reckon with.”
And with a glimpse to tradition, Michalsky mentioned that he was a fan of Creed fragrances, and appreciated their historic standing; classic roots were also one thing that drew him to working with Mäurer & Wirtz, a fifth-generation family company.
Rollout plans call for the Michalsky scents to reach 2,000 selective doors in Germany, and about 2,000 in other markets, including Switzerland, Austria and the Benelux countries, with possible future distribution in China, where the Michalsky brand has become popular. The scents will also be available in Michalsky boutiques, and at michalsky.com.
Industry sources estimate first-year sales could reach 520,000 units in Germany alone.
Based in Stolberg, Germany, Mäurer & Wirtz’s portfolio of scents includes the 4711 and Tabac Original brands, in addition to licenses for Betty Barclay and Pussy Deluxe. The firm generated sales last year of 144.5 million euros, or $201.5 million at average exchange.
The Michalsky introduction marks another debut — this is also the first major launch for Mäurer & Wirtz managing director Fabian Krone, who took up the job in February of this year. “This house isn’t finished yet,” said Krone at the scents’ launch event, citing the company’s continuing move toward internationalization and the selective market.
ANCIENT EGYPT’S FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH: In 2000, California-based plastic surgeon Stanley Jacobs was introduced to the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus, a 3,600- year-old medical document that had only ever been partially translated. It would lead Jacobs on a journey to bring to life an antiaging skin care recipe from ancient Egypt.
The document, which contained descriptions of medical and surgical practices written in hieroglyphics, fascinated Jacobs, as did the inclusion of an unknown word — “hemayet.”
“In the papyrus was a recipe said to ‘make an old man into a youth,’ and hemayet was the key ingredient,” said Jacobs. “It ended…with ‘proven good a million times.’”
In search of an answer, Jacobs consulted with Egyptologists and scholars, who helped him translate the word to mean “bitter almond.” Bitter almonds, which are lethal to humans because they contain cyanide, were used in ancient Egypt in the form of a crude paste applied topically to produce a rejuvenated complexion. “The bitter almond contains mandelic acid, a form of alpha-hydroxy acid, similar to glycolic acid,” said Jacobs. “It is a larger molecule so it enters the skin more slowly for skin plumping with less irritation. It’s efficacious but gentle.”
Jacobs collaborated with Jules Zecchino, former vice president of research and development at Estée Lauder, to create Stanley Jacobs MD Visco-Elastic Transforming Serum With Mandelic Acid for All Skin Types, a blend of mandelic acid, resveratrol and frankincense, said to improve skin’s vitoelasticity.
“Younger skin is more elastic,” said Zecchino. “The serum helps skin rebuild collagen and elastin, which is the major structural fiber responsible for skin firmness.
Jacobs and Zecchino conducted clinical tests on Jacobs’ patients to test the efficacy of the formula, using a Cutometer to measure skin’s viscoelasticity to the millionth of an inch. “On average, elasticity went up 52 percent each month,” said Jacobs.
This past week, Jacobs presented his findings in front of the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery’s fall meeting in Boston, Mass. They will be published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery in 2011.
“This ingredient is time-tested, it will work forever,” asserted Jacobs. “We wanted to pay respect to past civilizations and ancient genius and marry it to modern technology,” added Zecchino.
Next month Jacobs and Zecchino will introduce four new products — Visco-Elastic Cleanser, Visco-Elastic Moisturizer SPF 30+, Visco-Elastic Protection SPF 45+ and Visco-Elastic Night Creme. Each includes mandelic acid as a main ingredient and is believed to help support skin’s structural integrity.
The serum is available for purchase at Stanleyjacobsmd.com.
— Belisa Silva