NEW YORK — With a women’s fragrance launch under her belt, designer Nicole Miller is set to introduce her first men’s scent.
The new item, called Nicole Miller for Men, will enter stores in mid-October, one year after the launch of the signature women’s product.
“Ties are what I’m known for with men,” said Miller. “But I actually do 40 percent of my core business with men. A fragrance fills out my [men’s] accessory line.”
Miller’s women’s scent is expected to reach a wholesale volume of around $9 million by the end of its first year on counters, according to David Nugent, president of Riviera Concepts, Miller’s fragrance licensee.
“We’ve done very well with it. We’ve very pleased,” Nugent said, adding that he thinks the men’s fragrance will achieve an equivalent volume.
“We’ve established the franchise with the female brand, so we’ve already got the base,” he said.
Nugent said the two fragrances will have parallel distributions, including department stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s, and specialty stores such as Neiman Marcus.
“We started the first one out slowly,” he said. “First it was in 600 doors, then another 200, and it should be in 1,000 by September. But this time, we decided to go ‘bang’ instead of creeping along. The men’s fragrance will be in 1,000 doors on its first day.”
Advertising for the fragrance will focus on cooperative campaigns with retailers, including catalogs and mailings with scented inserts.
A national print campaign for the new scent will appear in fall editions of men’s magazines such as GQ, Esquire and Men’s Health, as well as women’s fashion magazines, including Vogue, Nugent said.
“We’ll be distributing 25 million scented impressions with the national advertising,” he said, referring to foil packets that contain fragrance samples and are attached to the ads.
“I would say we’ll be spending 60 to 70 percent of the projected sales on advertising,” Nugent added.
Based on volume estimates, the ad budget therefore will be between $5 million and $6 million.
For additional promotion, Riviera will ship a limited number of 1.6-oz. bottles of eau de toilette, to be sold for $22 each during the launch period. Miller will also make a series of in-store appearances, as she did in support of the women’s item.
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The Nicole Miller for Men line will include a 2.5-oz. eau de toilette spray for $29, a 4.2-oz. eau de toilette pour for $39, a 4.2-oz. eau de toilette spray for $42, a 4.2-oz. after shave for $33 and a 4.2-oz. after shave balm for $33.
The fragrance itself, created by Givaudan-Roure, is a fresh oriental.
The citrusy top notes are followed by middle notes of bourbon and leather, and the dry down includes vanilla, tobacco and oak moss.
“I couldn’t think of any men’s fragrances out there that I like,” said Miller. “So above all, I wanted mine to be inoffensive. I knew I wanted something citrusy, but I didn’t want it to be overpowering. I also liked the leather note.”
The brown, translucent bottle is modeled after the ridged texture of corrugated cardboard.
“We were going for a new approach, something a bit more simple and understated,” said Miller, who is known for her eye-popping prints.
She also said she was getting the hang of the fragrance business.
“This project came together more easily than the women’s fragrance,” she said. “It’s easier to be creative when you understand the parameters.”