Michael Kors is voting himself back on the island.
The newest scent in his Island franchise is set for a December launch in selected doors.
Called Island Bermuda, it is the third in a series of limited edition flankers to Kors’ travel-themed lineup. The mother ship scent bowed in spring 2005. Island Fiji, the first flanker, was launched in April 2006, while Island Hawaii was introduced in February 2007.
“When you pick a destination people can visualize, it makes it all the more appealing,” said Carol Russo, senior vice president and general manager of Aramis and Designer Fragrances, North America. “With each of the journeys we’ve taken with Michael’s Island franchise, we’ve done that, to great success. We think Bermuda will grow the program even more this year.”
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The scent, developed by Jean Marc Chaillan and Loc Dong of International Flavors & Fragrances in cooperation with Trudi Loren, vice president of corporate fragrance development worldwide for the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., and Evelyn Lauder, senior corporate vice president of the Estée Lauder Cos., is a “breezy floral,” said Loren. “Bermuda is one of Michael’s favorite getaways, and we wanted the fragrance to reflect that.”
Top notes are of freesia, native hibiscus, watery green notes and cassis buds; the heart is of white tiare blossom, pink peony, orange flower, jasmin sambac and passion flower, and the drydown comprises driftwood, soft skin accord and cedarwood.
The bottle is the classic Island bottle, “tinted the pale pink of Bermuda sand,” said Russo. Secondary packaging depicts a Bermudian sunset.
Island Bermuda will bow in select specialty doors in December and continue to roll out for several months. At full distribution, the scent will be available in some 1,800 department and specialty store doors, including Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s and Sephora.
A 1.7-oz. eau de parfum will retail for $62. The line will also include two ancillaries: a moisturizing body lotion, $28 for 4.5 oz., and a lip gloss, $12.
National print advertising, shot by Mario Testino and featuring Carmen Kass, will break in January fashion, beauty and lifestyle magazines.
While none of the executives would comment on sales projections or advertising spending, industry sources estimated that Bermuda would do at least $8 million at retail in the U.S., with at least another $2 million to be sold globally. An estimated $5 million will be spent on advertising and promotion.
As well, Kors will add a flanker, Michael Kors Very Pretty, to his signature fragrance franchise in November. Concocted by Loren and Lauder in cooperation with Symrise, it opens with a citrus garden accord of bergamot and mandarin, as well as fluid green violet and watery drenched coconut; has a heart of orange flower, transparent jasmine and gardenia, and a drydown of vetiver and sandalwood. A 1.7-oz. eau de parfum will sell for $75 and will be available in about 1,000 doors. “It’s a limited edition flanker for holiday that we think will give new energy to this classic fragrance brand,” said Russo. Industry sources estimated that Very Pretty could do $5 million in retail sales.