NEW YORK — Carolina Herrera’s new women’s fragrance, Flore — launched on Sept. 4 at Saks Fifth Avenue — is on track to far exceed its sales plan for this month.
“Flore has been phenomenal; it’s a wonderful launch,” said Steve Bock, senior vice president and divisional merchandise manager at Saks. “By this weekend, we’ll have surpassed the September plan.”
Bock would not divulge volume, but according to industry estimates, Flore was initially slated to hit $200,000 in retail volume in the 45-door Saks chain for the month.
“It’s a great fragrance with a very feminine presentation,” Bock said, adding that the exclusive Saks has with Flore has allowed the store to give the fragrance a proper push.
“We’ve been able to make a major visual statement,” he said. “It was in the windows all last week in New York, and this week it’s in the windows of other stores.”
Sales have also been boosted, Bock noted, by a schedule of personal appearances by Herrera. The designer signed autographs at the flagship store here on Sept. 8, and this week traveled to Dallas. Her promotional tour will continue through November.
Bock also cited Flore’s “strong national advertising,” which first appeared in September editions of fashion magazines and will continue through the fall.
Flore will be sold exclusively in Saks’ 45 doors until the beginning of January. At that point it will be rolled out to Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and I. Magnin, according to executives at Compar, Herrera’s fragrance licensee and U.S. distributor.
The product will also be introduced next year throughout Europe.