It was the waves on a sailing trip off the British Virgin Islands that inspired master perfumer Olivier Creed to create the fifth unisex fragrance in the Creed portfolio, Virgin Island Water, due to bow in March.
“The fragrance captures the tropical essence carried in the trade winds of Sir Francis Drake Channel,” said Thomas Saujet, president of International Cosmetics & Perfumes Inc., a New York company that holds the North American license for Creed. “Every single Creed generation has sailed through this channel since 1760 for work and pleasure.”
As it did with Love in White, the company decided to launch Virgin Island Water in the U.S. first. In March, the fragrance will bow exclusively in Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. Three months later, the fragrance will be available in a total of 150 doors, including select Saks stores and other specialty retailers such as Canadian chain Holt Renfrew, followed by a European rollout next fall. Packaged in a clear classic Creed bottle with silver metallic labeling and a blue cap, the fragrance will be available in four sizes — a 1-oz. travel-size version priced at $90, a 2.5-oz. bottle for $185, a 4-oz. bottle for $208 and an 8.4-oz. bottle for $285.
Although Creed executives wouldn’t comment, industry sources estimate Virgin Island Water could generate as much as $8 million to $10 million in first-year retail sales in the U.S. and Canada. However, Saujet thinks this might be Creed’s “biggest launch ever,” perhaps surpassing that of Love in White.
Saujet said this is the first unisex scent geared more toward women than men and describes it as a “fresh citrus” fragrance.
“This was intentionally done by Olivier since he wanted Creed to offer a wider range of women’s fragrances, hoping to increase the percentage of sales by women,” said Saujet. “We’re trying to capitalize on the fragrance’s scent and bring more women to the counter in addition to capturing a new audience. It’s more modern and will appeal to a younger consumer.”
Saujet noted that the company is hoping to attract consumers in their 20s and 30s, as it did with Spring Flower.
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“We’d like to bring a new clientele to Creed counters and later on introduce them to other scents,” said Saujet.
According to an industry insider, Virgin Island Water could be merchandised in other areas in the store in addition to Creed’s fragrance bar in order to appeal to a younger consumer.
According to Saujet, the notes used in the fragrance are representative of the different scents carried by the Caribbean trade winds. Virgin Island Water features top notes of copra (the inner lining of a coconut), lime from the Antilles, white bergamot and mandarin orange from Sicily; middle notes of hibiscus, ginger, ylang-ylang and Indian jasmine, and bottom notes of musk and sugar cane and white rum.
A portion of the proceeds from sales will be donated to the Natural Resources Defense Council, a charity that protects the world’s oceans.
Virgin Island Water is the 50th fragrance released by Creed in the American market. Now the company is beginning to prepare for its 250th anniversary. According to Saujet, the celebration begins this fall as the company returns to its tailoring roots by merchandising leather goods like travel bags. The company is also working on a traveling exhibition that will appear in museums and retailers. The display will feature historic documents such as Napoleon III’s original fragrance order on parchment, along with other private correspondence between Creed and its famous clientele.