NEW YORK — With the opening of a stylish boutique in SoHo, American consumers have access to three fragrances from Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, an internationally known fashion and lifestyle designer.
They also can get them at Target.
This isn’t the first time the chic and cheap discounter has offered up designer fare in exclusive deals. A tour of Target reveals apparel from Isaac Mizrahi, housewares from Michael Graves, chairs from Philippe Starck, decorative touches from Cynthia Rowley and Ilene Rosenzweig and maternity clothing from Liz Lange.
The Agatha launch, however, is the first of its kind in the fragrance category. The scents are marketed by Puig Fragrances and Personal Care USA, which also distributes the Antonio Banderas fragrances and the Barbie scent to U.S. retailers. The two Banderas scents also were first launched abroad, and Puig has a portfolio of other products it hopes to import to America’s retailers. Puig F&PC is a subsidiary of Puig Beauty & Fashion Group, a $1 billion-plus global power distributing products to more than 150 countries.
Agatha, who is perhaps best known in her native Spain, is associated with cheerful colors and clever designs. The three fragrances offered by Target reflect that spirit. Corazon, packaged in a whimsical heart shape, is a spicy floral developed by Takasago. The bottle for Eau de Toilette Flor resembles a flower and houses a fruity scent mixed by International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. Aqua de Agatha Ruiz de la Prada is a fresh scent in a drop-shaped bottle blended by IFF. It is as if the bottles and packages were designed with Target’s hip advertising featuring colors and shapes in mind.
However, the fragrances were created before Target came knocking on Agatha’s door. Target executives learned of the Agatha line during a trade show visit to Barcelona two years ago. It didn’t take long for executives from both companies to see the snug fit. “It is the perfect marriage,” said Vince Colonna, executive vice president and general manager of Puig F&PC USA. “These products brighten up a consumer’s day.”
Target already is offering three sets for holiday 2005, but the major rollout of the Agatha scents will be in March. The gift sets are 5-oz. eau de toilette and body lotions priced at $25. The individual fragrances are $25 for a 1.7-oz. EDT. The pricing is in line with Agatha’s philosophy. “I want my products to be democratic in that all people should be able to afford well-designed products,” she said during a tour of her new SoHo locale, which joins boutiques in countries including Spain, France and Italy. The SoHo store burnishes the image of Agatha with Target, which can convey the message it has a brand sold in a trendy Manhattan shop.
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Colonna said the Agatha scents appeal to customers who might not be using traditional fragrances or who aren’t buying scents in mass stores. The target for Agatha scents are consumers ages 18 to 35. Although the initial scents for Target are for women, the existing global franchise includes men’s and kids’ fragrances, and Puig executives don’t rule out importing other items to the U.S. Agatha officials also don’t dispute that the entire line could be a nice extension for Target. The merchandise selection is huge, even including colorful items for pets, an important category for the discount giant.
Not only does Target’s partnership with Agatha and Puig reflect a U.S. retail move toward exclusives, it also is in tune with American retailers’ interests in bringing international products to their stores. CVS has Lumene from Finland, while Walgreens offers Sweden’s IsaDora. “And, many fragrance trends start in Europe,” added Pedro Escudero, director of marketing for Puig.
Puig’s other U.S. efforts are faring well, with the men’s and women’s Banderas scents reported to be selling well by retailers. While not sharing specifics, Puig’s Gregory Black, senior marketing manager, said there will be captivating in-store displays and exciting print advertising.
Whether Target’s exclusives have been huge producers for the chain’s bottom line or not often has been debated — the existence of the iconic brands has done much to elevate the chain’s stature. The Agatha scents are expected to add a new dimension to the fragrance department, which currently merely offers the same designer and mass market scents as competitors.
NEW YORK — Mass retail executives and a host of beauty manufacturers shook off snowflakes Tuesday evening and came out in force for the seventh annual National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation dinner. The event, held at the Sheraton New York, raised a record $2.1 million for the foundation’s various educational and charitable causes. Sir John Major, former prime minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, delivered the keynote address. Since its inception in 1999, the NACDS Foundation has donated $6.6 million in support to more than 100 public service and philanthropic organizations.