beauty launchpad india -- fragrance special

THE INDIA

FRAGRANCE STORY

Presented by

cover fragrance.indd 1 08/04/13 7:23 PM

THE INDIA FRAGRANCE STORY

According to a 2010 study by industry body Assocham, the total roll-on and deodorant

market in India stood at Rs 1,800 crore at the time, with an annual growth rate estimated at 55 per cent. The roll-on market alone was valued at ` 400 crore as not many brands occupied this category. The market for perfumes has refl ected a growth of 30 per cent per year and its present value has been estimated at ` 1,500 crore. It has been further estimated that by 2015 the total Indian fragrance industry will be upward of ` 10, 000 crore in value.

CHANGING DYNAMICS – NEW MODELSWhile the culture of aromatically enhancing body and skin is not new to Indians – perfumed oils have been part of an Indian woman’s ‘solah singaar’ for centuries – exposure to western lifestyles and emergence of modern retail have completely transformed the way modern Indians perceive and purchase fragrances. A fragrance is today quite like a lifestyle product – much like a stylish watch or an especially fi ne pen. Once purely functional, the humble deodorant is also now designed to appeal to one’s sex appeal and similar instincts. The shift began within the consumer space which moved from traditional attars to a more modernised way of fragrance consumption. This further brought a change in the way business was done and subsequently changed

It all began in the early ‘90s when India opened its doors to liberalisation and international giants made a beeline for the vast Indian markets. One of the gainers was the Beauty and Wellness industry, which welcomed the entry of global fragrance and perfumery majors, including Givaudan, Coty, Avon, Procter & Gamble, L’Oréal, Chanel, Estee Lauder, LVMH, Gucci, Bulgari, Puig, Elizabeth Arden, Ralph Lauren and Versace`.

Bouquets &Formats

| BY VANDANA THAKUR |

the retail proposition. The consumer was now more than willing to experiment with the various shopping destinations, including department stores, supermarkets, exclusive brand stores, ecommerce sites or even their local kirana shops, resulting in a major movement in the way India shopped for or aspired to smell good.

Says Seema Bahety, director, marketing services at Beauty Concepts Pvt Ltd (BCPL), “Though distribution models and product retailing have been instrumental in bringing the desired changes into the fragrance business over the past 10 to 15 years, it is, however, a shift in consumer behaviour that should claim a large chunk of the credit. They were awakened to so many brands and wanted an access to modern lifestyle products.”

Saurabh Gupta, director, Vanesa Care believes the enlarging choice that

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Fragrance Story April 2013 new.indd 2 08/04/13 6:47 PM

Along with brick and mortars, virtual stores are also now important retail channels for fragrance sales, as they are with other beauty and wellness product categories. As a result of the rising internet penetration in urban and semi-urban India, fragrances are a key category in the merchandise off er of several online retailers, including Jabong, Yebhi, Myntra and Flipkart, among many others.

“The beauty sector is a relatively easier category as customers are brand loyal. Beauty products generally have repeat orders. For instance, if there is a specifi c brand of perfume, shower gel or soap that one prefers, one will continue to reorder the same brand and product,” says Manmohan Agarwal, CEO Big Shoe Bazaar, (Yebhi.com).

Another leading industry player, L’Oréal Luxe, whose portfolio includes a line-up of some of the fi nest luxury fragrances, endorses the sweeping changes on the Indian retail landscape. Notes Ratnamani MVK, Business Head at L’Oreal Luxe, “Earlier, luxury fragrances were only available at a few traditional department stores. Most

It is estimated that by 2015 the Indian fragrance industry will be upward

of ` 10,000 crore in value.fragrance users were dependent upon their own foreign travels or relatives visiting from abroad to get their requirement of fragrances. However, over the past decade, the changes that have taken place have brought the same products more widely and easily available to the Indian fragrance consumer.”

SEGMENTS AND CONTRIBUTORSThe Indian fragrance market would be typically split into four major categories: Luxury, Premium, Masstige and Mass (which further comprises perfumes, deodorants, colognes, roll-on, mists and body sprays).

In terms of category movements, retailers and distributors are of the opinion that premium and masstige are the fastest moving groups with the majority of new launches taking place in these two segments.

Varun Sharma, General Manager, The Body Shop (TBS) India says, “Premium and Masstige segments are the fastest moving segments in fragrance category as 65 per cent of the Indian population is below the

resulted from the emergence of modern retail delighted both customers and brands. “Modern retail has not exactly changed but has surely streamlined the retail business,” he observes. “It provides an opportunity to reach the Target Group with a wider approach such as Interactive Point of Sale (POS) interfaces, wider product trials and displays, better control on consumer off ers within the targeted market.”

Moreover, in recent years, newer brands have also innovated on marketing plays and brand positioning strategies, which have expanded the consumer base.

Notes Dr T Mukhopadhyay, Executive Director – Research & Development, Cavinkare, manufacturer of Spinz body sprays, “High-profi le mass advertisement campaigns have generated high growth in the fragrance category. In India, body sprays dominate the fragrance format and the market has grown from Rs 150 crore in 2003 to Rs 1800 crore in 2013. With increase in the category size, the scope of retail channels and number of doors has also signifi cantly enlarged.”

“Fragrance retailing was earlier limited to department store and high-end cosmetic stores. Today, modern trade or upper end traditional trade formats drive the body spray (deodorants) distribution and value sales. We are also seeing the emergence of the fi ne fragrance category in modern and traditional trade,” he adds.

The development of distribution networks into hitherto untapped markets has certainly played a key role in expanding awareness and take-off s for fragrances, especially deodorants, confi rms Hemansu Kotecha, managing director, Baccarose. “Distribution continues to grow in India. The Tier II cities are starting to develop and we can see there is a thirst for knowledge and products in those cities as well. Beauty is aspirational to them and they also have the disposable income to pay for beauty of all price ranges. We need to make sure we can reach them with the same commitment and enthusiasm as we do with the tier I cities,” he states.

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3beauty launchpad | 04.13


Split vertically among the sexes, the global fragrance category is

traditionally dominated by women’s products. In India, however, the

opposite is true.

INCENSE – THEN AND NOW

age of 35 years, and this age set displays strong and frequent usage of perfumes. India has the youngest population in the world, and this means a massive existing and potential market for perfumes, toilet water, cologne and other cosmetic products. Young urban Indians are increasingly brand conscious as they easily adapt new fashions, styles and trends with an inclination towards body fragrances to present a unique image.”

“Also the with the emergence of modern and organised retail and strong growth in online shopping trend, the premium and masstige products are becoming largely popular among the young Indian consumers. The same is also due to the earlier low base of consumption,” he adds.

According to Kotecha, however, masstige and mass segments are growing the fastest. “And this is due to demographics,” he points out. “There is a large consumer base within these segments in India today. Also, consumers entering the world of beauty for the fi rst time are those who can aff ord Mass or Masstige products and they are entry level products. Eventually, we see as in most other countries around the world, the consumer progresses up

and eventually purchases Premium and then Luxury, depending on income level and continued passion for beauty.”

Split vertically among the sexes, the global fragrance category is traditionally dominated

by women’s products. In India, however, the opposite is true, as Ratnamani from L’Oréal Luxe opines. “Internationally, the fragrances market is dominated by women’s scents, but India is a male-dominated market. As per our estimates, masculine scents occupy approximately 65 per cent of the fragrances market in India and this share is expected to enlarge even further,” he states.

BRAND STANDAmong multinational majors in India off ering mass deodorant products are HUL, P&G, Henkel, Beiersdorf, Adidas, and Reebok, which retail alongside a slew of domestic brands. The modern Indian consumer of deodorants is today, therefore, spoilt for choice with brands such as Axe, Dove, Lux, Rexona, Sure, Old Spice, Puma, Fa, Spinz, Yardley, Nivea, Garnier, Vanesa, Zatak, Adidas, Santoor, Park Avenue, Zuska, Addiction and Eva, among several others, vying for their attention.

Incense sticks are one of the oldest sources of fragrances in India, being used as early as the Vedic age and finds mention even in the Atharvaveda and Rigveda. Used to create pleasing aromas, as well as for medicinal purposes, incense is today a huge market with a high demand coming from the far-flung rural and urban areas. The demand is driven by multiple factors, including tradition, superstition and religion. India has a leadership position in the incense sticks market and produces over half of the world’s incense sticks requirements.

As of 2011, the value of the incense industry in India was estimated at around ` 2,000 crore, concentrated mostly in Karnataka, also referred as the Capital of Agarbatti. Of this, the premium agarbatti segment accounts for 20 per cent, while the category is growing at a CAGR of 7 per cent. It is estimated that every year, over 60 billion sticks are produced, with a predictably sharp increase in demand during the festive seasons.

While cheap perfumes are used to create the top note in incenses, essential oils, purified resins, natural fixatives, including amber, musk and civet are also used in certain superior products, along with synthetic aromatics.

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At Baccarose, Burberry, Versace and Paco Rabanne are the best-selling brands.

Beauty Concepts lists Hermes, Bulgari, Salvatore Ferragamo, Guess, Zippo, Nautica, David Beckham, Manchester United and Reebok as the most popular brands.

Sephora picks up Tom Ford, Calvin Klein, Hermes, Bulgari, Gucci and Carolina Hererra, as the leaders among its popular choices.

Action in the premium category is no less dynamic, with names like Fendi, Burberry, Versace, Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, Hugo Boss, Gucci, Diesel, Paco Rabbane, Giorgio Armani, Dolce and Gabbana, DKNY, Bulgari, Escada, Dunhill, Elizabeth Arden, Calvin Klein, Shiseido and others in the retail space.

While there could be a diff erence of opinion as to which brand is leading the fi ne fragrances pack, HUL’s Axe clearly dominates the deodorant category with a value share of 29 per cent in 2011, according to market research company Euromonitor.

Within the fi ne fragrances category, Baccarose, India’s leading fragrance distributor with over 54 brands under its stable, Burberry, Versace and Paco Rabanne are its best-selling brands. Beauty Concepts Pvt. Ltd (BCPL) lists Hermes, Bulgari, Salvatore Ferragamo, Guess, Zippo, Nautica, David Beckham, Manchester United and Reebok as their most popular brands, while Sephora names Tom Ford, Calvin Klein, Hermes,

Bulgari, Gucci and Carolina Hererra as the leaders among its several other popular choices.

In terms of retail experience, evolving consumers are also looking at other facets of physical shopping or simply browsing experiences, whatever be the medium. The latest being the concept of Beauty Boxes, which has been initiated by a host of leading names, including Dior, Lancome, Avon, Mary Kay and others. These sample kits are the newest twist in terms of beauty marketing and even distribution. With over a dozen beauty sampling services, customers are required to fi ll out a profi le to receive the tailor-made samples of the products they desire on a monthly basis. The variety packs of makeup, hair, nail, fragrance, and skin-care products are delivered right at the door steps door and could range anywhere between $10 to $15 per month. Though the concept has gained huge popularity abroad, it is still a new concept in India with select online sites providing the service.

While there is nothing to take away from the online experience, physical buying continues to be the primary shopping practice.

“When it comes to shopping, department stores have slowly started to create a more appealing and aspirational beauty environment with the help of brands. Shop-in-shops or brand dedicated areas in stores have also contributed to a dramatic improvement in the beauty shopping environment,” Kotecha observes. “On the other hand, more consumers today know about beauty, although the level of beauty understanding is still poor. They are certainly better read up and know the big brands via magazines, TV and WOM, but the actual understanding of why, which products and how to use the products is still developing.”

Clearly, this means more room for improvement even within these trends. Kotecha is of the view that India still needs to fi nd a true beauty environment in a department store. The opportunity area is to better



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While fragrance consumption is growing by leaps across India, the industry expresses grave concerns on certain aspects of regulations,

logistics and distribution.communicate and educate the consumer on beauty and once the Indian consumer understands why and how, this will lead to translation into sales and most importantly, a happy consumer, he believes.

Moreover, there also needs to be greater and deeper understanding of consumer psychology on the part of beauty and fragrance brands. Choice of pack sizes being a case in point. Often, a fragrance purchase decision is directly impacted by packaging size; typically, larger fragrance sizes draw higher sales due to the higher value proposition they off er. Having realised the same, many brands also price the larger packs at a considerably lower range as against the small packs.

“Larger fragrance sizes tend to be bigger winners, appealing to value conscious customers who get a lower cost per ml of the fragrance. Having said that, brand names are also very important, as many customers look at fragrances as status symbols, in terms of both gifting and ownership,” The Body Shop’s Sharma confi rms.

CHALLENGES AND WAY FOrWARDWhile fragrance consumption is growing by leaps and bounds across all strata of Indian society, manufacturers, distributors and retailers do express grave concerns on regulations, logistics and distribution.

Of these, counterfeiting, high import duties and the rising cost of raw materials have been particularly affl icting the business.

Referring to challenges facing the business in India, Gupta of Vanesa Care points out that the industry faces a double whammy; with high raw-material costs, the prices of fi nal products are bound to rise, creating an opportunity for those operating in the grey market area, who then fi ll this up with a sea of counterfeit products.

“Every percentage addition to the cost adds 7 to 8 per cent to the old retail price. This is a clear indication of how the costs are aff ecting the consumers and thus the brand’s positioning. This creates space for unauthorised dealers and distributors to play. I believe that the industry loses approximately 20 to 30 per cent of its revenues ever year to unauthorised products,” he elaborates.

Kotecha from Baccarose adds to this by saying, “While it is diffi cult to

calculate or evaluate how much share fake goods represent of the market, certainly, counterfeiting hurts the Industry and category, as do all fake goods in any other category. However, as long as there is a demand, there will be a supplier of this product.”

But the opportunity too lies within. Being aware of the current challenges and potential, the industry recognises the fact that the way ahead is only by getting the target consumer to buy the right products from the right destinations. This means that the same set of buyers needs to be educated about the right product and consequently, about the relevance of owning one.

“Our job is to continue to drive education to the consumer as to why they need to purchase original products from authentic retail outlets. This is important not only for the category, but also for consumers’ health,” Kotecha says. “We never know the quality of ingredients that go into these products, whereas branded products tend to have more stringent testing as they are building a brand name. One good thing that we can take away from counterfeiting is that it clearly shows there is a demand for that branded product, but do not want or cannot pay the right price. We hope that the same consumer will one day progress to purchase an authentic product for all the right reasons.”



Mukhopadhyay from Cavinkare takes the thought further by adding, “The key challenge in the fragrance business is to build brand loyalty. The consumer is very fl irtatious and it’s very important for a brand to stay relevant and innovative all the time. Other formats in the fragrance category – like roll-ons and sticks – remain unexplored and niche. The business also off ers an opportunity to upgrade the fragrance user from body spray to perfumes.”

Ratnamani at L’Oréal also realises the same opportunity and sees the increasing size of market precipitated by the expanding population as the way to sustainability. She says, “The key challenge faced by luxury fragrances in India is of awareness

about the brands amongst potential consumers. The consumption patterns, given the size of the market, are not in line with international markets. However, in a rapidly growing market like ours, the pros far outweigh the challenges.”

While there are certainly more than a few challenges waiting to be managed, it clearly cannot take away the fact that the fragrance industry is all geared up to witness a CAGR of over 40 per cent over the next few years. This growth will be particularly stimulated by a new market emerging beyond the metro cities somewhere in the crux of small-town India in the form of tier II and III towns.

“Within fragrances, smaller cities are defi nitely registering an emerging

trend of consumption. With fragrance launches and displays growing in a number in cities like Chandigarh, Hyderabad and Pune, a host of opportunities are now available to the industry at large,” Sharma emphasises.

This is contributed further by the educational push that the brands are vying to create through deodorant users by graduating them towards perfume brands.

“The consumer base of fragrance users is rapidly growing and more and more people are buying fragrances. There are still a large number of people who use deodorants as fragrances but with increased awareness and education the shift is happening,” concludes Ratnamani from L’Oréal Luxe optimistically.

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2008 - 2012 Flavor & Fragrance Industry Leaders (suppliers)Estimated Sales Volume (in Mn)

(Preliminary Estimates as of March 15, 2013)COMPANY 2008 2008 EST. 2008 2010 2010 EST. 2010 2012 2012 EST. 2012

RANK COUNTRYCURRENCY

=US $ MARKET SHARE

COUNTRYCURRENCY

=US $ MARKET SHARE

COUNTRYCURRENCY

=US $ MARKET SHARE

Source

1 GIVAUDAN 4,087 CHF $3,828.7 18.9% 4,239 CHF $4538.4 20.6% 4,257 CHF $4649.2 20.3% Givaudan

2(1) FIRMENICH 2,641 CHF $2474.1 12.2% 2,781.6 CHF

$2978.0 13.5% ~2,770 CHF (EST.)

~$3,025.2 (EST.)

~13.2% Firmenich

3 IFF $2,389 $2,389 11.8% $2622.9 $2622.9 11.9% $2821.4 $2821.4 12.3% IFF

4 SYMRISE 1,319.9 € $1837.4 9.1% 1571.9 € $2106.6 9.6% 1734.9 € $2287.4 10.0% Symrise

5(2) TAKASAGO ¥123,973 $1365.6 6.7% ¥114,861 $1416.2 6.4% ~¥117,200 ~$1,353.6 (EST.)

5.9% Takasago

6 MANE SA 332.5 € $462.9 2.3% 480.1 € $643.4 2.9% 638.4 € $841.7 3.7% Mane SA

7 (4,5) SENSIENT FLAVORS

~$591** ~$591** 2.9% ~$582.6** ~$582.6** ~2.6% $725.2** $725.2** 3.2% Sensient Technologies

8 FRUTAROM $473.3 $473.3 2.3% $451.1 $451.1 2.1% $618 $618 2.7% Frutarom

9 ROBERTET SA 303.17 € $422.0 2.1% 362.25 € $484.5 2.2% 395.6 € $521.6 2.3% Robertet

10 (3) T. HASEGAWA ¥45,421 $500.3 2.5% ¥45,167 $556.9 2.5% ¥44,386 $512.6 2.2% T.Hasegawa

TOP TEN TOTALS

$14344.2 70.7% $16381.6 74.5% $17355.9 75.8%

ALL OTHERS $5955.8 29.3% $5618.4 25.5% $5544.1 24.2%

TOTAL MARKET

$20,300 $22,000 $22,900

(1) Accounting Period of July 1 to June 30(2) Accounting Period of April 1 to March 31(3)Accounting Period of Sept. 1 to August 31; Net sales given are Company consolidated sales, See T.Hasegawa Co., Ltd.(4) Accounting Period of Sept. 1 to August 31 until year 2000. (5) ** See also Note (6). F&F figures in the tables for 2000-2011

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IngredientINSIGHTS

| BY SOHANI DOGRA |

Ingredients play a key role in the manufacture of any and everything and fragrances are no exception. The foundation of most perfumes even today is a simple mixture of essential oils, alcohol and water. Essential

oils used in the basic formulation of perfumes are typically scented, including jasmine, musk or rose. And their importance in the fi nal creation cannot be overstated. As states Rasika Bhide, Perfumer-India and Middle East at Kelkar Group, “One single ingredient can make or mar a product if not dosed properly. Also, an Accord – a blend of ingredients – plays a signifi cant role in altering a fragrance product.”

There are a number of bifurcations that are created in perfumery as per the blending of ingredients, one of which being the diff erent notes in fragrances. Perfumes are usually described in musical metaphors with basic three notes, which are created meticulously with knowledge of the evaporation process of the perfume.

TOP NOTES: They are the elements that create the fi rst impressions of a fragrance once applied. It is the scent one feels immediately on application. They essentially consist of minute and light molecules that evaporate quickly and play a crucial role in the sales of a fragrance.

MIDDLE NOTES: Often referred to as heart note, these are the molecules that appear after some time of application and are infused with the

ability to last much longer and form the main body of a fragrance.

BASE NOTES: They bring depth and solidity to a perfume and are usually a composition of the strongest and most long lasting ingredients. Compounds of this class of scents are typically rich and deep, and are usually not perceived until 30 minutes after application.

EAU DE TOILETTE VS EAU DE PARFUMThe second is the distinction between an Eau de Toilette and an Eau de Parfum. An Eau de Parfum has a medium-high concentration of perfumed oils in comparison to the water or alcohol content of the solution. It has a higher concentrate of perfume essence and hence is of superior quality and lasts longer. Eau de toilette, on the other hand, features a medium-low concentration

of perfumed oils and has higher water content as opposed to the former.

TRENDSAs with any lifestyle product, market trends and innovation defi ne the evolution of fragrances as well. The current trends favour Oriental and Arabic fragrances, says Veer Raghavan Srinivasan, Senior Perfumer at European Flavors and Fragrances. “The new-age trend is more about fruity, exotic, Oriental and Arabic fragrances,” he notes.“The current top ingredients would be musk, fl oral, fruity and woody.”

Bhide from Kelkar Group has a slightly diff erent take on current infl uences. “The trend is more modern, fresh and all about out-of-the-box fragrances comprising contrasting notes. Masculine notes are clearly preferred as far as strength and retention are concerned,” she states.

An ingredient’s odour profi le,



stability and performance in fragrance, along with its character of syncing with other ingredients decides its popularity, she points out, referring to the key determinants of ‘smart’ ingredients.

ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLDComing to the fl ip side of this glamourous and elegant world of perfumery, one needs to recognise that of the number of molecules that go into the making of a fragrance, not all are completely sanguine. Especially in light of the fact that in recent times, there has been a rising clamour for higher transparency of details about fragrance formulations. These are details that are not very often up on the radar and customers worldwide sometimes spend obnoxious amounts on these high value products without even knowing what they are being exposed to.

An extensively researched study conducted in 2010, Not so sexy: The health risks of secret chemicals in fragrance by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, said: “A rose may be a rose. But that rose-like fragrance in your perfume may be something else entirely, concocted from any number of the fragrance industry’s 3100 stock chemical ingredients, the blend of

which is almost always kept hidden from the consumer.”

Though most fi ne perfumes are composed of a mix of natural ingredients and synthetic molecules, there are a number of elements that go into their making that are not publicly disclosed, thanks to the policy of fragrance secrecy, a giant legal loophole in the Federal Fair Packaging and Labelling Act of 1973. As stated by the Not so Sexy study, “Laboratory tests commissioned by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics revealed 38 secret chemicals in 17 name-brand fragrance products, compounds detected in tests but not listed on labels. American Eagle Seventy Seven contained the greatest number, with 24, followed by Coco Mademoiselle Chanel with 18, and Britney Spears Curious and Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio with 17 each. On average, the fragrance products tested contained 14 secret chemicals not disclosed on labels. Among them are chemicals associated with hormone disruption and allergic reactions, and many substances that have not been assessed for safety in personal care products.”

While as of today there isn’t any concrete data to support the contention that a fragrance can cause any fatal/lethal health hazard to a user, the European Union is

considering new regulations made by its own scientifi c committee recommending limits on the use of more than 100 perfume ingredients that can potentially cause a user to have an allergic reaction. The EU’s measure – which could severely restrict or outright ban ingredients in some of the best selling vintage perfumes worldwide – is specifi cally recommending a ban on tree moss and oak moss, key ingredients in Chanel No 5, one of the world’s best known fragrances and which has been reformulated recently.

Fragrance manufacturers typically follow a client’s brief on formulations, but do not necessarily avoid a ‘suspect’ ingredient unless expressly instructed to. “We customise fragrances as per client requirements. If they ask us to avoid allergens we do so; else, we declare them for safety of the user,” Bhide confi rms.

According to Srinivasan, in all there are 26 declarable allergens. In addition, any fragrance that wants to appear in a potential market has to have the following criteria in place:� IFRA (International Fragrance Association) certifi cate � MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)� Stability – In terms of shelf life, should be stable for at least two years.

For a fragrance to have true transparency, you must make no concessions when choosing your ingredients.

For instance, in Eaux de Toilette in La Collection de Grasse, two by two, the ingredients have been brought

together, and linked as raw materials: Magnolia from the far east, blackberry from the south of France, jasmine

from Grasse and Egypt, and bergamot from Italy.Karine Dubreuil, Perfumer, L’Occitane



| BY JHUMUR NANDI |

PackingA PUNCH

Perfume packaging is typically beautiful and stylish, portraying the characteristics of the fragrance as well as the brand. But how does one arrive at an

eye-popping design concept? “We are now shifting from a

‘Consumer Society’ to a ‘Consideration Society’ and therefore as designers and marketers it is our job to fi nd new pathways with packaging that reach these new consumers,” elaborates Kevin Marshall, VP/ Group Creative Director, Marc Rosen Associates (MRA), a boutique packaging design and branding agency.

Pierre Dinand, a perfume bottle design veteran who has designed for brands like YSL, Tiff any, Paco Rabbane and Givenchy, notes, “The actual trend seems to be towards simplicity with straight lines and high quality of glass. Curiously, a very simple bottle may be more expensive to produce because of the clear sides accepting no defects!”

The bottle: The design depends on the brand, kind of fragrance, budget and the designer. Over time, bottle designs have also evolved; with the help of new techniques new eff ects have been possible to use over glass. Dinand denotes, “There is no real trend aside from a look of elegance and simplicity, Chanel style.”

Shah Mohammed Mohammed, Industrial Designer, D-cube Designs points out that fragrance bottles are becoming more faceted with gemstone cuts becoming the trend. “Hard and very sharp edges, undefi ned shapes continue to be popular trends,” he adds.

In order to make multi faceted bottles, a technique of glass distribution is used. “Which means that diff erent amounts of glass are distributed on diff erent faces of the bottle,” states Zoeb Kanorwalla, Head of Design Centre, Piramal Glass.

Apart from the usual transparent glass, these days, coloured glass is being used, as for Coco Noir by Coco Chanel, which is in a black glass bottle.

Bottles are also being texturised in order to create crystalised, crackle or sparkle eff ects, which are evident in Stella McCartney’s perfume Lily. Textures are also made with the help of laser etching that leaves a beautiful design over the surface. “To add mild decoration over textures, titanium oxide over the bottle creates a rainbow colour eff ect,” Kanorwalla says.

Glass decoration: “Many developments in glass decoration, such as lacquers, are used to create visual, tactile and sensorial appeal. Variations, such as lacquers that glow when exposed to UV light, are also in use,” notes Mohammed.

Textile transfers on glass are also in vogue, along with screen printing, which is on display on the Burberry Brit bottle. According to Mohammed, some designer brand perfumes are also wrapped in textured cloth. “It is nice to hold those bottles too. So, to give tactile feel in a bottle while holding, these textile transfers help. Plus they provide visual appeal.”

Caps: Important part of an overall fragrance package, and can transform the look of a bottle. While magnetic caps and

metallic caps used in perfumes like Chanel Bleu are common, complex shaped caps are now in trend such as in L'Air by Nina Ricci which uses a symbolic sculpture of transparent and minimalist doves. Another example is Marc Jacob’s Dot fragrance, which features a playful red and black bottle with gold collar and a cap that resembles a butterfl y or lady bug. Metallic textured caps are now in vogue, but metal caps are expensive for mass market products. Plastic caps, painted in metallic textures, are more common these days.

External packaging: Synthetic leather, Zamack (alloy of zinc and magnesium) or pewter are most used for fragrance boxes. Eco-friendly materials are also in favour, as Marshall comments, “Another arena of growing importance (if it makes sense for the brand) would be the use of bio-materials or what we call eco-advantageous thinking. Consumers are very savvy and want brands that create packaging in line with their value sets, and eco-friendly packaging and production methods will become more important in the future.

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