LA CUISINE DES PARFUMS
Roger Verge, Maitre
Cuisinier
Olive oils are like perfumes for chefs; there is often competition between some ladies’ perfumes and the flavours of the meal in restaurants. Saffron is the most wonderful ingredient for its perfume.
LE PARFUM: RESPIRATION
- INSPIRATION
Veronique Gautier,
General Manager, Hermes
Perfumes and their creation need more time: time to breathe. The quality of time invested in perfume creation is critical, we need to generate a state of mind in a team. Luxury goods must offer something unique, create an idea to transport and overwhelm us, creating a story and a meaning for the perfume. An identity can be constructed by looking at the company and the brand; the history of the fragrance creation should be true, then the customer will be touched by this. E.g. A Scandinavian chair designer designed a "protective" chair reminiscent of his grandpa smoking his cigar in his chair: he doesn’t look at other furniture designs for his ideas.
TRUTH OR PRECONCEIVED
IDEAS?
Armand de Villoutreys,
VP Fine Fragrance Worldwide, President & CEO Firmenich France
Let’s think positive: 12 -15% of world population uses fragranced products. Innovation directly correlates to the success of the market. Product testing is the tip of the iceberg of understanding consumers. We must go beyond product tests to understand the drivers of desire and loyalty to brands. The partnership between Firmenich and Sephora hopes to clarify the language of perfume for consumers.
YOU’VE GOT THE SCENTS,
SO WHERE ARE THE DOLLARS?
Brian Chadbourne,
President VNU Marketing Information, Europe
Study of fine fragrance consumer attitudes and behaviour. In USA and Europe 35 million estimated women own a bottle of Chanel 5, and 17 million have a bottle of Tresor. Fine fragrance is more often purchased as a gift in the UK, and as a personal investment in the USA. Fine fragrance compares unfavourably with other luxury goods.
FOREFRONT STUDIES IN AROMACHOLOGY
Yoshimaru Kumano,
PhD., Corporate Executive Officer, Chief Officer of R & D, Product
Development Division, Shiseido
Scientific study of the relationship between people and scents can prove fragrance benefits. Dermatological and psychological research shows inner skin and body care effect. External stress gives physiological responses: nerve cells are linked to the immune system, hormone levels, brain waves. A scent could have an internal effect, leading to skin recovery. Recovery of dry cracked skin (skin barrier function) is speeded up using scent including valerian. Another new fragrance suppresses sebum produced by psychological stress. There is a new slimming concept using pepper, grapefruit, estragon and fennel that burns neutral fat and has a slimming effect. A second study researched the effect of colour on sensory perception, e.g. red=hot and blue=cold. Similarly, heavy = black blue red green yellow white=light. A peppermint fragrance caused water temperature to be perceived as cold; oakmoss caused a bottle to be perceived as being heavy, while lemon was light. In cosmetics, this relates to spreadability: lemon is light, oakmoss is heavy. Therefore fragrance reinforces the sense of texture and spreadability.
REGULATIONS: WHERE DO
WE STAND NOW? AND WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
Pierre Perrier,
Directeur des Affaires Scientifiques et Reglementaires, LVMH Parfum &
Cosmetiques
Re: the labelling of the 26 allergens in the 7th Amendment: is this list scientifically sound? It was compiled by dermatologists using WHO and research data but not clinical data. A weak sensitiser, as in the case of Lyral, can become a frequent sensitiser. Should allergen restrictions be based on elicitation or induction threshold? Where to now? Cosmetic ingredients are covered by REACH: Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of CHemicals. Natural ingredients covered by a Risk phrase are also covered by REACH. We need to take a risk-based, not a hazard-driven approach. This requires strong support and transparency from top management of companies.
DO WE HAVE NEW CONSUMERS
OR ARE THEY THE SAME WITH LESS BUYING POWER?
John Walker, Director
R & D Fabric and Home Care, P & G
Demographics lead to the "Silver Surfer": the population is ageing in Western Europe; in 2020 more than 40% will be over 50. Fertility rates and marriage rates are going down, with one third of households in Germany being made up of single people. So: Yes, our consumer has changed: The Silver Surfer is as old as he feels, with more disposable income - but the decision to purchase is a personal choice not dependent on income. Emotional connection with the consumer can come through the perfume, which can excite him and also create brand loyalty.
CHINA AND ASIA: A FRAGRANCES
GAME OF "GO"
Kazumasa Fujisaki,
Senior VP and General Manager Fragrance Aromachemical Division, Takasago
In China there are traditionally 5 odour types: rancid, burnt, roasting meat, raw, and fragrant. Agarwood is the most desirable "fragrant" odour; the Chinese are obsessed with agarwood, which provides its own fragrant products: fruit is clove, leaves are legume, sap is olibanum, bark is agarwood, roots are sandalwood. Like olibanum in the West, agarwood was used as incense since the third century in China. The fragrance of agarwood came to be associated with value. There are lots of different crops of agarwood, each having a different character, and this uniqueness, the spirituality of fragrances, is appreciated. In the West fragrances are made using synthetic materials, and the quality is standardised, variety and character are appreciated. In Shanghai young consumers follow fashion and have mobiles: greater prosperity will lead to better taste in fragrance. But many consumers still only have the basics, and factors such as quality and point of difference will always be important.
HOW TO WIN YOUR CLIENT’S
HEART...AND BUSINESS
Janice Teal, PhD,
Group VP and Chief Scientific Officer, Global R&D, Avon Products Inc
Avon is No. 1 in mass fine fragrance. We need to understand consumers’ needs and desires and connect emotionally with the consumer; for Avon that means making more consumers happy (or the same consumers happy with more products) and having a passion for the mass consumer, as well as for luxury fine fragrance. The mass consumer wants: 1) the experience of prestige at value pricing, 2) to feel sexy. Concept and product innovation are what drive mass sales. Ingredient innovation is key. Use impactive fragrance ingredients and use less fragrance oil.
1:30pm Visit to Rose Fields
and Grasse Perfume Companies
Delegates were bussed to rose fields outside
Grasse, where we heard about the important factors of climate, soil, wind,
and grafting (of Rosa centifolia onto a white rose to strengthen the stock).
We could then choose to visit Mane, Danisco, or Robertet to get an insight
into perfume manufacture in Grasse.
7:00pm Champagne Cocktail
on the Roof Garden of the Palais des Festivals
8:00pm Gala Dinner
9:30pm Dancing to the
Rabeats( Beatles-copy band) and Fireworks on the Sea