Fashion
Niche fragrance specialist Perfumer’s Workshop International (PWI) is looking to make a move into travel retail locations in Malaysia, Sri Lanka and India following feedback from buyers at this year’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition in Singapore.
PWI Founder Donald Bauchner said his company’s success at the show was due to the “dramatic increase in awareness and attention to niche in general, and for oud concepts specifically”.
Tea Rose and Amouroud: two of Perfumer’s Workshop International’s signature lines
Bauchner said PWI was considering domestic market openings for its Amouroud line in Singapore, South Korea, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh and Pakistan and is negotiating travel retail opportunities in Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka, Abu Dhabi and Russia.
PWI’s oud-based Amouroud line will make its debut at London’s Harrods department store on 15 July. “We are very excited about our launch at Harrods,” said Bauchner. “Of course it will impact our travel retail opportunities within the UK. However we are not certain whether we would prefer to start travel retail and duty free in the UK at airports or inflight. Consumer profile will likely decide the issue but only once the timing itself is right,” he added.
PWI added two new fragrances, Midnight Rose and Miel Sauvage, to its Amouroud range which was presented in Singapore and extended its Samba Metallics line.
Samba Metallics is based on a colour preference influencing fragrance preference concept
“The Samba Metallics concept actually does work,” Bauchner said. “The interest at the show was very good. However we targeted our presentations to only those distributors who are actual ‘trend-setters’ in their regions.”
PWI’s Zipped Man, targeting “fashion-conscious young ‘trendies’”, and Parfum Tea Rose were also highlighted in Singapore.
Speaking at the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition, Bauchner said he predicts further growth for niche brands in Asia. “Generally niche customers do not want something that other people are wearing. They are not looking for a new signature scent. They are hunters, looking for a scent that they are not going to find everyone else wearing,” he said.
“What will be interesting to see will be the eventual relationship between niche and prestige fragrance in Asia. There is a possibility that niche in Asia will eventually occupy as large, or a larger, section of the fine fragrance local market than in Europe because what we refer to as ‘Western fine fragrance’ came late to Asia and therefore remains a far smaller market than elsewhere.
“We believe that our Amouroud collection will perform very well in Asia because we are attuned to many Asian fragrance sensibilities: refinement, beauty, unique fragrance character, long lasting and qualitative packaging.
“Asia was late coming to niche products and even later developing an interest in oud. But, hey, we are here. We have a wonderful concept that is proving to be well liked,” Bauchner concluded.
