Shiseido perfume ambition revealed

Japanese cosmetics group Shiseido is aiming to become one of the world’s top five perfume makers in five years, up from its current seventh spot.

New acquisitions will help Shiseido perfume market share grow – along with a step-up in marketing, especially online.

Shiseido has beaten Spain’s Puig to win Procter & Gamble‘s Dolce & Gabbana perfume (D&G) licence, which generates 400 million euros ($445 million) in annual revenue. It aims to grow this to 1 billion euros in 10 years.
Shiseido group chief executive for Europe, Middle East and Africa Louis Desazars, who was previously US head of Shiseido’s Nars make-up brand, says there is a new mindset and energy in the group.

The D&G licence business will compensate for Shiseido’s loss this year of the Jean-Paul Gaultier perfume licence as part of an agreement with Puig when it bought the French brand in 2011.

Shiseido says the D&G perfume business helped it more than double its market share instantly to 5.8 per cent from 2.2 per cent. It is aiming to reach 9 per cent in five years.

On top of its own skincare lines, Shiseido makes perfume under licence for fashion brands Azzedine Alaia, Elie Saab, Issey Miyake and Narciso Rodriguez. The group has created a separate branch for niche brands it has acquired such as Serge Lutens last year, and the skincare and cosmetics brands Laura Mercier and ReVive in July.

The global perfume market grew 2.9 per cent last year, while niche perfume brands saw their sales surge 15 per cent.

Estee Lauder has also placed niche perfume brands it has bought, such as Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle and Le Labo, in a separate division.
Including perfume, skincare and makeup, Shiseido ranks fifth globally behind L’Oreal, Coty, LVMH and Chanel, and is bigger than Clarins. In skincare alone, Shiseido says it aims to join the top three globally, up from its current fifth spot.