A Tale of Two Parties: Fragrance Manufacturers BEWARE!

In these days of niche scents and blogs dedicated to championing the most expensive and exotic perfumes one would think that olfactory thrill seekers made up the majority of fragrance wearers and that unusual, foreign, complicated and titillating was "where it's at" when it comes to eau de toilette. If you read perfume blogs, as I do, you know that aficionados of both sexes agonize over what to buy and what to wear on specific occasions such as garden parties, weddings, corporate events and trips to the dentist. If you read these blogs often enough you come to think that this is normal behavior and you will wonder if people will think less of you if you do not wear Serge Luten's Rousse to a retirement tea at the office.

Last month I went to two events and spent time planning out exactly what scent I should wear to each. Needless to say I fantasized that I would meet kindred spirits and that we would compliment each others' fine taste and that my choices would be roundly admired by women eager to learn more about scent.

Here's what happened:

Party number one was a large catered event in a posh and secluded neighborhood outside of NYC. The white tents were attached to the house and the servers were decked out in white jackets and bow ties. They wore white gloves. The music was live and I expected Daisy and Tom Buchanan to sweep in at any moment.

My fellow revellers were professionals, well dressed, well coiffed and well off. We talked about music, art and real estate. People discussed recent trips to Paris, Prague and Barbados. Naturally, this group would appreciate my choice of the sophisticated absinthe scent Douce Amere by the trendy Mr. Lutens. I bided my time.

Finally, I heard the words I longed for, "what is that fabulous perfume you're wearing?" I did not answer right away and that was a good thing. The question was not directed to me and Serge and our spicy wormwood fragrance. Nope. I took a deep breath of disappointment and inhaled a bright sparkling floral with plenty of sillage, a floral laced with strands of sandalwood and patchouli. It was womanly and classic and the woman who wore it was prominent, well-known to all the guests for her tireless charity fundraising and easily able to purchase whatever she desired. I joined the chorus of the interested as she reached into her bag and produced an iridescent bottle of----------AVON RARE PEARLS!

You read this correctly. The scent that drew the attention not accorded my Douce Amere or the Hermes Jardin du Nil I had caught wind of earlier in the afternoon was a $12.00 bottle of Avon. If it was attention I wanted I could have got it and saved myself $108.00.


Event number two came several days later and was the aforementioned retirement tea for one of our VPs at work. The setting was the usual dining room decked out in balloons and the fare was coffee, tea and cake. This was not the occasion for Douce Amere so I chose La Chasse Aux Papillons by L'Artisan Parfumeur. I had learned the lesson of the previous affair, chose a gorgeous floral, and refreshed it before I entered the room to ensure sillage.

Nothing. Not a peep about my scent. But yes, again another scent caught some attention. A former employee came late to say her farewells to her ex-boss. Being a new stay at home mom, she was casually dressed and smelled fresh and clean in a muguet based fruity floral. The guest of honor said "maybe this is inappropriate, but you smell sexy," to her former subordinate. Everyone laughed. The wearer of this sexy scent was "embarrassed" to say what the fragrance was but we got it out of her. Are you sitting down? Then sit down, perfumistas and get the smelling salts ready. The sensuous scent sensation was------Paris Hilton! I'd have been embarrassed too. In her case it was hard to blurt out the name Paris Hilton, in my case it would have hurt to admit to a mainstream mass market scent.

But why? Because I have trained myself to trust the taste of a rarified group of collectors who yearn for niche brands. Yes, I "appreciate the art" behind these fragrant masterpieces but most men and women haven't a clue that this perfume blogosphere exists. They walk into a department store or perfume discounter and buy what they honestly and truly like and what is popular. This is not neurosurgery, this is common sense. People buy Rare Pearls and Paris Hilton because they like how they smell not because they have come to comprehend the artistic vision of "le nez".

So fragrance manufacturers and marketers are you listening? Do not be swayed by the blog chorus of those looking for something rare and amazing. Pay attention to your current sales figures and satisfy your market. Your market does not want to remind their friends of that bleak Degas painting of absinthe addicts housed in the Musee d'Orsay in Paris. They want to smell sexy and clean.

Come on Estee Lauder and Coty, you can do it!

(And just in case you're listening those perfumistas you're courting frequently buy and live off samples, free samples, hundreds of them. The people you are looking for would not have the nerve to ask for a decant. They do not know what it is)