Bottega Veneta Pour Homme – the brand’s first male fragrance – channels the fashion brand’s DNA with its leathery chypre characteristics. Charlotte Smith attended the typically Italian launch in Milan.

 

The Bottega Veneta fashion brand, which was founded in Vicenza – in the Veneto region of northeastern Italy – in 1966, is steeped in the traditions of Italian craftsmanship and made famous by its signature intrecciato woven leather goods.

 

This is a brand that aligns itself with the attributes of ‘individuality and self-confidence’, and works hard to maintain the highest standards of craftsmanship and continuously innovative design.

 

These principles together with the motto, “when your own initials are enough”, could be considered the DNA of the fashion and accessories brand, which is reflected in all aspects of the fragrance franchise, right down to the leathery juice.

 

VIP AFFAIR

As previously reported, to celebrate the global launch of the first men’s fragrance from the fashion house’s Creative Director, Tomas Maier, Bottega Veneta hosted a private dinner exclusively created and prepared by Michelin three-star chef, Massimo Bottura, in Milan in June.

 

The event took place on the 31st floor of the Pirelli Tower and was co-hosted by fragrance house, Coty, which owns the Bottega Veneta fragrance franchise. Maier, Marco Bizzarri, President & CEO of Bottega Veneta, and Jean Mortier, President of Coty Prestige, welcomed guests, including journalists from around the world.

 

VIP guests from Italian fashion’s elite included Franca Sozzani, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue Italia; jewellery designer, Osanna Visconti di Modrone, and top fashion consultant Coco Brandolini, among others.

 

At the star-studded soirée, Irene Sinescu, Marketing Director for Bottega Veneta fragrances, told TRBusiness that she is not worried that the new fragrance may not appeal to Asian markets. She said that the men’s fragrance in Asia is so small that she is not too concerned about appealing to those consumers. “We anticipate that the brand will perform well in locations where Bottega Veneta fashion has a strong following.”

 

[Left: L to R: Creative Director of Bottega Veneta, Thomas Maier and face of the new men’s scent Zac Steiner]

 

‘SELECTIVE DISTRIBUTION’

Sinescu also said that although South America has great potential, this fragrance might not be suited to the market right now. She believes that the BV Pour Homme will be well received by the US and Europe and maybe even the Middle East – a big fragrance market – that is “not afraid of signature scents”.

 

Coty was keen to categorise this fragrance as a signature scent with a selective distribution, but shied away from labelling it as ‘niche’ or ‘couture’. Markus Stauss, Coty’s Marketing Director for Travel Retail & Export Worldwide, informed TRBusiness that the fragrance would enter close to 200 travel retail doors [a relatively small number, considering that Coty claims to operate in 3,500 travel retail doors across all brands worldwide]. “It will be selectively distributed at key airports in Asia, Europe and the Americas, where both the men’s and women’s fragrance will be sold side by side.”

 

[Right: Three Michelin star chef Massimo Bottura]

 

The price point will be €85 for the 90ml bottle and €65 for the 50ml and will be accompanied by ancillary products, such as aftershave balm.

 

Maier, BV Pour Homme’s visionary, joined Bottega Veneta as Creative Director in June 2001 and has sparked life into the brand. It was Maier’s vision, once again, which was responsible for inspiring the men’s scent. The concept is built around lush mountain meadows, glacial streams and rustic pinewood-panelled farmhouses “a retreat from reality” where gentle breezes evoke fir cones and pine needles from nearby woods bordered by wild irises.

 

‘FRESH AND UNDERSTATED FRAGRANCE’

Bottega Veneta Pour Homme, composed by master perfumers, Daniela Andrier and Antoine Maisondieu, is a fresh and understated fragrance; a blend of labdanum, fir balsam and bergamot, with top notes of Calabrian bergamot, Siberian pine and juniper from the Balkans.

 

The scents’s characteristics are perfectly portrayed by fresh-faced US-born Zak Steiner, who fronts the advertising campaign, in what is his first modelling gig. The visuals were shot by Swedish film-maker Axel Lindahl in New York City.

 

Coty is launching BV Pour Homme in September and Coty will stage ‘a showcase’ for the new scent at the forthcoming TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes, in Foyer 3 of the Marina Village, communicating “the brand’s DNA and positioning” says the company.