Reed Krakoff to Launch First Fragrance

WWD reported last week that Reed Krakoff, president and creative director of Coach, will launch his first fragrance. Like the other products bearing his name, Reed Krakoff is infusing his new fragrance with a modernist style and upscale positioning - we're talking seriously upscale.

“Doing fragrance was one of my first priorities in creating my own brand - I see it as a touchstone,” said Krakoff, whose Reed Krakoff Collection is sold in his freestanding boutiques; Saks Fifth Avenue; a selection of upscale boutiques in Paris, Japan, and Milan; and his own Web site.

The Reed Krakoff Collection was first shown at New York Fashion Week last February, and it launched in September. It includes ready-to-wear, handbags, shoes, jewelry, small leather goods, sunglasses, watches, and accessories - a designer grab bag.

Krakoff’s goal with his limited-edition fragrance is to create a “beautiful, quality, artisan-inspired product. His attention to detail is evident in the bottles for the fragrance, which are handcrafted by the Seguso family in Murano, Italy. The house has produced high-quality glass since the 12^th century. The bottles are rendered in four colors: gray, nude, silver fleck, and clear - using the sommerso technique, which involves creating a bottle within a bottle. The inner bottle is shaded with the chosen color, while the outer shell is clear. It's very "Danish" looking to me - very modern.

Oddly, the bottles are sold empty, but include two refills of the fragrance. The scent, an eau de parfum, is described as opening with a blend of black pepper, bright aldehydes, and neroli extract. It has a heart of French hyacinth absolute, white peony, and violet leaf extract (I'm swooning at that), and a dry-down of vetiver heart, precious vetiver absolute, and orris concrete (giving it a unisex base). I need to get my hands on it! Unfortunately, it may be out of reach.

Only 100 of each color bottle will be produced, all four varieties containing the same fragrance. The bottles are hand-numbered, and each will retail for $695! Krakoff is aware that the limited run and high price tag of the scent will put it out of the reach of many people. However, he noted, “what a lot of women want is something that not everyone can afford. This is definitely a very high-end project. I think the phrase ‘limited edition’ is overused, but this is a true limited edition.” Really? Are we that shallow? We want what others can't afford simply because they can't afford it?

I'd like to think that a woman would spend $695 on a fragrance because it moves her to rapture - an experience no other fragrance can produce. When she wears it, she feels enveloped in a veil of well-being, happiness, attractiveness, and enlightenment. It intoxicates her like no other scent. The bottle adds to the experience - a center of attention on a spare dressing table - the most important possession on her vanity. She is self-confident and happy when she wears her fragrance, not because she is the only one within miles who can afford it, but because it's her path to zen.

This fragrance sounds divine. The notes are intriguing, and I would love to get my hands on a sample. It won't be easy. The scents will be available only at Reed Krakoff boutiques and by special request, beginning at the end of November. I wish him well and hope that his own aspirational objectives can be satisfied by those who want the only bottle on the block.

Any thoughts?

Photo and launch information courtesy of WWD - "the" subscription for anyone interested in the beauty industry