With the introduction of “Want,” a new feminine eau de parfum that will hit stores in October, the designers are after a woman with spunk to spare, and for the first time, the juice is unrelated to an existing masculine counterpart.
“It’s hers,” said Dan, adding: “It has nothing to do with a men’s fragrance, like we’ve done in the past; she wanted her own fragrance, and she’s getting it…She’s not like a submissive, subjugated woman. She’s got balls.”
“Our girl has always been a confident girl,” said Dean, noting that while many fragrance campaigns veer toward an extremely idealized femininity, the Caten brothers understand that “not every girl is a girly girl.”
The new edp stakes out a high-end positioning and will reach about 9,000 doors when rollout is complete in spring 2016, according to Axel Martinez, general manager of Angelini Beauty, which owns ITF, Dsquared2’s longtime licensing partner.
Dsquared2 Want will reach Europe, the Middle East and Russia in the fall, before rolling out in Asia and Latin America in the first half of next year, Martinez added, citing Mexico, Panama, Chile and Argentina as hot new markets for the Dsquared2 fragrance line.
Martinez declined to give a precise sales projection, saying only that: “We expect an 18 to 20 percent increase in sales in the Dsquared2 fragrance portfolio thanks to this launch, and if it goes as well as we think it will, we expect an additional 10 percent growth the following year.”
Industry sources suggested that Want could handily surpass Dsquared2’s previous feminine scents, hitting more than 12 million euros, or $13.5 million at current exchange, in wholesale sales in the first 12 months. The goal is to boost the role of women’s fragrances for the brand, which has thus far enjoyed a more masculine following. Martinez said special retail initiatives tailored to individual markets would accompany the launch.
The fragrance, an oriental floral created by Aurélien Guichard of Givaudan, starts with top notes of mandarin, ginger and pink pepper, and follows with a heart of damask rose, heliotrope and neroli, over a warm drydown of Madagascar vanilla, with an absolute vanilla accord and notes of violet wood.
“The bottle is really beautiful, and it’s really elegant, and I think the contrast between the product and the campaign is a really good balance of who we are as a brand,” said Dan, referring to the softly contoured flacon with a creamy rounded cap. He noted that the delicate lettering on the bottle and pack also emphasize this variation.
Dsquared2 has gone Dutch for the advertising campaign, with model Rianne ten Haken – a favorite of the designers – shot by Amsterdam natives Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, who were working with the fashion label for the first time. Close-ups of Ten Haken’s face appear side-by-side, each image capturing a pouty variation on her playful expression as she twirls a lollipop and mugs the camera.
Want will be available in 30-ml., 50-ml. and 100-ml. versions, retailing for 49 euros (about $55), 65 euros ($73) and 85 euros ($96), respectively. A 200-ml. body wash, 200-ml. body lotion and 100-ml. natural spray deodorant will also be available.