Banana Republic has launched the Icon Collection, with five unisex fragrances "that offer an olfactory journey through some of the most iconic moments within the brand’s rich history".
78 Vintage Green ~ Developed by perfumer Gino Percontino. "This woodsy scent with leafy undertones captures the fantasy of travel, and celebrates originality and the freedom of expression, voice and vision unique to the cultural landscape of 1978 – the year Banana Republic was founded." Additional notes include bergamot, mandarin, magnolia, jasmine green tea, fig, cedar, musk and vetiver.
83 Leather Reserve ~ Developed by perfumer Vince Kuczinski. "Discover 1983, a time of individualism, boldness and perpetual optimism for the future. Leather Reserve transports the wearer back to classic Banana Republic and a nostalgic place in time. Well-worn leather and Cedarwood notes complement the sweet scents of lemon zest and Tonka bean." Additional notes include cypress, bergamot, neroli, vetiver and amber.
90 Pure White ~ Developed by perfumer Patricia Choux. "A clean, natural feel that's subtly sensual, BR90: Pure White offers musk and lavender notes wrapped in amber scents for a modern interpretation of a pure, classic fragrance." Additional notes include green tea, bergamot, grapefruit, jasmine, African violet leaf and vetiver.
06 Black Platinum ~ Developed by perfumer Gino Percontino. "Harkening to the return of sleek style and design as seen in 2006, this fragrance offers signature scents of leather and moss with a hint of citrus and florals. BR06: Black Platinum is a celebration of elevated, sophisticated style, urbanism and modernity." Additional notes include pink pepper, lemon, cactus pepper, orange blossom, jasmine, amber and patchouli.
17 Oud Mosaic ~ Developed by perfumer Claude Dir. "In 2017, we find ourselves as citizens of the world. With an international spirit and East-meets-West palette, BR17: Oud Mosaic is a harmonious blend of internationally-beloved aromas. This fragrance marries the fruity notes from America and Western Europe with the smoky warmth of Middle Eastern spice markets and the delicate, fresh floral scents of Asia, creating a colorful and innovative sensory experience." Additional notes include white pepper, cardamom, plum, rose, labdanum, saffron, amber and musk.
The Banana Republic Icon Collection fragrances are available in Banana Republic stores, in 15 ($25) and 75 ($48) ml, concentration unknown; a discovery set with five 5 ml sprays is $38.
(via prnewswire, additional information via bananarepublic.gap, hat tip to Oakland Fresca!)
I wonder what the luxury brands think when cheaper options compete with them?
The same esthetics, the same themes. At a much lower price. Who cares what they smell like!
I applaud Banana Republic for this.
I doubt they care — high end luxury is doing better than “regular” prestige at the moment, and “mass” is doing even worse than prestige. Luxury and “artisanal niche” is where the growth is.
And unlike prestige designer brands, fragrances from chains like the Gap & Banana Republic — they have yet to generate a single blockbuster scent, which when you think about it, is surprising. They tend to launch stuff, and a few years later, it’s gone.
Oops—I will eat my words because I left out Victoria’s Secret. They have managed fragrances that you might reasonably call blockbusters, and that have shown staying power in terms of sales.
I think the scents that Gap acquired from Mottura around the turn of the millennium (Dream, Grass, etc.) were quite popular, if not bona fide blockbusters. I know I still miss them.
Yes, would agree with that too…but boy, long time since, with nothing gaining traction. And now that malls are failing, chain stores, esp. those without healthy online sales, will be a pretty bad place.
I will stick with my larger point — I seriously doubt mainstream prestige is “worried” over cheaper knock offs at the chain stores. It isn’t the biggest problem they face — the biggest problem they face is niche.
No argument there.
As the middle class (the logical target market for mainstream prestige) gets hollowed out, we’re left with the privileged few (who can afford luxury niche) and the struggling masses (who get their fragrances at drug or discount stores if they buy them at all).
Agrred. My favorite was Grass and OM, and it was THE THING TO WEAR for a while there. Gap had a WHOLE beauty line, in fact!
And then- POOF! – gone.
I miss those rebranded Mottura scents so much. The original lineup included Grass, Day, and Earth, all of which were amazing: later they added Om, which I also loved. (Never cared for Dream or Heaven.) And the range was so broad — edt, shampoo, shower gel, lotion, bar soap, conditioner, and more besides. You don’t see that so much these days.
If you can call competition, since usually a conglomerate will have brands in most of the segments (luxury, prestige and one or other more mass brand too). And you can see that as niche grows and gain sales and atention brands are being brought too. In the end, you think you have competition but overall you are purchasing different brands from the same brands made by the same fragrance houses. It only changes fragrance budgets, price, distribution and who will purchase what.
Well, now I have to go to BR. Hopefully I will skip the one that smells like the nineties. For some reason the smell of that decade stresses me out.
OMG! LOL!
I’m most interested in sniffing 78 Vintage Green. The prices and sizes are certainly right!
My mini reviews so far (generalizing for all four–more musk than niche, unisex like “Stash” in that the florals are accents but not main accords, no sharp corners (or put another way, no notes particularly stand out–except maybe in the VG), decent sillage but they last only about 3-4 hours to my nose:
Vintage Green–this really does smell like fig, vetiver, and tea. I think if you are a fig person and are looking for a fig that is on the savory side, it worth trying this one.
Leather Reserve–My memory is already fading on the particulars for this one… but it seemed like a “friendly” leather… That said, this is a leather accented scent more than a true hide-bound perfume. A light leather-accented vetiver. The floral woody hum in the background was nice, if not earth-shattering. Hmmm this might be my favorite of the four I’ve tried.
Pure White: Based on the notes I thought I’d like this one the most. But it has too much musk for me… it swings a titch too much towards drier sheets… My husband thought I smelled great, but who can trust him?!
Black Platinum: I’m in that one this morning. For such an impressive name, this is a shy little thing. It smells to my nose like many department store colognes…but as though it is trying to be all things to all people, in the least offensive way… pretty boring but not embarrassing.
Have not tried the Oud Mosaic yet.
Thanks so much for your mini-reviews.
I am a fig person, and Vintage Green does sound worth checking out.
Just commenting about the competition, this is the expected, once a concept prooves to be a good seller in the upscale portion of the market it is expected to be adapted to the lower portions. About who cares? Well, the problem is that we are seing things as perfumistas. But, i doubt that who shops Banana Republic fragrances is the same person that purchases Niche or Indie fragrances.
About what Robin commented i think it’s dangerous to do to that inference because we are talking about the prestige and mass as a whole and not about specific brands of it. So, i cannot affirm that Banana Republic fragrances are not doing well if i don’t know their numbers.
About chainstore fragrances, i suspect that their concept is much like the ones of their collection of clothes: they are made to last one season (maybe a few ones) and to be replaced with similar things. Their sucess is related to that collection/season only.
Agreed withe the chainstore frgrances- I think that some are released along with a set of clothing for a season or two, as the finishing touch for a whole look.
Your right. Those fragrances are really sold like accessories. They are an “add on” sale.