Chanel, Prada and YSL Beauty have all added a new Gen Z-focused edition to their hero fragrance this year, aiming to broaden their luxury reach without weakening the original perfume’s status – and these fresh flankers are landing well.
These new twists on an icon – Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle Crush Absolu fronted by singer Gracie Abrams, YSL Beauty’s Black Opium Pink Glaze promoted by actress Alisha Boe, and Prada Beauty’s Paradoxe Sweet Chemistry with icon Zendaya – are resonating with fragrance literate Gen Z because they provide a truly authentic iteration of wearing the original idea.
It is not just newness for newness sake, these launches are delivering a different experience of the hero scent for Gen Z customers – whether via a new mood, occasion or texture – with the original idea remaining the backbone.
The larger hope, of course, is to eventually upgrade this younger audience to the icon, and this strategy makes sense when Gen Z spends around US$204 per year, on average, on fragrance, according to analyst Circana, which is roughly 23% more than older shoppers.
Tickets are now available for the 25th anniversary of the Pure Beauty Awards, taking place on 15 October 2026 at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, UK. Join the beauty industry for an evening of recognition and celebration as this year’s winners are revealed. Click here to secure your place.
They also own, on average, eight-to-12 different fragrances at a time, opting for variety and a fragrance wardrobe over a signature scent, compared with the just two-to-three perfumes owned by boomers.
“The flanker, a new edition launched under the hero's name with a modified scent, is the recruitment tool; the original is the destination,” says Paulina Demczyna, founder of company D&D Carré, which is focused on brand, product and design creation within the beauty sector.
“Younger consumers rarely enter through a house's most complex expression, they enter through the more approachable, on-trend version, with the icon standing behind it as the aspiration they grow into.
Actress Zendaya is the face of Prada Beauty's new Paradoxe Sweet Chemistry flanker
“The risk to avoid is treating the flanker as a seasonal item.
“The strongest examples keep the DNA legible: [Chanel’s] Crush Absolu remains unmistakably Coco Mademoiselle, and [Prada Beauty’s] Sweet Chemistry recognisably Paradoxe, with the sweetness a facet, not a disguise.”
The move also makes sense financially, explains
Not yet a Subscriber?
This is a small extract of the full article which is available ONLY to premium content subscribers. Click below to get premium content on Cosmetics Business.
Subscribe now Already a subscriber? Sign in here.
