Diane von Furstenberg and Chantal Roos create beauty house

Published: 24-Jun-2011
Manufacturing Colour Cosmetics Fragrance Skin Care

Duo aim to put classic beauty on the map

Fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg is to expand her fashion and accessories empire with the creation of a new beauty division, Diane Von Furstenberg Beauty. Developed in partnership with industry maverick Chantal Roos, whose roster of achievements includes the taking the helm at YSL Beauté, as well as developing the fragrance licenses Issey Miyake and Jean Paul Gaultier for Shisiedo-owned BPI, the beauty house will comprise fragrances, with skin care and colour cosmetics to follow.

The duo have chosen Paris-based ID Beauty to manufacture the products partly due to their existing expertise in skin care (the company’s Rexaline range is a best seller in Sephora in Europe) and because of their size, according to Roos.

“When we looked at who we should sign the license with we wanted to go with someone small so we could keep control of the creation. We didn’t want to go with someone big because we want to be able to do what we want with the brand,” she told cosmeticsbusiness.com

The first product to launch will be a fragrance, which von Furstenberg describes as a classic. “Our goal was to create a true classic. Over the last ten years there have been a lot of beautiful women attached to beautiful bottles with beautiful advertisements but no-one seems to have cared about the scent,” she explained at the scent’s launch in London. “I’ve put all my knowledge, power, seduction and tricks into this fragrance to create something very feminine and beautiful and I’m very proud of it.”

Created by Givaudan’s Aurélien Guichard, Diane features the designers two favourite flowers – frangipani and violet. The gourmand notes of the frangipani and the woody floral notes of the violet are balanced with patchouli, myrrh and musk to create a sensual and seductive scent.

“I was not given any restrictions by Diane but she told me to avoid making the fragrance too old or too girly – it’s a fragrance for every woman. It should be sensual, not sexy and should reflect her image as a true classic,” explained Guichard.

The fragrance which will launch exclusively in Harrods this October is available as and edp and edt, with an additional scented body lotion. The bottle is inspired by von Furstenberg’s Sutra bracelet and features and irregularly shaped oblong bottle topped with a matching cap. The edp features gold on the bottle, while the edt is distinguished by the gold ring around the bottle neck.

Distribution will be selective with the US and Europe being key markets. “We are working with Kenneth [Green] in the UK and have signed a one year exclusivity contract with Sephora in Europe and the Middle East. Bloomingdales in the US will also be a key player,” said Roos who expects the fragrance to be in the top ten. “If you are not there then forget it. Being in the top ten means the customer is buying again and the product has done its job.”

Skin care and a colour cosmetics line is also a “ strong consideration” according to Roos. “The first page is fragrance and one that is timeless – it carries the von Furstenberg name so it has to be a classic. Colour is more complicated though. No one is waiting for a new shade of lipstick and for skin care we need to do it differently. But we will take our time with these things. There is no rush and we have to do it right.”

Beyond this Roos would like to introduce more fragrances: “I would like to add a new fragrance some time using the more colourful aspect of Diane and her dresses which would appeal to a different audience but time will tell.”





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