Enrico Ceccato, CEO of Perfume Holding, talks about the relaunch of UK heritage brand Atkinsons
Atkinsons is due to relaunch on the UK market in September through premium retailer Harrods
Italy based Perfume Holding is relaunching Atkinsons in September. The brand, famed for its fragrances during the Regency and Victorian eras, will be relaunched with new fragrances and formulations. The fragrance house, which was founded over 200 years ago by James Atkinson had fallen on hard times following numerous sales of its licence in the early noughties before being acquired by Perfume Holding (then Morris) in 2008. Enrico Ceccato, CEO of Perfume Holding, talks to Cosmetics Business
Why are you relaunching the brand?
To be honest, at first we were doubtful of the use of Atkinsons. We made a financial investment [Perfume Holding took over the licence from P&G in 2008, along with a number of other brands] but we didn’t know anything about the brand’s history. But then we started to look at the archives and everything changed. It has taken us over two and a half years to discover the incredible story, which we now want to share with the world.
In the 19th Century, Atkinsons was the Chanel of its day. It was the market leader, the most recognised fragrance brand in society and one of the only brands of its kind to have stores in multiple markets. We wanted to recreate that authenticity, luxury and exclusivity for today’s discerning and affluent consumer – the market wants it and we can provide it.
How did you redefine the brand for today’s consumers?
In its heyday, royalty and celebrity would flock to Atkinsons’ doors so we wanted to stay true to the brand’s roots. However we preferred to start from scratch so no originals will be for sale and we are not taking on old stock. The perfumers had a huge archive to work from and the quality of the raw materials that are being used is incredible.
How important is the heritage of the brand?
It’s very important. Finding a brand with history is very rare for perfumery. It happens in fashion but not so much in perfume. With Atkinsons, we have tremendous opportunities, as heritage and quality are trends that are booming at the moment. That demand for originality is the essence of the Atkinsons brand.
What are your plans for expansion?
Our ambition is to make the brand global but with an exclusive edge, so we will only be partnering with selective distribution. Currently we are in Harrods in London but are looking to expand into Dubai, Asia, South America, Europe and the US.