Retail Clusters, Dupes & Masters: An Editor’s Monthly Reflection
2025 . 07 . 28 |
June came and went in a heady rush of retail news, reminding us that the fragrance industry never stands still for long. From online dupe disruptors making bold moves on New York’s iconic “Scent Row” to Ulta’s surprise play for the UK market, the scent landscape is shifting quickly. This month, let’s explore the clustering of standalone perfume boutiques in Paris and beyond, question whether more is truly merrier, and salute two legendary perfumers who remind us why real artistry never goes out of style.
The More the Merrier or Less is More? The Clustering of Perfume Boutiques
For some time, Silvio Levi has asked me to look into the proliferation of fragrance boutiques in Paris. Before the pandemic, the Rue des Francs Bourgeois in the 4th arrondissement was the mecca for perfume, but in the ensuing years the hip shopping factor has moved West, bringing the fragrance epicenter to the posh Rue Saint Honoré.
It turns out, this is not an isolated phenomenon as we see clusters of shops in Milan’s Brera district and London’s Covent Garden, and elsewhere. Headlines in industry reports over the past few weeks indicate the new store opening frenzy is not going to stop anytime soon.
Curiously, there are two somewhat opposing schools of thought behind “clustering”.
Cluster Theory: an economic theory of strategy where the concentration of specialized industries in an area allows greater economic activity to take place.
Cluster Effect describes the phenomenon whereby a loss of precision occurs due to similar behaviours among elements within the same cluster.
Thinking about these different arguments, I wondered, does it mean the more the merrier (and more units sold) or that when there are too many choices, it all starts to lose its meaning – like when you have spent 2 hours in the Louvre and walk past masterpieces in search of the exit.
Parisian Perfume Profusion
The chic first arrondissement includes the historic Palais Royal quartier and the luxurious Place Vendôme. Measuring less than one square mile, it’s the least populated district although it is home to over 20 freestanding fragrance boutiques, plus Jovoy, a fragrance lover’s paradise with more than 100 brands.
Rue St Honoré between Rue d’Alger and Rue Saint Roch
- Granado
- Parfums de Marly
- Maison Francis Kurkdjian
- Diptyque
- Santa Maria Novella
- L’Artisan Parfumeur
- Creed (coming soon)
- Serge Lutens
- Initio
- BDK
- Maison Crivelli (coming soon)
- Acqua di Parma
- Fragonard
- Parfums Dusita
- Xerjoff (coming soon)
- Matière Première
- Byredo (under renovation)
- Le Labo
Rue St Honoré between Rue Saint Roch and Rue de l’Echelle
- Nishane
- Molinard
- Astier de Villatte
Rue St Honoré between Rue d’Alger and Rue Cambon
- Editions Frederic Malle
- Kilian
- Memo
- Ex Nihilo
- Jovoy
Within walking distance you can find Marc-Antoine Barrois, on Rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré, Maître Parfumeur et Gantier on Rue Danielle Casanova, Nicolai on Rue de Richelieu and Heeley in the Galerie de Montpensier.
Knowing that many of these brands have a second – or third – standalone boutique in town, in addition to counters at the key department and specialty stores, you have to ask yourself, is the demand for fragrance so great? What is the ROI behind all of this space, inventory and staffing? I can’t tell you this month but I may try to get the inside story for a future article.
Should you be curious about setting up shop, there’s currently a boutique of 130 square meters (ground floor with basement) for rent at 6000€/month next to Ex Nihilo and another of 85 square meters (2 floors) for 15,000€/month near Byredo.
Big Apple Boutiques
Editions Frédéric Malle has a new home in Manhattan. Located at East 86th and Madison, near the MOMA, the brand intends to make this store the N°1 flagship in the world. Aside from the signature red “scent chambers” they are planning to host regular events and special experiences out of the ordinary. It remains to be seen if that will be enough to take the top spot. Nearby, fragrance fans can also find Le Labo, Fueguia 1833 and D.S. & Durga. Parfums de Marly is slated to open soon.
Across town in Soho, an upstart has moved into the neighborhood. Dossier, the dupe fragrance brand, has opened a store on Elizabeth Street in a strategic move designed to rustle feathers. First of all, this location rubs shoulders with the likes of Diptyque, Le Labo and Mizensir, while Commodity, Santa Maria Novella, and Korean brand Elorea are a short stroll away. Even more brazen is the fact that their next door neighbor is the Scent Bar, the brick-and-mortar NYC location of Lucky Scent.
Dossier clearly is out to capture a client who is looking for value and who may be questioning soaring prices. The luxury sector has been suffering for some time and when faced with a drop in sales, some brands took the stance of raising prices. Consequently, consumers are more choosy with where they spend their money.
Retail Redux in London
London is always a playground for retail creativity and innovation. Recent news reported that British retailer Space NK was taking over the former Top Shop space (4600 square feet) at Oxford Circus to open a mega-store devoted to beauty.
As reported, the store will shed its apothecary persona in favor of a more colorful, playful and immersive design ethic. It’s all part of a strategy intended to pull in younger customers, a segment that CEO Andy Lightfoot indicates is the retailer’s fastest growing demographic.
Nevertheless, he is quick to reassure Gen X and Baby Boomers, the core customer base which is growing at double and triple-digit rates, that they won’t be ignored. An area for private consultation, deemed “expertise pods”, assures a space for personalized service. In addition, interactive screens will facilitate product discovery and a specialized fragrance area will boast a dedicated staff.
The brand assortment in this store will also include a special selection of K-beauty products chosen by Charlett Cho, esthetician and founder of Korean retailer Soko Glam.
Your intrepid reporter is headed to London next month and will visit the store, scheduled to open August 8th.
Breaking News
As we went to Press it was announced that US retailer Ulta had acquired the Space NK chain of 83 stores from Manzanita Capital. The acquisition is in line with the retailer’s strategy to expand into international markets including Europe, Mexico and the Middle East.
Ulta is of course the arch-rival of Sephora in the US. Sephora has recently re-entered the UK and currently operates 6 stores. Ulta’s move certainly gives it a strong foothold in the British Beauty market, and wisely, they will maintain the Space NK nameplate along with the existing management.
Fabulous at Fifty (Years)
Last month marked career milestones for two legendary perfumers: Carlos Benaim and Maurice Roucel.
Benaim, who has spent his entire career at IFF, was honored by the company at a special event which also marked the launch of his book, Un Parcours en Parfums (A Journey in Fragrance). Benaim expressed his gratitude for the people who have helped him throughout his professional life, and he expressed thanks to the brands who put their faith in his abilities. Some of the best known fragrances he created include Polo by Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein’s Eternity for Men, while in the niche world he counts Nishane’s Tero, Tom Ford’s Italian Cypress and many scents for Sana Jardin.
Roucel’s jubilee career moment was celebrated at an event hosted by Symrise, where he currently works. Special guests Frederic Malle and perfumer Suzy Le Helley, who he mentored, spoke warmly of his generosity, his humour and his creativity. The event also highlighted five of Roucel’s most famous fragrances including Frederic Malle’s Musc Ravageur, L’Instant de Guerlain and Nautica Voyage. In the niche world, Roucel is also the nose behind Amouage Reflection Woman, Initio Parfums Privés Addictive Vibration and Le Labo Labdanum 18.
Essencional salutes both Master Perfumers on these landmark occasions.
Closing Observations
As the fragrance world expands it faces bold challengers out to take a piece of the pie. We stand resolutely by the belief that true creativity and craftsmanship remain the soul of perfumery.
All Paris boutique photos, author’s own
SOURCES
TikTok's Favorite Perfume Brand Dossier Opens Its First Boutique in New York City - Fashionista
Exclusive: Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle unveils new Manhattan flagship - Glossy
Space NK Bets on Young Shoppers With New London Megastore | BoF
Bain: Luxury loses 15 million shoppers as China and US falter - FashionNetwork
Dossier Opens Flagship Boutique in New York | Perfumer & Flavorist