The science behind the latest scent success

A walk around Dubai duty free makes it easy to understand why the perfume market is a crowded one. From the classic fragrances such as Chanel No5 to modern day products by celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Kylie Minogue and Jennifer Lopez there would appear to be a fragrance to suit all occasions and tastes.

However, this has not stopped one hip perfume company from succeeding in an already saturated market.

Le Labo, a niche perfume house from New York created by Armani alums Edouard Roschi and Frabrice Penot has attracted a cult status among its fans and achieved sales figures and a celebrity following that any multi-national luxury brand would be proud of.

Acclaimed as the "world's most exclusive perfume brand" the company has gathered a legion of followers including Hollywood trend-setters Sarah Jessica Parker, Kirsten Dunst, Jake Gyllenhall, and fashion icons Karl Lagerfeld, Marc Jacobs, and John Galliano.

And it seems women from the UAE can't get enough either. "The majority of our customers are from the UAE and Gulf," says co-founder Roschi, speaking this week at the opening of the first sales point in the Middle East at Paris Gallery in Dubai Mall. Standing in a lab-style setting – as the brand name suggests – complete with scales, glass bottles and mixing agents, Roschi, 37, explains the concept behind the firm.

"We believe that the connection between a perfume and its wearer should transcend trends and brand; it should be personal and distinctive. With Le Labo, we are rising against the culture of conformity and uniformity that the mass-produced [perfume] brands have brought in," says Roschi.

Although the perfume is not bespoke – each of Le Labo's scents are hand-poured to an exact recipe – customers can choose between 11 different scents from the most popular Rose 31 to Neroli 36, Fleur D' Oranger 27 and the latest creation the powerful Oud 27, and there is a feeling of uniqueness that comes with buying a La Lebo perfume.

Roschi says that although he considered the idea of people creating their own, it wouldn't work.

"It's like going to a Michelin star restaurant and asking the chef to make you something with pasta and cinnamon because you think that will go together; the chef knows it won't so you end up with something inedible. It's the same with perfume. Leave it to the experts and you will get something that smells delicious. Of course letting the lab expert know what you like is helpful and they will point you in the right direction."

Using pipettes and a scale, the technician carefully measures out water and alcohol, which he combines with pre-blended essential oils to create the perfume. And it's this unique idea that has seen the company make year on year profits (although Roschi declines to reveal exact figures).

Another point of difference for the Le Labo brand is that the key to its profitability comes in part from its straightforward business model. Because everything is made on site, and there is no storage it means no warehouses, factories or transportation. Staffing is also small with just 15 people employed at the head office in New York.

But, says the businessman starting up the company was not about making money.

"Working for big companies for 10 years gives you confidence to go it alone in the business world, and its not about becoming rich, it's about doing your own thing. It is risky; it would be easier to stay as someone else's employee, but ultimately this is what I wanted to do and it was the right decision."

And their USP For starters, they are a proper perfume "lab", where everything that goes into making your fragrance is on show and actively used.

"We are not the fast food of perfume; we are slow perfumers – you come into the store, you choose a perfume, and we make it for you on the spot," says Roschi.

With prices starting at Dh561 for a 50ml bottle rising to Dh2,694 for 500ml it far exceeds the cost of most famous high end luxury perfumes. So with the current economic climate is now the best time to launch here? Roschi believes it is. He says: "Our clients from the UAE and Gulf have been travelling for many years and are hugely knowledgeable about our products and our perfumes. Recession, as a global phenomenon has affected every business industry, from F&B to cosmetics. Fortunately, we have not been adversely affected and are doing way better than we expected to do in the current economic climate."

With a mother from Lebanon and through extensive travel Roschi knows the region well and understands his clientele. "The beauty of the Middle East market is its diversity and we want to reach out to those perfume aficionados who are looking for a fragrance that has substance, imagination and history merged into its creation," says Roschi, who when not at home in New York, likes to go diving and trekking.

Le Labo does not advertise in the conventional way. You will not find pages in glossy magazines or lavish TV ads with Hollywood stars but in just three years of opening the firm can boast 14 points of sale around the world and there is talk of expansion.

This, says founder Edouard Roschi is down to word of mouth. "As people travel more, they become familiar with different brands that are not available in their home country. They buy a product, wear it and before you know it their friends and colleagues are asking them what scent they have on and where they got it from."

In a world where luxury perfumes are mass-produced and then advertised as unique, Le Labo has taken matters in hand to reestablished perfumery as something more personal. Each bottle and packaging (brown cardboard) is very sterile looking – again incorporating the company ethos of simple and clean design.

"They reinforce our beliefs in the natural," says Roschi. "Every fragrance we produce is designed to create a sensory shock as soon as you open the bottle."

This says Roschi is what he and business partner Fabrice Penot set out to do when they launched in 2006.

Since then Le Labo has been catapulted to cult status due to its anti-conformist attitude and fresh approach to perfumery.

After graduating with an MSc in Chemical Engineering from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and an MBA from Insead he joined Firmenich in Geneva as Commercial Director for fragrances for North Africa and the Middle East where he spent four years. He then joined L'Oréal as International Marketing Director for the Emporio Armani and Armani Exchange fragrance brands. This he says was a fantastic learning curve but as an entrepreneur he wanted to start his own business. Although he was offered the Managing Director role for L'Oréal Fragrances in Italy in 2005, he declined the job to set up Le Labo. He recalls: "I learnt a lot from years within the big companies but this was something I always wanted to do and this was my opportunity."

After travelling around Paris, Grasse – the centre of the French perfume industry – Milan and New York, he and Penot took advantage of the time to perfect their friendship as well as their senses of smell.

Today, the company sells worldwide from free-standing stores in New York, Los Angeles, Tokyo and London to sales stands in Barneys (New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Dallas, Chicago); Berlin, Paris, London, Amsterdam and now Dubai Mall. There is also talk of expansion to Abu Dhabi.

But unlike other brands Roschi does not want to see the company become saturated. "We want to keep our identity and that means being choosy about where we sell [our brands] and how we market ourselves.

"We are different and want to stay that way."

The novelty perfume may not be to some people's tastes – there is no crystal, floral designs or luxury packaging – and it won't sit well on a dresser. Roschi advises that it's stored in the refrigerator because of the fresh ingredients used in its production. "Like all living things it evolves which is why we print a best before date on the bottle. It doesn't mean it can't be used afterwards but it does show that it won't last forever."

Each store around the world has its own exclusive scent, and this says Roschi will be the case in Dubai.

"We will create something specific to this market in keeping with the scents of the region, using spices and animal nodes. We are thrilled to introduce Le Labo to a region that has such a rich tradition and a deep appreciation for the art of perfumery and will make something that reflects this."

Boutique fragrance

DIPTYQUE

Founded in 1961 by three friends, Diptyque originally produced fabrics but in 1963 introduced a line of scented candles which eventually became the main focus of their business.

In 1968 the company produced their first scented water, L'Eau, which was later followed by a series of perfumes, soaps and most recently body lotions.

There are 10 boutiques worldwide including Paris, London, New York, Dubai and Doha. Philosykos is their best selling scent.

JO MALONE

The Jo Malone story began more than 20 years ago when Jo first designed her facial treatment for a select group of clients. The first fragrance was the Nutmeg & Ginger Bath Oil, created as a thank-you gift and given to the original facial clients. In 1994 the first Jo Malone store opened selling a small collection of skin care and perfume. Today there are outlets worldwide, including Dubai.

L'ARTISAN PARFUMEUR

This niche French perfume house, established in 1976 by Jean Laporte, is known for its unusual fragrances and limited edition scents which retail at $295 per 3.4 ounce bottle. L'Artisan is based in Paris, but now has about 700 points of sale around the world, making it one of the largest bespoke perfume houses.

PENHALIGON'S

Founded in 1870, Penhaligon's of London is one of the few true fragrance houses in the world. They design and make all their exclusive scents in England, using only the finest and most rare ingredients such as hand-squeezed oil of bergamot and jasmine at twice the price of gold. And each of their 23 fine fragrances have unique characters; from the beguiling Bluebell to the citrus fizz of Blenheim Bouquet, which still remains their best selling fragrance 100 years after its creation. Penhaligon's is available in boutiques in the UK, Paris and Dubai.

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