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The flagship fragrance Burberry Body |
Beauté Prestige International (BPI) has further strengthened its distribution business, by becoming the exclusive distributor of Burberry fragrances and cosmetics in France, Spain and the US, as well as for most travel retail markets in Europe and some Asia Pacific doors.
As previously reported, Burberry’s former licensing agreement with Inter Parfums ended in December, when Burberry bought out the license rights for €181 million. The company is now operating its fragrance and cosmetics business in-house, as a fifth product division, Burberry Beauty.
BPI has been developing its distribution business – which is complementary to its original licensing operations – since 2009.
In turn, that licensing business received a welcome boost in January, when BPI confirmed that it had signed a deal with fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa, to create, manufacture and distribute fragrances and cosmetics under the Azzedine Alaïa brand. That collaboration will doubtless soften the blow of losing its successful Jean Paul Gaultier business when that fragrance licence expires in 2016. (As previously reported, in May 2011 Spanish fashion-to-fragrances house Puig added to its stable of designer brands by acquiring a majority stake in Jean Paul Gaultier, snapping up the 45% stake owned by Hermès.)
The Burberry distribution deal will further bolster BPI’s growing beauty portfolio. The Burberry brand represents big business, and was estimated to have accounted for around half of Inter Parfums’ net sales. In recent years, the brand has enjoyed strong sales in the US, emerging markets and Asia travel retail.
