FRANCE. Beauté Prestige International (BPI) has unveiled a new flagship feminine fragrance from designer Narciso Rodriguez, called Essence. The scent made its UK debut in March at Harrods, and began rolling out nationwide this month.
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Narciso Rodriguez Essence: the fragrant embodiment of supreme sensuality and ultimate femininity | |
At the UK launch, Caroline Jepson, Head of BPI at Kenneth Green Associates, described Rodriguez’ first women’s fragrance, For Her, which was launched in 2003, as a phenomenal international success which had set a new benchmark for the fragrance industry.
“A key reason for that success was the fragrance’s consistency with the designer’s fashion and brand values,” she explained. “Narciso Rodriguez is timeless and modern, his work is all about attention to detail, and exquisite, incredibly desirable items.
“His products pay tribute to women: their sensuality, their femininity and all that he loves about them – Essence is no exception.”
Inspired by a modern women’s dual nature – the intense and ethereal, the simple and the complex – the Essence concept is said to embody a supreme sensuality and the ultimate femininity.
The fragrance was composed by Alberto Morillas of Firmenich. Like its For Her predecessor, musk is at the heart of Essence, but has been reworked with a new vitality, according to BPI.
The musk is complemented and enhanced by rose petals, iris and hints of amber, resulting in a floral, powdery, musk juice.
The Essence flacon is an eye-catching, tactile creation, the work of British designer Ross Lovegrove, who is well known for the organic purity of his design. “The way I work is I evolve a form, and then stop it,” he explained.
The rounded, silvery bottle features soft-sculpted glass with a mirrored core. The curves are said to allude to a women’s contours.
The fragrance face is Australian model Catherine McNeil, who was chosen for her warmth and “feline sensuality”.
“She has modelled on the catwalk for Narciso, and was an obvious choice for this fragrance,” noted Jepson. “She represents a very different side of Narciso Rodriguez to Carmen Kass, the face of For Her.”
The advertising campaign, which harnesses the radiance of sunlight, was shot in the Hamptons, by Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin.
Narciso Rodriguez Essence will be available as a 50ml and 100ml edp, a 200ml body lotion, a 200ml shower gel and a 100ml deodorant. The recommended domestic UK price points range from £21.50 for the deodorant to £65 for the 100ml edp.
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