SPAIN. Spanish house Perfumes Loewe – part of the LVMH group – is seeking to strengthen its position in the travel retail channel.
The brand, famous for its leathergoods and ready-to-wear fashion, launched its first feminine fragrance, L de Loewe, in 1972. This was followed by Loewe Pour Homme (1974), Aire Loewe (1985), Esencia Loewe (1987), Gala Loewe (1991), Aura Loewe (1994), Gala de Dia (1996), Agua de Loewe (2000) and Esencia Femme (2002).
The so-called International range focuses on five fragrances: two masculine, two feminine and one unisex. These are Esencia, Loewe pour Homme, Aire, Agua and Esencia Femme (pictured).
While the company does not go in for the high-octane advertising and promotional campaigns favoured by so many of its competitors, it attracts an A-list clientele. Real Madrid mid-fielder and England captain David Beckham is famously a fan of the company’s Esencia Loewe men’s line; other celebrity fans include Bill Clinton and film director Pedro Almodovar.
“Our heritage is one of tradition, quality and selectiveness, and we will maintain those values even as we expand our distribution,” international communications director Pascale Vermeerbergen told The Moodie Report at the recent Duty Free Show of the Americas.
“Domestically, we are present in 35 countries. Our strategy is to establish ourselves on local markets before we enter travel retail. But we are now aiming to build our duty free presence”¦particularly in Central and Latin America. With area managers in Miami, Madrid, Hong Kong and Dubai we are strategically very well positioned. We have worked hard to consolidate our progress over the past few years and are now looking to close new deals. By the end of 2005 we aim to be present in 90% of markets in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.”
