15 hours Ago By WWD
Bloomingdale’s is doubling down on luxury fragrances — and using a new launch to do so. The retailer has a two-week lead on the launch of Kurky from Maison Francis Kurkdjian , and is pulling all the levers for the launch, which will kick off in-store and online on March 18. More from WWD “We’re in our third year of record-breaking sales,” said Elizabeth Miller, the retailer’s vice president and divisional merchandise manager for beauty.
“The business has been incredibly strong, significantly driven by the luxury fragrance boom, which we’ve maximized. Maison Francis Kurkdjian has been a key partner in that.” Circana data shows that in 2024, fragrance became the second-largest category in prestige beauty after logging double-digit gains, overtaking skin care.
Net sales at Bloomingdale’s grew 2 percent in the most recent quarter, as reported. “Beauty is a category Bloomingdale’s is very focused on in terms of growing substantially and investing in,” she said. “We’re looking at what’s next and maximizing that in-store experience is a big part of that focus.
We can differentiate our store environment and shopping model from our competition.” The launch of Kurky epitomizes Bloomingdale’s’ launch strategy, which is heavy on in-person events and experiences. “We’re aspirational, yet approachable,” Miller said.
“We’re a store that likes to have fun. We have incredible visuals, pop-ups, sampling, and it’ll be in the windows on Third Avenue.” Nationally, the retailer is also “engaging the entire store team in the selling of this launch.
They have those important customer relationships,” Miller said. “Kurky will be featured prominently on the website, and we’ll have several pop-ups across several of our doors.” It comes on the heels of growth for the brand in recent years, which saw its hero Baccarat Rouge 540 franchise gain steam despite the hefty price tag.
“The brand is doing very well in the U.S.,” said Jennifer Robinson, the brand’s general manager.
“We launched in Bloomingdale’s right before the pandemic, we’re rolling it out nicely, and we’ve continued to build a great business.” Kurky has notes of tangy tutti-frutti and rich and creamy musks, and is housed in a peach-lacquered bottle. The name of the scent appears to be written in a child’s take on cursive script.
“The packaging has stripes and doodles, which is different for us,” Robinson said. “It was inspired by [Kurkdjian]’s childhood.” The fragrance’s origins were more personal than commercial.
“Francis had this creation he wanted to offer his friends and relatives for every new birth, but there was a memory of almonds he received as a gift as a child. It’s a poetic invitation to reveal our inner child,” Robinson said. Kurkdjian is also the in-house perfumer for Christian Dior Parfums, sister brand at parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.
The company recently revealed a partnership with Pat McGrath on La Beauté Louis Vuitton. Last year, the conglomerate’s perfumes and cosmetics division saw organic sales swell to 8.42 billion euros .
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