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 In
the early '90s, globalization was written with a capital "G."
Globalization would be applied not only in the perfume industry
but also in all industries that had the desire to survive.
It was a blessing for those realizing the opportunities in
order to access world markets. Others were overwhelmed when
they had to face a bigger market, harder competition, thus
a greater challenge. For brands like Balmain, Courrèges, Grès
or Balenciaga who did not have the means to follow the big
ones in this territory, it became rough. Before globalization,
testing and launching a new fragrance in the French market
and - after having succeeded there - introducing it in the
European and/or American market was a smart thing to do. However,
in the '90s, those times were over. Instead, it had to be
launched simultaneously in all of the target countries, at
once.
However, in 1990 a new fragrance was presented
by a couture house celebrated for its originality and sophistication.
Cabotine by Grès, a small budget masterpiece, kept the door
open for lesser-known houses. In the same year, the year of
the German reunification and the fall of the Berlin-Wall,
German designer Wolfgang Joop launched Joop! Berlin and Joop!
Nuit d'Eté. Both were to embody the current 'Zeitgeist', a
German term for the intellectual, cultural and spiritual climate
of an era. A year later Christian Dior introduced Dune, antithesis
of Poison, its spicy and aggressive predecessor. In an era
where stress was prevailing, the perfumers of Christian Dior
created a soothing, calm and quiet fragrance. In the span
of one year, 1991, more than 60 new fragrances were unveiled.
Most were fresh scents, compressing a fragrance's
life span to three years. Within a short time, one could see
a new trend: more and more consumers used more than one fragrance.
Citrusy, spicy, oriental, flowery fragrances and others could
be found in the bathroom cabinets ready to match with the
consumers' mood of the day. Celebrities endorsing fragrances
became fashionable and profitable. In an era where people
started buying perfume from the Internet or via home shopping,
selling a perfume in combination with the image of a star
quickly became one of the smartest media campaigns. In 1991,
one of the most successful fragrances ever to come out was
Lancôme's Trésor. Promoted by Isabella Rossellini, it had
sales of $36 million in its first year. Japanese designer,
Issey Miyake launched Eau d'Issey for women in 1992 and the
masculine pendant two and a half years later. 
Made of sugar and spice, this fragrance sure
is nice…Angel, by Thierry Mugler, launched in 1992. One expected
a fragrance somewhat more provocative but surprisingly, the
star shaped bottle has a fragrance dominated by caramel, honey,
vanilla and chocolate. The intent of Angel was to create a
perfume not linked to fashion, because that means that one
day it would go out of style. Calvin Klein hopped on that
wave of open-mindedness in regards to race and gender. In
1994, he came up with a new concept of both bottle and perfume.
With the advertising of his unisex fragrance ck one, Calvin
Klein revolutionized a sector where most products had strictly
been classified as 'feminine' or 'masculine'. In 1996, light
scents, sheer oriental and florientals dominated. Chanel launched
Allure, which was a fresh oriental.
There were also classic re-launches of '80s
scents, sister scents to match their female counterparts (Gaultier
- Le Mâle, Kenzo Jungle pour Homme, Yves Saint Laurent - Opium
for Men, etc.). Generation X started exerting influence on
the industry. They were looking for something more compulsive
and independent. Liz Claiborne targeted them with two new
fragrances, Curve for Men and Curve for Women. Another creation
was Jean Paul Guerlain's Champs-Elysées, a creative and fragrant
interpretation of the vibrant spirit of Paris. Elizabeth Arden
launched Fifth Avenue the same year, rendering homage to another
Grand Avenue on the other side of the Atlantic. 1997 was the
women's year. They were looking for freedom to express individuality
as wives, mothers, and businesswomen.
Women tried to define femininity their own
way, either with gentle scents or returning to orientals.
We had Carolina Herrera's 212, for young women who live life
in their own time, with their own standards look. In 1998,
companies extended their lines to essential body collections.
Such is the case with Gucci's Envy for Men. This complex,
luxurious, fragrance screams sex. Sexy but mystic, romantic
but sophisticated. Such were women in the late '90s and such
had to be their fragrances. Even though it was possible for
the classic scents to continue to rule, they had to come in
a lighter version, possibly including new personal care pro-ducts.
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