The scent of a man

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be found on Indian shelves — Dior, YSL, Azzaro, J Bogart, Boucheron, Cartier, Rochas, Paco Rabanne, Escada, Lacoste. Name it and you, most likely, will find it there.

“True. You’ll get the premium ones like Gucci, Hugo Boss, Austin Reed; the semi premium ones like Agatha Ruiz De La Prada, Adolfo Dominguez, Anna Sui, Naomi Campbell; and even for the masses …say Jeanne-Arthes, Puig Mass, Euroluxe. The retail perfume segment is estimated to be around Rs 500 crore. In fact, the segment for men’s care, though growing at 12%, is often underestimated,” says Naresh Gurnani, group general manager, MKP Distributors. One of the leading distribution and marketing companies for luxury products, MKP has major brands like Hugo Boss, Gucci, Mont Blanc, Alfred Dunhill etc under its portfolio. Gurnani has all the reasons to vouch for the retail boom: “Response to both our Parfum Boutiques has been very encouraging. We are planning to open eight more boutiques by the end of this year. Apart from the four metros, we’ll also enter Ahmedabad, Goa and Bangalore.”

Though there is little documented evidence about this segment in the market, independent voices can help discern the trend. “In the past two years the fragrance market for men, I can say that for my brand with certainty, has risen by at least 20%,” says Deepti Sharma, brand head, L’Occitane. The brand, incidentally, doesn’t stock EDPs because they are highly concentrated. Their EDTs are however a hit. “Most of our clients are middle-aged professionals and colognes, shower gels, and EDTs are what they ask for most,” she adds.

Alcome too is opening a production unit in Noida. “With the capacity for four lakh bottles a day, it will be India’s largest fragrance facility. We will also shortly launch a body spray to replace the deos. It will cost you just a dollar,” says Nayyar, adding that “Alcome hopes to garner a profit of Rs 25 crore from Indian shores in the first year.” Curious to know if Indian men have different preferences? “Indian women prefer tangy over floral. But men all over the world prefer alcoholic spicy fragrances,” says Nayyar and adds: “Of three people buying perfumes, one of them will settle for an Alcome.”