Late American actor Judy Garland’s 100th birth anniversary last year marked a double celebration. One was her centennial year and the other was the launch of a unisex perfume called A Garland Fragrance, inspired by what the iconic actor— widely known for playing Dorothy Gale in the film The Wizard of Oz (1939)— wore in real life.
The fragrance features top notes of dark orchid, coriander, tonka bean, elemi and Judy Garland rose (named after the actress); middle notes of muguet, honey and pink pepper; and base notes of tobacco, chocolate, musk, amber, bourbon vanilla, caramel and patchouli.
It’s not too often that the beauty industry witnesses the launch of a brand-new product, especially in the perfume category. However, there is a burgeoning acceptance of diversity and gender fluidity among consumers in the fashion and beauty space, and brands are also experimenting outside the traditional confines of what is ‘for men’ or ‘for women’—the reason why gender stereotypes are fading away in categories like fragrances.
“There is a paradigm shift in the beauty industry where people no longer want to be labelled, whether it’s gender, age or ethnicity, and instead want to be recognised for their individual wants and taste. While gender-specific scents are still conventional, genderless perfumes have grown in popularity in the past decade. That number keeps growing, and as a consequence the fragrance industry is starting to offer a catalogue of smells that focuses more on the user’s personality rather than gender. These fragrances often feature a blend of scents that are not typically associated with feminine, masculine or the other, such as floral and woody notes,” says Rajat Mathur, DGM—training and learning, The Body Shop Asia South.
The roles people play in their lives are becoming gender neutral and as such the trend is becoming apparent, whether it’s apparel, cosmetics or personal care products. “We believe a good fragrance doesn’t have a gender of its own. People have often appreciated the perfumes of their spouses/ partners. It’s just that they are now more forthcoming about their choices, and they can’t be labelled as ‘for him’ or ‘for her’,” feels Ankit Kasliwal, marketing head—fragrances, Titan Company.
Since fragrance is a powerful way of expressing one’s personality and style, with the ability to evoke emotions and memories, the consumer is less likely to associate specific notes or scents with just being a masculine or feminine fragrance and instead focus on understanding the artistry and multiple fragrance notes involved in the products they purchase, feels Stuti Sethi, senior marketing manager of PHY, a personal care and beauty brand for men.
“Fragrances have so many complex yet unique notes, from being woody, musky, floral, fruity and yet warm, bold and smoky, the fusion of which gives rise to unisex fragrances that appeal to all scent palettes,” adds Sethi.
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Blurring lines
As stereotypical masculine or feminine labels blur, unisex perfumes find a footing in the mainstream, and this rise in popularity can be attributed to several factors. One of them is the increasing cultural shift towards inclusivity and diversity, where traditional gender roles and stereotypes are becoming less rigid.
“This has led to a growing demand for products that are not necessarily marketed towards a specific gender, but rather towards individuals who appreciate the unique qualities of a fine fragrance. Another reason is the desire among younger consumers for products that are personalised and break away from the mainstream,” says Dimple Fouzdar, founder of Maison De Fouzdar, a niche perfumery that creates gender-fluid fragrances.
Perfumes without any bias are also being created to offer freedom of choice without any justification and based solely on how a fragrance can make one feel and the kind of memories it creates. “We are witnessing a new respect for gender equity and a sense of freedom of choice and expression, which will bring unisex or gender-equal fragrances to the forefront,” says Anuradha Sansar, co-founder and CEO of Legend 1942, a Mumbai-based hand-crafted luxe perfume brand curated by Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan.
The brand is a collaborative effort between the star and Sansar, who has worked in the fragrance sector for over 25 years. The brand plays around with unusual combinations to create new alchemies and invoke a sense of power, freshness and deep impact in the wearer.
Brands galore
Today, there are many brands in the unisex category catering to both young and old consumers. The category first gained prominence in 1994 with the launch of CK One, a unisex fragrance that has a fruity blend of pineapple, mandarin orange, papaya, cardamom and lime.The heart notes of this perfume are made from oils of nutmeg, violet, jasmine, orris root and rose, and these ingredients exquisitely settle on a base of sandalwood, amber, musk, cedar and oakmoss scents.
Similarly, American singer-songwriter Britney Spears’ Prerogative Eau De Parfum Spray is an amber vanilla fragrance for both women and men. The perfume has a tantalising and bold fragrance, pink pepper, juicy goji berries and apricot nectar, revealing an alluring floral heart of latex petals and red calla lily. Espresso foam adds airy warmth as sensual santal, luminous saffron and amber combine to intoxicate one.
Then there is Stash by American actress Sarah Jessica Parker, which is a woody and peppery note in cedarwood atlas, vetiver and pistachio.
The list goes on. Eau de Gaga by US singer, songwriter and actress Lady Gaga has an enigmatic scent, fusing daringly diverse elements to create a beguiling allure and more varieties. US-based media personality, socialite and businesswoman Kim Kardashian’s perfume line called KKW collection has KKW Body III, a modern, woody floral opening with pink and black pepper and finishes with layers of creamy sandalwood, luxe cedarwood, vetiver and vanilla.
Luxury fashion houses have also been known to come out with unisex offerings from time to time. For instance, Italian major Bvlgari came out with its luxurious fragrance Bvlgari Black for women and men way back in 1998. The eau de toilette comes in a green, woody, earthy fragrance with a smoky finish.
Adding to its growing perfume collection, French luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton launched a unisex, oud scent called Ombre Nomade in 2018. Created by master perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud, the scent focuses on raw materials that complement both men and women.
Similarly, UK-based fragrance designer Jo Malone offers fragrances that are beautiful combinations in basil and neroli, or wood sage and sea salt— all of which have been designed to be unisex.
Likewise, US-based luxury fashion house Tom Ford’s fragrances can be worn regardless of gender. Its Black Orchid is a luxurious and sensual fragrance of rich, dark accords and an alluring potion of black orchid and spice. Its Ombré Leather Parfum is a powerful green floral note exudes the intensely floral air of fresh violets in a bouquet.
Similarly, Etro’s Eau De Parfum has intense notes of a spicy heart blended for a fine unisex fragrance.
Growing popularity
Women experiment with woody, sharp notes, and men now opt for soft and floral notes. With the growing popularity in the age group, somewhere from 18 to late-30s, the fragrance industry is growing rapidly and is looking to build a broader shift to gender inclusivity driven by the changed intellect and acceptance towards gender and identity.
“Floral scents mixed with earthy, green and amber tones are well-picked by consumers,” says Mathur of The Body Shop, whose bestseller in the unisex category is White Musk, a green and earthy fragrance that makes one feel “strong, uplifted and perhaps even nostalgic”. Another scent that’s becoming popular is the recently launched Rebel Rosebud, which combines amber and floral notes with warm, heady, velvety notes of rose absolute, saffron and amber to “let the inner rebel speak out”.
Consumers are now looking for fragrances that are versatile, high-quality, and offer a unique olfactory experience.
“Our bestselling fragrance, Oud Safran, is one that ticks all of these boxes. Its rich blend of Iranian saffron, white oud and musk creates a scent that is both captivating and long-lasting, while its unisex appeal makes it versatile and appealing to a wide range of consumers” adds Fouzdar of Maison De Fouzdar.
Titan Company-owned Fastrack Perfume’s portfolio has Solo, a unisex offering, a brand known to be trend setting, progressive and edgy. With a mix of spicy and fruity top notes with touches of cedar and vanilla, reinforced by patchouli, woody amber and a hint of pepper, the perfume is good for all ages. Fragrance is a leading category for the brand and as such it has not labelled Solo under any gender.
