Fucking Fabulous is a brand new unisex perfume from the eponymous and iconic Tom Ford , launching on September 7th.
As yet he has not explained his thinking behind the name, so we thought it might be interesting to explore the possibilities.
Certainly it is a dramatic departure from all his previous named perfumes . ”A breath of fresh air in a crowded market”, according to Harpers Bazaar. ”Controversial, maybe. Inspired, definitely”, again from Harpers.
And from InStyle: ”If you’re fabulous and you know it and you really want to show it, you should probably invest in Tom Ford’s latest fragrance”.
Did he need to help the launch of his new collection this week by attracting attention this way? Or was it a carefully judged and astu te PR and sales stunt – alike Trump’s technique – designed to challenge, shock and generally create impact? Is this a new, radical approach to selling a high value item?
Well he certainly accomplished high impact and media column inches, especially as this is a limited edition product, with even more limited distribution. It will only be available in Tom Ford’s boutiques and through buying online from TomFord.com directly after his new runway collection is shown in New York this week. The Travel Retail community will never get the opportunity to sell it – at least not now.
Many would argue that the name does not belong to one of the most luxurious fashion designers in the world. I would argue the opposite. Tom Ford does not need help to sell his brand. It would sell regardless. He could have named it anything. And this launch is, after all, about selling product. F u cking Fabulous is entirely consistent with the uniqueness of the Tom Ford brand. It is authentic and mirrors his image and his product range. Yes, it’s disruptive and has got a lot of people talking. But it works, because Tom Ford knows the profile of his customers. He also doubtless knows that this may well open him up to a whole new customer base for him. Smart.
So the product will turn out to be a runaway success. Oh, in case you were wondering, it’s not cheap at US$ 310 for a 50ml bottle, attracting quite a premium (some +30%) to the other perfumes in his range. But it is a beautifully designed bottle. Inside the
key notes are: almond bitter oil, tonka resinoid, orris accord, cashmeran, leather accord and clary sage oil.
