PARIS — It’s back to the future for Les Cascades de Rochas, the new women’s fragrance due out starting in May.
“On one hand, it’s entirely new. On the other hand, it really connects back to the core heritage of the brand,” explained Bill Brace, vice president of Procter & Gamble Prestige.
P&G owns Rochas, which was established in 1925.
Like the brand’s other scents, Les Cascades is a fresh fragrance.
“At the same time, [there are] elements like Sichuan pepper as a way to bring that modern, contemporary twist,” continued Brace. “It also represents an opportunity to really bring Rochas to new consumers, and a little bit younger consumer than our heritage lines appeal to.”
Les Cascades stems from a lineage of eaux: Eau de Rochas Fraîche from 2010 and Eau Sensuelle from 2009. The two were modern reinterpretations of Eau de Rochas — created in 1970 by Nicolas Mamounas — which remains the brand’s bestseller. It took a cue from Apollo’s fountain in Delphi.
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“The inspiration for [Les Cascades] is really a Parisian fountain in the summer,” said Brace.
The second part of the new scent’s name is Eclat d’Agrumes (or burst of citrus, in English), because Rochas’ in-house perfumer Jean-Michel Duriez dreamed up the fragrance’s idea while visiting Sicily.
“There, you have mandarin, the warmth of Etna, [the notion of] the red earth,” said Duriez, adding he was interested in giving an impression of heat and freshness simultaneously.
Other notes in the scent include pineapple, mango, white flowers, bergamot and musk.
In Les Cascades’ print ad shot by Camilla Akrans, Olivia Palermo frolics by the fountain outside of Paris’ Palais Royal. There’s also a video campaign lensed by Dimitri Karakatsanis, which will run as a 20-second spot primarily on TV and the Internet.
Les Cascades’ bottle cap is the same as that of the other Rochas eaux.
The scent will be introduced exclusively in Marionnaud in France in May. Then the rest of France and Spain (plus their travel-retail channels), the Netherlands, Belgium and Switzerland are to start selling it in July.
The 50-ml. eau de toilette will retail for 48 euros, or $63.45 at current exchange, while the 100-ml. version is to be 72 euros, or $95.20, in France.
Rochas executives would not discuss projections, but industry sources estimate Les Cascades will generate $30 million in retail sales during its first year.