How To Buy Patents Of Discontinued Fragrances {Ask Marie-Helene}
Hi,
I was surprised and happy to discover your website, being a lover of the fragrances I've loved/love. I've wondered about some of the fragrances that have been discontinued, and you may have info on your site about this, but I haven't had time yet to read everything! I'm just wondering about how easy/difficult, and how costly, it is , for one to buy recipe/patent for discontinued fragrances. Might be a better option for me to buy STOCK in companies that WILL produce some of the older good ones.
Thank you,
Melissa B. ......
Hi Melissa,
Thank you for your kind words. You could perhaps contact Jeffrey Dame at Irma Shorell, Long Lost Fragrances and see if he could provide you with some information: jeffreydame at irmashorell dot net.
Roja Dove of Haute Parfumerie is well-known for bringing back discontinued classics to life. My sense is that, in his case, he does not buy patents or recipes but convinces the perfume houses to re-do the scents for him. There will be more information about that soon on the blog.
Meanwhile I will post your message in case other people have anything to share on the topic.
Have a good Labor Day weekend,
Marie-Helene
In most cases, the formula belongs to the fragrance creator/supplier and NOT to the brands. Companies like Givaudan, Firmenich, IFF among others have in general the formulas (when an inhouse perfumer was not available for the brand). In general the formula was not revealed to the brand and it's the same case today, though in some cases (LVMH) some parts of the formula are revealed. But that's an exception. Not all houses in the past had their own perfumer and so had control on formulas.
For the case of Piguet: the fragrances were produced by Roure, the formulas belonged to Roure and then Givaudan. That's why the reformulation of Fracas, Bandit, Baghari was made by Givaudan perfumer's and not someone else:))
I see. This is an interesting distinction. It seems to me however a bit surprising to think that a brand would have absolutely no say or control whatsoever over a perfume formulation being resold or redone since it represents their image. But, strange things do happen in the world of perfumery as Guy Robert pointed out in his talk:)))
The terms of the contract are allways very clear, that's sure! In theory you can redo any perfume but you cannot use (or say) the name! It's a brand / "trademark" issue.
Sometimes the name/story/brand ar as important as the fragrance. It's all the magic around. It's sad but people today would buy "Chypre by Coty" not especially because of the fragrance. I have tones of old formulas, but they are useless from a commercial point of view.
Of course, brands have some control: You decide a formula, I will supply you exclusively. But the formula is mine.
Though, in a big company, not all perfumers have access to all formulas. That's what makes the difference!
In exchange, in every big company there is a fragrance library with thousands of formulas (unused by a client). When a brief (and not a big one!!!) comes, someone will take a fragrance, maybe some small modifications will be done and that's all. If you are a small brand (so, little sales expected) it's quite rare that a "big" perfumer will work for you from scratch.
It's a fact that marketers will never tell to the public; their magic creation is just one picked from a shelf by an experienced evaluator. :))
So many new launches.... so short time, so many "coincidences"...it's allways a question about beeing practical. :)))
A lost brief (in a competition) will go there and will find maybe a new client. :)
Thank you for the clarification. This all sounds so....bureaucratic rather than creative:)