Atelier Cologne repositions with focus on Asia
Founded in 2009 by Christophe Cervasel and Sylvie Ganter, and bought seven years later by the L'Oreal group, Atelier Cologne is rather discreetly going through a complete brand overhaul.
Where distribution is concerned, the brand first withdrew from the North American market at the beginning of 2022 and has been doing the same in Europe for a few months. With the exception of a few e-tailers, the olfactory label no longer has any stores or retailers on the Old Continent and its e-shop no longer delivers to the region. In France, its home market, Atelier Cologne closed its store in the Marais last September, and now only operates in La Samaritaine.
As part of its repositioning and rebranding, Atelier Cologne says it will focus on the Asia-Pacific region in the short to medium term. "In recent years Atelier Cologne has grown considerably in Asia, mainly in China where we are also present on T-Mall," says Philippine Lesieur, marketing director of Atelier Cologne, adding that the brand now has about twenty points of sale in the world. Stores located in Asia, but also in the Middle East.
China is a strategic choice seeing as, according to the Japanese composition house Takasago, by 2025 the country should become the second largest market for fine fragrances in the world, just behind the United States.
At the beginning of the year, Atelier Cologne launched a new collection of exceptional perfumes called The Rare Collection, a line that emancipates itself from the citrus fragrances that made the success of the brand, to offer woody, sandalwood or oud-based perfumes. Scents that seem to be calibrated for the Asian markets. The latest addition to the collection is 'Encens Celeste", a blend of incense, bergamot and rockrose, priced at 103 euros for 30ml.
"Atelier Cologne's new positioning redefines artisanal luxury perfumery. It is expressed through a new visual identity offering an artistic vision of nature, as well as a new retail concept. Encens Celeste, the latest addition to The Rare Collection, embodies this vision," explains Lesieur.
Atelier Cologne recently opened a store in Guangzhou, China, where natural materials such as wood and stone are accentuated.
Atelier Cologne, which since last October has been part of a newly created division within L'Oréal Luxe, the luxury perfume division, which includes Maison Margiela, Viktor & Rolf and Cacharel, also wants to expand its ranges around the art of living and bathing.
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