There’s a certain kind of attitude and swagger—the French way of doing things.
“The French behave as kings,” Philippe Charriol explained the idea behind and the name of his house’s new men’s fragrance, Royal White, in last week’s launch at The Peninsula Manila.
“It’s very monarchic,” he said, enumerating the similarly regal monikers of his brand’s fragrances: Imperial Ruby, Imperial Saphir, Royal Leather, Royal Platinum. “It’s chic and pure,” he described the latest addition to this line.
The French entrepreneur and founder of the Swiss-based Charriol house, and Rustan Marketing Corp. president Zenaida Tantoco, welcomed the VIP guests who seemed to fit the princely mold described in the inspiration behind Royal White.
There were Megaworld first vice president and scion Kevin Tan with his fiancée Michelle See; millionaire entrepreneur Joseph Calata with his wife Nel; society photographer Rubert Jacinto with wife Tina; and actor Diether Ocampo, who arrived with his non-show-biz girlfriend Michelle Barrera.
Charriol, a frequent Manila visitor, was accompanied on this trip by his own “prince,” son Alexander, the company’s international visual director, who incidentally was marking his birthday on the day of the launch.
Good fit
Charriol said he saw Royal White to be a good fit to the Southeast Asian market, as male consumers in the region prefer lighter scents compared to their counterparts in the Middle East.
“It’s an East-West mix, not too light or too strong,” he said. “It will be interesting for those who like woody scents. It’s very male.”
Housed in an opaque white square bottle with a gold-lined stopper, Royal White—available in eau de parfum, 100 ml spray—has a masculine base in oud wood, oakmoss and vetiver. The freshness of grapefruit and the tangy scent of rhubarb are the top notes, with the floral middle notes of oriental rose, white patchouli and violet blossom.
Charriol, a jewelry and watch company founded in 1983, introduced its first fragrance in 2008, and its founder says it’s a growing segment of the Charriol business.
“At Rustan’s, we introduced it 1½ years ago, and they’re working really hard to grow it,” Charriol said. The fragrances, he noted, are the entry-level segment for customers who want to buy into Charriol’s luxury jewelry and watches. “It’s very affordable.”
Charriol, which enjoys a good following in the Philippines, will open two to three more boutiques in the country this year, according to its chief executive.