PHOTO CAPTION: Clockwise from far left: A Tommi Sooni fragrance; Elements organizers Uli Lang, Frederic Bouchardy and Jeff Lawson; Shan Rahimkhan hair care; Olfactive Studio’s highly creative scents.
At their most recent Manhattan show held earlier this week, Elements Showcase again proved to be a wonderland of niche fragrance brands with international and point-of-difference flair. Taking up two floors at Skylight West’s Hudson Yards’ showroom building January 28 and 29, this winter’s event (Elements is held twice a year, the next NYC show is in the fall) saw a smattering of cosmetic brands, as well as hair companies. Overall, Elements, which premiered in January 2011, attracted about 3,000 visitors and featured 120 brands.
Perhaps considered the go-to event for scented design objects and apothecary products, Elements founders Frederick Bouchardy, Jeff Lawson and Ulrich Lang are pleased with the fifth installment’s performance and are looking forward to expanding the brand.
“We’re seeing that there is international demand for a show like this, one where the brands are curated and the show is hip, cool and happening. There’s no pipe and drape here. We have a unique look,” said Uli Lang, who also oversees his own fragrance brand, Ulrich Lang New York.
Uli added that he is looking at the Middle East as a natural extension for an upcoming Elements show and that one may be happening as early as in the last half of this year.
Of course the ultimate sign of trade show success are the buyers it attracts. This time around Elements saw the likes of Lord & Taylor, Harrod’s, Takashimaya Japan, Blackbird of Seattle, Breathe Fresh Cosmetics of Berlin and OAK New York.
To make post-show interactions easier for buyers and brands, this year Elements is utilizing an online platform called POP-Market, which enables attendees to interact and transact online throughout the year, far beyond the show.
The new link will help the likes of TenOverTen, which was showing off new nail shades for spring. The company, which launches new colors twice a year, said attending Elements is a way for the brand to build partnerships, similar to the one they have with SoulCycle, where they created a bright yellow nail polish themed after the fitness company’s logo. Building partnerships with beauty companies not yet playing in the nail segment is something founder Nadine Ferber said she’s now considering.
One of the most interesting fragrance concepts seen at Elements was by Olfactive Studio. The concept mixes contemporary artistic photography with fragrance creation, and even looks for product feedback using social media—on everything from packaging to labeling to fragrance names, making its “fans” brand ambassadors. Founded by Paris-based Celine Verleure, Olfactive Studio creates a fragrance by first starting with a professional, artistic photograph, which is then sent to an expert perfumer to develop a scent based on the emotions they feel when viewing the photo. The perfume, complete with packaging, is then sent to the photographer of the inspirational photo to photograph the completed work, with the goal of capturing the scent’s essence in the image. The line, which includes four scents, will launch to Bergdorf Goodman in the spring.
Aromatherapeutic home cleansing brand, Caldrea, is diving into personal care with a line of five products, to include a roller ball fragrance, body wash, body lotion, body oil and a triple-milled bar soap. The line is available in three fragrances, priced from $10 to $28.
Kahina Giving Beauty showcased their certified organic argan oil-based products. The difference between the argan oil they use versus competitors’ versions is theirs has not been de-odorized but rather features the deep, subtle natural scent indicative of the nut plucked off of the argan tree.
Cosmetics firm Kjaer Weis also exhibited at Elements, showing several new sets designed to feature multiple items. A trio set will offer a cheek, lip and eye product; a duo set holds a lip and eye item. And, Kjaer Weis appears on the brink of launching mascara.
German hair care brand, Shan Rahimkhan, attended Elements looking for distribution for their shampoos and styling products in high-end stores and boutiques, items created by the hair stylist of the same name. Three lines comprise 15 products targeting fine hair with volumizing and moisturizing formulas.
Australian fragrance brand Tommi Sooni brought its home grown and formulated scents to Elements, each of which takes two years to perfect. Packaging includes handmade paper from Japan, which is meant to be unwrapped as a curtain would unveil a performance. There are four scents, Passerelle, Tarantella, Jinx, EDTS I and EDTS II.
Several forums rounded out Elements’ two-day show, one of which focused on “Niche Insights: Global Expert Round Table on What’s Happening and What’s Next.” Also at the show, The Fragrance Foundation revealed its 2013 Indie Award winner, which was By Kilian Amber Oud.