Choices, choices

Walk into any department store and you’ll find dozens of brands selling hundreds of perfumes.

There’s a lot to choose from.

But, some 170 of these brands are controlled by just seven corporations.

And in these corporations, maybe a couple of hundred people decide which perfumes to release. Their choices are largely based on market research, focus groups and panel testing.

It all comes down to giving the people what they want, which - when it comes to mass perfumery - is pretty much what they know.

So, there’s not really that much choice after all; mostly variations of the same-old same-old.

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Here’s a list of the corporations that have cornered the market.

LVMH

Guerlain, Dior, Givenchy, Acqua di Parma, Kenzo, Bvlgari, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, Stella McCartney, Fendi, Patou, Fenty (Rihanna), Loewe, Buly, Celine, and of course Louis Vuitton. It also owns Sephora, a chain of stores with its own brand of perfumes.

Estée Lauder

Estée Lauder, Aramis, Éditions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, Tom Ford, Le Labo, Jo Malone London, By Kilian, Aveda, Clinique, Aerin, Tommy Hilfiger, Zegna, Michael Kors and Tory Burch.

L’Oréal

Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani, Parfums Mugler, Cacharel, Diesel, Body Shop, Ralph Lauren, Viktor & Rolf, Lancôme, Helena Rubenstein, Paloma Picasso, Guy Laroche, Aesop, Atelier Cologne and Prada.

Puig

Paco Rabanne, Comme des Garçons, Jean Paul Gaultier, L’Artisan Parfumeur, Byredo, Penhaligons, Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, Valentino, Adolfo Dominguez, Banderas, Shakira, Benetton, Dries Van Noten, Victorio & Lucchino, Pacha, Charlotte Tilbury, Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, Christian Louboutin, Aristocrazy, Juliana Paes, Springfield, David Bustamante, Massimo Dutti, Don Algodon, Ana Rosa, Rosario Flores, Mango, and no hit wonders Manuel Carrasco, Queendom and Sex Symbol.

Inter Parfums

Rochas, Balmain, Van Cleef & Arpels, Donna Karan – DKNY, Karl Lagerfeld, Burberry, Lanvin, Oscar de la Renta, Paul Smith, Anna Sui, Ungaro, Coach, Moncler, MCM, Hollister, Graff, Abercrombie & Fitch, Kate Spade, Montblanc, Boucheron, Lacoste, Repetto, Dunhill, Ferragamo, Lily Aldridge, S.T. Dupont, bebe, Agent Provocateur, Jimmy Choo, Banana Republic, GAP, Shanghai Tang, Brooks Brothers, Betsey Johnson, Nine West, Armand Basi, Molyneux, Jean-Charles Brosseau, Parfums Fête, Wind, FCUK.

Coty Inc. / Coty Prestige

Coty, Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Davidoff, Etro, Joop!, Jil Sander, Chloe, Hugo Boss, Gucci, Escada, Roberto Cavalli, Burberry, Miu Miu, Cerutti, Mexx, Pierre Cardin, Nautica, David Beckham, Céline Dion, Adidas, Bruno Banani, Jōvan, Bourjois, Bottega Veneta, James Bond, Tiffany & Co., Lancaster, Lady Gaga, Alexander McQueen, Vera Wang, Love2Love, Esprit, Beyoncé, Lamborghini, Vivienne Westwood, Halle Berry, Katy perry, Enrique Eglisias, Faith Hill, Vespa, Nikos, Philosophy and Stetson.

Beauté Prestige / Shiseido

Shiseido, Serge Lutens, Issey Miyake, Narciso Rodriguez, Zadig & Voltaire, Elie Saab, Dolce & Gabbana, Azzedine Alaïa, Nars, Hanae Mori, Baum, Toyota, d'ici là / ディシラ, Ayura / アユーラ, Integrate / インテグレート, Majolica Majorca, Château de Versailles.

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