Jason Wu celebrates fragrance anniversary with scented doll
Jason Wu is going back to his roots to celebrate his year-old namesake fragrance.
Launching today exclusively at Net-a-Porter, the designer is releasing his first scented doll. While he has designed dolls for his brand in the past and worked as a doll designer with Integrity Toys before launching his line, this limited-edition doll is his first scented product, taking inspiration from the fragrance itself and the dress he designed for model Lily Aldridge, who serves as the face of the fragrance, for the 2017 CFDA Awards.
“I started my career designing dolls about 15 years ago and it was my first career before fashion,” Wu said. “[The scented doll] is a nice way to combine that with what I’ve been doing in fashion and fragrance, which is relatively new to me. It’s combining three facets of my career.”
Manufactured with Wu’s longtime partner Integrity Toys, the doll comes wearing a miniature version of the dress Wu designed for Aldridge, which is a pinkish nude tulle dress embroidered with Swarovski crystals, complete with matching heels, earrings and a miniature version of the fragrance bottle. Three hundred units will be created for the doll, which will be sold with a 3-oz. bottle of the fragrance for $380.
“The idea is to not only be a collectible, but also be a unique way to deliver the scent to the consumer,” he continued. “It’s the most important point as we are a niche fragrance. It’s important that the product speaks for itself.”
Fragrance was always a category Wu wanted to enter, and after a year of selling his first scent, he has plans to expand his brand’s fragrance business. Wu has already started working on his second fragrance, which is slated to launch early next year, and is working on a collection of fragrances to launch fall of 2020. Next month, a rollerball version of his current fragrance will be released, adding to the collection that includes the fragrance, a body cream and shower oil.
Wu’s plan for his fragrance business includes continuing to work with strategic partners, including retailers Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Dillard’s and now Net-a-porter, which already carries Wu’s designs and will be the exclusive distributor of the fragrance in Europe. The designer is also investing in getting the fragrance into beauty boxes and services and providing scent strips for various publications.
