, co-founder of AKT London, a fine fragrance-forward deodorant brand, tells me. This time last year, I wouldn’t have believed you.. It’s no surprise: “The big conglomerates have dictated to us it's soft linens and florals for women and spice, sport and war for men,” he says. Consumers have possessed a long-standing choice between inoffensive notes like lavender or smelling like the spirit incarnate of a pubescent teenage boy.
Deodorant has become the unsuspecting first layer for a larger fragrance wardrobe. It’s no longer an I-don’t-want-to-smell-like-BO need and more of a scent statement. Fine fragrance deodorants, which at the most luxurious end of the spectrum cost roughly $40, are an easy entry point to creating a fragrance wardrobe. “All consumers are different—some are curious and creative scent seekers.
“People aren’t only getting scent experience through body care, deodorant, body wash, or hair care—they're also buying fine fragrance at record numbers,” says Corpus founder and serial entrepreneur. “This isn’t a deodorant trend; it’s a movement telling us to raise the bar and re-evaluate what we’re competing against.”