“Coty brought perfume into the modern age”, Jean Holtzmann, CBO, Coty

Interview by Kristel Milet

26 March 2024

“Coty brought perfume into the modern age”, Jean Holtzmann, CBO, Coty

The perfume, makeup and skincare giant, whose origins date back to 1904 in Paris, is in full swing under the leadership of Sue Nabi, its CEO since 2020. To develop its luxury offering, the group has just launched a new brand called Infiniment Coty Paris. This collection of 14 fragrances is meant to link the heritage of François Coty, the inventor of modern perfumery, with the need for innovation expressed by consumers. The line is based on an innovative technology called Molecular Aura, which modifies the natural evaporation of ingredients and emphasizes the distinctive presence of certain notes, overturning the olfactory pyramid. Also a pioneer in the use of ethanol derived from recycled carbon, Coty is adopting a resolutely disruptive stance. We talked to Jean Holtzmann, Chief Brands Officer at Coty Prestige.

Premium Beauty News - How do you define the notions of boldness and innovation at Coty?

Jean Holtzmann - This year, Coty is celebrating 120 years of unique expertise in the perfume market. It is worth remembering that it was Coty that really brought perfume into the modern age. By combining the first synthetic molecules with the finest ingredients of natural origin, Coty unleashed creativity, opening up new, yet unexplored olfactory territories. Coty’s Ambre Antique (1905) or Chypre (1917) fragrances are at the origin of two of the largest contemporary olfactory families, which now account for almost two-thirds of the women’s fine fragrance segment in key markets: the oriental-amber family and the Chypre family. Our extraordinary heritage has never ceased to guide us in innovation, and we express it through the creativity and boldness of our fragrance formulas. Since then, Coty has always endeavoured to create a portfolio of iconic fragrances, including CK One, Chloé Signature, Gucci Bloom, Boss Bottled, and the very recent Burberry Goddess, which stands out with its three powerful vanillas. More than ever, the launch of Infiniment Coty Paris reflects our vision of tomorrow’s perfumery, where nature, science and art intertwine to reinvent the exceptional heritage on which we and the entire industry are founded.

Premium Beauty News - Why choose a bold formula?

Jean Holtzmann - At Coty, innovation is present throughout the value chain of perfume creation. In the formulas, of course, and in the quality of the juices developed by our olfactory studio and the greatest noses on the market: they can render into scent the great aspirations that run through society, while revealing the identity of each of our brands. Then comes the bottle, which mirrors the essence of our fragrances, as evidenced by La Rose Jacqueminot, Coty’s first perfume (1904), sublimated in a magnificent Baccarat bottle; Chloé Signature, a glass representation of the fashion company’s iconic pleated sunburst; or Daisy by Marc Jacobs, with its novel fantasy cap, shaped as daisy petals of different sizes. We are also working on bold campaigns in the vein of the group’s raison d’être – Undefine Beauty – which are aimed to break free from beauty and olfactory archetypes, and in particular to review the very definition of the word “beauty” in dictionaries, to better reflect the deep aspirations of all individuals. The Goddess campaign, for Burberry’s latest women’s perfume, highlights a powerful, inspiring woman who is the subject of her own life. It is an eloquent illustration of this.

Premium Beauty News - How do you work on innovation, in-house and with your suppliers?

Jean Holtzmann - Innovation infuses each of Coty’s high skills. Our collegial organization helps us anticipate and meet key consumer expectations, thanks to the constant interactions between each of our areas of expertise in perfume creation. It gives us great agility in managing projects and expressing our innovation. We collaborate and co-create with the best suppliers and partners to support the major stages of innovation. For example, thanks to our partnership with LanzaTech, we can now include alcohol derived from carbon capture in our fragrance portfolio. This strong commitment emphasizes the fact that sustainable development is a major driver of innovation.

Premium Beauty News - How do you see the perfume market evolving?

Jean Holtzmann - The fragrance market is in turmoil and the trend we call the “Fragrance Effect” at Coty is still going strong. The successive lockdowns have changed the game, and countries such as China, which until now was not a key perfume market, are becoming the new growth drivers. The market is becoming more premium. It is time to create powerful, signature, high-performance formulas. Perfume is also a vehicle for positive emotions in a difficult, often anxiety-provoking global context. Innovative, authentic, quality brands capable of positively fuelling the global conversation on this increasingly popular category will come out on top.

Premium Beauty News - How does the use of recycled alcohol derived from converted carbon fit into the Coty portfolio?

Jean Holtzmann - Innovation to transform CO2 emissions into ethanol, which we purify to add it to our fragrance formulas, is a technological revolution exclusive to the Coty Group. It is part of our Beauty that lasts sustainability roadmap. Today, the 14 fragrances of the Infiniment Coty brand, as well as Gucci The Alchemist’s Garden’s Where my heart beats perfume, contain 100% of recycled alcohol derived from this new technology. Within two years, the majority of Coty perfumes will incorporate this new ethanol, in part or in full. This is in response to consumer demand for increasingly environmentally-friendly products.

Premium Beauty News - What about Molecular Aura, the technology behind the new Infiniment Coty Paris collection?

Jean Holtzmann - Infiniment Coty Paris, the group’s new eponymous high perfumery brand, embodies all the great advances of Coty’s research. For example, the fragrance formulas incorporate a new Coty patent-pending technology, Molecular Aura, which modifies the evaporation profile of raw materials and preserves the fragrance’s character for up to 30 hours. Acting like a magnet, Molecular Aura slows down the disappearance of certain notes or intensifies others. A jasmine note will keep its fresh facets for longer, as if in full bloom. It is a radical change compared to the traditional definition of the “olfactory pyramid”, and a new approach to composing with perfumers.

Premium Beauty News - Do you think the perfume industry can reinvent itself through technological innovation?

Jean Holtzmann - Coty has been revolutionizing the beauty industry for over a century. Proud of our pioneering and avant-garde spirit, we are convinced that passion and science are formidable levers of innovation. Thanks to our international R&D Centre of Excellence, based in Switzerland and focused on perfume, the Coty Group is pursuing its mission: constantly opening up new olfactory horizons. We are currently working on a wide range of subjects to meet the expectations of our consumers, always on the lookout for ever more innovative, high-performance, environmentally friendly fragrances. With over a century of expertise in perfumes, we are committed to being the most innovative olfactory creation platform on the market.