Named RS No.9, The Rolling Stones’ first perfume was released on Wednesday, December 4. The name comes from the flagship store of the band, RS No.9 Carnaby, located in Carnaby Street in London. The entire stock has been sold out within hours and will not be renewed. What’s the meaning of such an operation when, according to the press release, the product would have required several years of development?

A very limited edition

RS No.9 was born from a partnership between Bravado, a merchandising subsidiary of Universal Music Group, and UK-based fragrance company Nirvana Brands.

The unisex fragrance was brought to life by Catherine Selig, Senior Perfumer at Takasago. It is described as featuring top notes of bergamot, lemon, middle notes of worn leather and labdanum, and base notes of oud, musk and patchouli.

“This was a dream project. I wanted to capture The Rolling Stones’ timelessness – their inimitable style, rebellious spirit, and the feeling of freedom their music still inspires. Every note represents a different facet of the Stones’ legacy, from their soulful melodies to their on-stage unpredictability. This fragrance is a journey through their world, filled with richness, texture, and bold contrasts,” stated Selig in the press release.

The translucent apothecary-style bottle of RS No.9 is inspired by the decoration of the Carnaby store, with vivid graffiti-style song lyrics printed on the glass. It features a black cap with the red Rolling Stones tongue-and-lips logo created by John Pasche in 1970.

Limited to 999 numbered 100ml bottles and priced at GBP 99.99, RS No.9 was available to purchase in RS No.9 stores in London and Tokyo as well as online. Promised to become real collector’s items, they sold out within hours.

“More in the pipeline to come”

On its Instagram page, the Carnaby Street store tells frustrated would-be shoppers that no restocking is planned for this limited edition.

However, Ken Rushton, COO of Nirvana Brands, said “there is a whole lot more in the pipeline to come.”

“We look forward to giving fans the chance to further deepen their love for The Rolling Stones,” added David Boyne, Managing Director for Bravado.

In addition to The Rolling Stones, Nirvana Brands’ current portfolio of includes Laura Ashley, Sarah Jessica Parker, Guy Laroche, Paloma Picasso, Gloria Vanderbilt, Slava Zaitsev, Daniel Hechter, Eau Jeune Antonio Banderas, and Shakira. Actually, the company has solid expertise in celebrity perfumes, but here it is dealing with a legendary rock group, whose rebellious image is not necessarily easy to embody in a perfume. Organizing the scarcity of the product and playing on the fetishist nostalgia of The Rolling Stones fans, can be a good way to increase its desirability, while creating buzz for the future steps.