Gap Strengthens Fragrance Portfolio With Dual Launches; Close Bows In Fall

Gap is planning to follow the upcoming debut of Close women's fragrance with a second scent for women by the end of first quarter 2001. The undisclosed fragrance is expected to have a hard launch around Mother's Day, Gap Personal Care Senior VP Gary McNatton said.

The new feminine floral will be a fresh, bright addition to the "icon" series, which also encompasses Dream and Heaven, the exec noted. Like its siblings, the scent will comprise "lateral" notes unlike the typical fragrance pyramid.

The dual launch follows nearly three years without a Gap fragrance introduction; the most recent, Blue No. 655 men's and women's "clean, modern" duo, bowed in October 1997.

Unlike past fragrance launches, however, Gap's most immediate project, Close, is more attuned to a woman's sensuality and sexuality, and is more complex than previous offerings, the exec said.

Close's crisp, fresh notes are decidedly feminine. The scent opens with pink grapefruit, cassis flower, peony and magnolia accords and warms to a heart of jasmine and icy flower. The drydown comprises a clear musk accord, bringing the notes together.

"People are really learning to wear fragrance," McNatton said. "They're learning how to apply it and how to test it. That is a key factor in why Gap feels confident in enlarging its current fragrance stable."

In a unique move for the retailer, Close initially will bow exclusively on gap.com Sept. 15 before rolling out to the 80 GapBody stores a month later. The retailer plans to operate 120 body stores by spring 2001, McNatton said.

The decision to launch Close Gap's lingerie stores was in keeping with the scent's sensual positioning. Gap will use two marketing taglines to support this concept.

The first tagline is simply "Get Close," while the second, "Simple, Sheer and Sexy," refers not only to the perfume, but also to GapBody's body-conscious, unstructured lingerie, the company said. Close is expected to generate $2 mil.-$3 mil. in first-year sales.

The fragrance also will be available at the clothing retailer's 10 flagship stores worldwide, including San Francisco, New York City and Chicago.

Close will be supported with more than 1 mil. sample vials, some of which will be sent to consumers with online clothing purchases. Gap has revamped some of its in-store displays for existing scents and placed more emphasis on the fragrance category in stores.

Before joining Gap, McNatton was president of home product marketer Mottura, through which he originally developed the Grass, Earth and Om fragrances.

Gap purchased McNatton's company in February 1994 and brought the exec on board to oversee its fragrance and beauty care development. Mottura is no longer in operation.

Following McNatton's arrival, Earth and Grass were later introduced under the GapScents franchise in 1994, along with Day and Heaven, followed by Dream in 1995 and Om in 1996.

Earth, Grass and Om later were moved into Gap's outlet stores; though the fragrances still were in demand, they had lost some of their initial "freshness," McNatton explained. Heaven and Dream, still are sold in traditional Gap stores. Grass and Day have been discontinued.

Gap also markets a number of other beauty care products: lotions and body mists scented with the remaining fragrances, fruit-flavored lip shines and balms and sunscreens, which are marketed during the summer months.

Gap's personal care business is "very hot" right now, McNatton said, adding he expects "dramatic growth" through the remainder of the year, boosted by the Close debut. According to industry sources, Gap's beauty care sales are expected to jump 25% this year.

Close will retail for $28 for a 60 mL bottle and $10 for a 15 mL bottle for travel. Packaging also is in line with the clarity and simplicity of the fragrance. A lean glass bottle is topped with a silver-tone cap. The outer box is see-through plastic.