L’Occitane lights up Heathrow Airport with Terre de Lumière launch

In a first for the brand, L’Occitane has chosen to launch its latest fragrance exclusively in selected travel retail locations, led by London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5.

Terre de Lumière (meaning the land of light) is showcased at Heathrow in a one-of-a-kind high-profile, creative podium using theatre and ‘retail-tainment’. Other versions of the podium will run between November and December in the following airports: Munich; Paris Charles de Gaulle; Madrid; Amsterdam; Dubai. Available initially in travel retail, the fragrance will launch in local markets from February 2017.

The fragrance is said to be inspired by the Provençal light, in particular at the ‘Golden Hour’ – the last hour before the sun sets and the first hour of light in the morning.

L’Occitane Managing Director Travel Retail Worldwide Marcin Jasiak said: “L’Occitane has opted for the exclusive launch in travel retail for the first time, as this channel offers a global reach and is a fantastic experience-driven consumer-centric venue. Travel retail offers vibrant instantaneous visibility and sensorial trial, and our experience-driven animations will leverage both this amazing fragrance and its Golden Hour inspiration.”

Since its creation in the mid-1970s L’Occitane has been known for its single-ingredient fragrances such as Verbena, Lavender and Rose. Terre de Lumière marks a new departure for L’Occitane as a faceted fragrance created to recruit new customers to the brand.

In another first, the fragrance was created by three women perfumers: Calice Becker, Shyamala Maisondieu and Nadège Le Garlantezec.

L’Occitane International PR Manager Patricia Montesinos noted: “The creation of the Terre de Lumière fragrance is above all a human adventure. It’s the story of an encounter between three of Givaudan’s perfumers and the harmony of their craft, their love of Provence and their childhood memories.”

Shyamala Maisondieu came up with an aroma that captured her memories of the taste of lavender honey; Nadège Le Garlantezec then added an almond note to give fresh and warm tones; finally, Calice Becker created a sensual, floral scent to bring the elements together.

Perfumer Nadège Le Garlantezec noted: “This fragrance represents a new chapter for L’Occitane who wanted, with Terre de Lumière, to focus on the emotions at the heart of Provence. In doing so, it breaks with previous chapters that have focused on a single ingredient. Terre de Lumière is composed around a multitude of facets where ingredients play as instruments to convey emotions.”

The bottle is designed in an organic pebble shape infused with a golden tint. L’Occitane Founder Olivier Baussan commented: “Flairs of light inspired the elegant shape of the bottle. A pebble, coloured by the tinted golden hour skies, is represented in the cap.”

Terre de Lumière eau de parfum will be available in travel retail in 50ml and 90ml sizes along with an iridescent Beautifying Body Lotion in 250ml.

loccitane-en-provence-terre-de-lumiere
The multi-faceted Terre de Lumière takes L’Occitane ‘to the next level from the single-ingredient positioning of the past’

Food & Beverage The Magazine eZine