EXCLUSIVE: Dolly Parton, Edge Beauty Announce Fragrance Licensing Agreement

11.12.2020 Beauty & Balance

Entertainer, coronavirus research funder and now beauty mogul: Dolly Parton has solidified her plans to enter the beauty market in 2021.

In partnership with Edge Beauty — whose portfolio ranges from niche fragrances to celebrity licensing deals, like that with megawatt entertainer Cher — Parton’s first collection will come to market in spring 2021.

Edge Beauty, which signed a long-term licensing deal with Parton brokered by IMG, did not disclose specifics regarding pricing and distribution, but hinted at diverse offerings in various channels. “We’re looking at a marketing mix that cascades from luxury to mass, but in essence, is offering a luxury product at a variety of price points,” Steve Mormoris, chief executive officer of Edge Beauty, told WWD. “We’re looking at distribution channels that range from TV shopping to specialty retail chains, drugstores and to the mass market.”

Parton will also be offering the scents in a slew of formats. “We know that people like to scent their hair, clothes, homes, as well as their own skin. So we’re working on a multiplicity of olfactory forms that will indicate the fragrance value,” Mormoris said.

Marketing the fragrance provides its own room for innovation, especially with a housebound consumer base unable to smell the fragrance in traditional retail channels. “We’re working on ways of communicating the product to market through sampling, influencer programs, podcasts and influencers,” Mormoris said. “Consumers will be able to try the fragrance through discovery-size vials at an accessible price prior to the purchase of a full size, because if someone doesn’t want to leave their home but wants to try the fragrance, and there aren’t testers in stores, then we have to adapt.”

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“Fragrance has always played a major role in my life — I wear my own combination of scents every day,” Parton said in a statement. “Developing my own brand and scent with Edge Beauty has been an amazing experience, and I am looking forward to becoming a big part of the fragrance community.”

Parton’s wide-ranging fanbase and universal appeal are where Mormoris sees the opportunity for the brand. “We firmly believe that Dolly Parton is at the center of American culture and that she crosses political divides, generations, emotional sensibilities, gender, and we believe she’s the true nucleus of American culture today,” Mormoris said. “She’s someone without pretense, she’s a self-made woman, she’s incredibly generous, and she’s beautiful. As a marketer, she also has a great understanding of how to reach her fans.”

Dolly Parton Signs Global Licensing Deal With IMG to Develop Fashion, Accessories and Home