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Thread started 07/22/07 9:43pm

mehogeni

Article Giving a closer look at how 3121 Perfume was created

Did not know if this was posted before but here is an interesting article from Philadelphia's business journal which delves alot more into how the 3121 perfume was created

http://philadelphia.bizjo...tml?page=2


HUNTINGDON VALLEY -- In close proximity to music superstar Prince, one is likely to catch the scent of fate, which crossed a local company's path with his own.

In recent months, Prince has been wearing the perfume 3121, a fragrance named after his 2006 album and developed in collaboration with area company Revelations Perfume and Cosmetics Inc.


Due to debut on July 7, the perfume, like the artist, is eclectic. The fragrance, which is subtle enough to be worn by a man, is described as a white floral scent, with a blending of jasmine, gardenia, tuberose and ylang ylang among other things, which upon settling takes on more musky, spicy overtones with notes of patchouli, sandalwood and cedarwood.

The lavender-colored fragrance, a favorite hue of Prince's, is sold in custom Italian bottles plated with 22-carat gold. It could very well be the concoction that catapults 8-year-old Revelations higher into the fragrance and cosmetics market, company President Larry Couey said.

"He was interested in being very hands-on, he wanted a firm with a short decision process," Couey said of Prince's decision to sign up with the small firm that is rooted in Couey's 33 years of experience in consumer products, including stints with Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works and Unilever.

"He works all of the time, he's a perfectionist," Couey said of the artist known for such hits as "Purple Rain," "Kiss," "Little Red Corvette" and "1999."

The seed for the business partnership was planted last August when Couey, attending a meeting in Los Angeles, ended up next door to Universal Music executives discussing Prince's desire to launch a new fragrance collection with a small company. Introductions were made, hands were shaken, contact information exchanged and two weeks later Couey was boarding a plane to Prince's Paisley Park Studios at the invitation of the legendary musician himself.

Couey and the artist, who has an affinity for the number seven that carries broad religious significance, had immediate chemistry, Couey said.

"Prince is a very spiritual man, he's very serene and a centered person," Couey said of Prince, who shares his Midwest upbringing.

In working with Prince, convention was immediately tossed aside by Couey and his wife Carol, who together co-founded Revelations in 1998. Meeting times were made flexible -- by several hours -- and stuffy board rooms were traded for less casual settings. The couple made monthly trips to the Rio in Las Vegas, where Prince lived, performed and owns a club and restaurant.

"Our meetings at times were in the living room, instead of being around a conference room table we were at a coffee table with lit candles," Carol Couey said.

From last September through April, Revelations presented roughly 10 different formulas to Prince, before finding the one which won him over.


"He uses a lot of candles ... candles lit everywhere, and we worked from there," Larry Couey said of the process of developing the signature fragrance that will be sold in values that can be made into the number 7 -- $70 for 100 milliliters, $52 for 50 milliliters, $31.21 for 30 milliliters, $52 for a purse spray and $43 for body cream.

The fragrance line, which will initially be sold exclusively in Macy's, will be expanded to include accessories, handbags and other products under the 3121 brand name in the future, Couey said.

The fragrance line will debut in Macy's and online at www.3121perfume.com on July 7 in a 24-hour charity event, in which 7 percent of each online sale will be split among seven charities chosen by Prince and Revelations. Prince will also perform a private show before 1,400 fans at a Macy's in Minneapolis that day to be followed by a performance at a public venue. Fans lined up at the Minneapolis store last week to grab $250-plus packages, which granted them access to the private show, a lower-level ticket to the public concert, a T-shirt and a bottle of 3121, a month before it is made available in select Macy's markets.

"We are on a steady growth path and I think that 3121 will catapult us on a different level," Couey said of the private multimillion-dollar company. "Our object is to build 3121 into a brand that is in a class like Chanel No. 5 or White Diamonds."

UP CLOSE
Company: Revelations Perfume and Cosmetics
Founded: 1998 by Carol and Larry Couey
Headquarters: Huntingdon Valley
Employees: 10 full-time
Number of fragrance brands: 16, including Stoked and Wired to Live (by surfer Bethany Hamilton, Florecita (by teen actress Shelbie Bruce) and Stacie J. Golden (The Apprentice). Also supply private label brands for PacSun, d.e.m.o. and Claires
Next brand launch: Prince's 3121 collection, available July 7 in select Macy's and online at www.3121perfume.com


Prince by the numbers

Born June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis
Winner of six Grammy awards and nominated for five this year for the album "3121"
Has sold more than 100 million records
2004's Musicology tour, was the top concert draw for the year Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004


amerritt@bizjournals.com | 215-238-5149
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Reply #1 posted 07/22/07 9:48pm

psychodelicide

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The fragrance line, which will initially be sold exclusively in Macy's, will be expanded to include accessories, handbags and other products under the 3121 brand name in the future, Couey said.

excited Very interesting read, thanks for sharing. smile
RIP, mom. I will forever miss and love you.
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Reply #2 posted 07/23/07 9:15am

mehogeni

^^ lol Thanks , apparently others dont find it so interesting, but ill bump it again since i know fans ESPECIALLY female fans would be HIGHLY interested in the 3121 expansion biggrin
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Reply #3 posted 07/23/07 9:32am

DigMeNow

mehogeni said:

^^ lol Thanks , apparently others dont find it so interesting, but ill bump it again since i know fans ESPECIALLY female fans would be HIGHLY interested in the 3121 expansion biggrin


lol You knew that huh! I find it interesting that there might be accessories,handbags and "other products." hmmm
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Reply #4 posted 07/23/07 9:45am

luv4u

Moderator

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moderator

mehogeni said:

^^ lol Thanks , apparently others dont find it so interesting, but ill bump it again since i know fans ESPECIALLY female fans would be HIGHLY interested in the 3121 expansion biggrin


No bumping threads no no no!
canada

Ohh purple joy oh purple bliss oh purple rapture!
REAL MUSIC by REAL MUSICIANS - Prince
"I kind of wish there was a reason for Prince to make the site crash more" ~~ Ben
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Reply #5 posted 07/23/07 9:56am

Mach

handbags hmmm that may be interesting
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Reply #6 posted 07/23/07 11:01am

DigMeNow

luv4u said:

mehogeni said:

^^ lol Thanks , apparently others dont find it so interesting, but ill bump it again since i know fans ESPECIALLY female fans would be HIGHLY interested in the 3121 expansion biggrin


No bumping threads no no no!


What about bumping uglies? falloff J/K
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Reply #7 posted 07/23/07 11:12am

Flowerz

handbags? eek uh oh .. Prince gonna get a piece of the rock now.. cause that is one thing that will sell ..
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Reply #8 posted 07/23/07 11:16am

psychodelicide

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mehogeni said:

^^ lol Thanks , apparently others dont find it so interesting, but ill bump it again since i know fans ESPECIALLY female fans would be HIGHLY interested in the 3121 expansion biggrin


Not a problem. Don't know about the other fans, but I find it interesting. biggrin
RIP, mom. I will forever miss and love you.
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Reply #9 posted 07/23/07 11:17am

psychodelicide

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DigMeNow said:

mehogeni said:

^^ lol Thanks , apparently others dont find it so interesting, but ill bump it again since i know fans ESPECIALLY female fans would be HIGHLY interested in the 3121 expansion biggrin


lol You knew that huh! I find it interesting that there might be accessories,handbags and "other products." hmmm


Yeah, me too. I'll be checking it, out once it becomes available, that's for sure.
RIP, mom. I will forever miss and love you.
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Reply #10 posted 07/23/07 11:20am

Flowerz

if he comes out with a funky bag.. like Louis Vuitton (w/matching shoes eek ) uh oh.. Im gonna stay broke..
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