Introduction to Vintage Fragrances

Introducing a fragrance reminiscent of a 120-year-old archival blend seems like a risk in today’s fast-moving fragrance landscape—a world in which brands increasingly rely on forward-thinking AI formulations, TikTok-driven trends, and ever-faster product cycles to get ahead.

The Risk and Reward of Archival Blends

Still, beauty group Coty is making a calculated bet that its extensive fragrance heritage can make a difference in a saturated and increasingly commercialized market. On Monday, the company will unveil Ambre Antique, a reimagined version of the fragrance first created by Coty in 1905.

Tapping into Sentimentality and Vintage Scents

The fragrance is the latest addition to Infiniment Coty Paris (ICP), the prestige fragrance line that launched in 2024. With this release, Coty taps into not only current fragrance trends (including vanilla, amber and other gourmet accords), but more importantly, consumers’ growing desire for sentimentality and vintage scents. “Every fragrance has a story,” says a brand development expert. "And when you go back to antique or vintage scents, that emotional connection is even stronger. They remind consumers of their mothers and grandmothers, and so there is that comfort and authenticity that people are looking for in scents today."

A Shift in Market Trends

Younger consumers are pushing back against the “polished sameness” of mass-market launches and dupe culture. Vintage scents and archival blends evoke personal memories, uniqueness and nostalgia – and repel the modern, saturated market. A beauty trends expert sees the revival of vintage fragrances as part of a broader market shift. “Perfume brand archives are being introduced to celebrate a more authentic time,” she explains. "It taps into Generation Z’s greater nostalgia for times they’ve never experienced, like the ’90s or their grandmother’s scents."

Early Adopters and Market Demand

This trend also acts as a counterpoint to modern “blanding.” "The sameness of today’s fragrance hits follows the same prescription juices. Now the demand from younger consumers is for something different." Early adopters in this area include brands that revive historic perfume recipes from their original archives and offer fragrance collections that reflect historic perfumery traditions. By tapping into the archive and fully in-house development of Ambre Antique, the launch also marks a rare example of fully integrated, prestige fragrance production. “We are a real fragrance creator again,” says a brand expert. “That’s rare today.”