Usher sings his way into the world of scents....

The celebrity fragrance genre is about to make room for a new entry: that of R&B superstar Usher Raymond IV.The performer, who uses only his first name professionally, is readying a fragrance masterbrand that will hit stores in September. This confirms a WWD report published Feb. 22.And that's not all: Usher said Wednesday that he planned to use the fragrances as a first step into the fashion world. "I see fragrances as an opportunity to diversify my profile and make a great introduction into fashion and lifestyle," the entertainer said in an exclusive phone interview from his Atlanta home. "This is an opportunity. I am looking at apparel and accessories, but designing a lifestyle line takes time. Some people create a line based on what inspires them, or a place. [The fashion and scents] are like my music. I give my fans my spirit and personality through my work, and that takes time. So my strategic plan is to launch the fragrances first, and then to move on from there."I want to make a proper introduction to the fashion business, because fashion is definitely coming."And he's got a clear vision for it. But first, it's about the fragrances."With a distribution of 1,800 department and specialty store doors in the U.S. and a global rollout in 2008, the brand is engineered to make a splash. While none of the executives would comment on sales projections or advertising spending, industry sources estimated that the masterbrand would do upward of $80 million at retail globally in its first year on counter, and that about $40 million would be spent on advertising and promotion globally. Usher says that the women's scent, Usher She, "represents a woman of mystery and confidence; a woman who exudes sexuality. The men's fragrance [Usher He], for me, represents something I would wear — with everything from a tux to a pair of jeans."Firmenich formulated both scents with Usher. The women's scent, developed with perfumers Honorine Blanc and Richard Herpin, has top notes of red currant, pink freesia and apple blossom; a heart of frangipani, apricot nectar, blooming jasmine and passion rose, and a drydown of amber wood, sensual musk, cashmere wood, vanilla orchid and incense. The men's scent, developed with Herpin, has top notes of verbena, pineapple and melon; a heart of blue lavender, white pepper and violet leaf, and a drydown of vetiver, amber wood, black suede, sandalwood, sensual musk and guaiac wood."These are smells that I love," said Usher. "To me, suede says ‘man,' so it's in my men's fragrance. Florals and vanilla are in the women's, because they're feminine."The women's lineup will consist of eaux de parfum in two sizes, 1.7 ounces for $52 and 3.4 ounces for $68. A 0.5-oz. parfum will retail for $120, and three ancillaries will be offered: a body lotion, $38 for 6.7 ounces; body cream, $45 for 6.7 ounces, and a shower gel, $35 for 6.7 ounces. The men's collection will include eaux de toilette in two sizes, 1.7 ounces for $50 and 3.4 ounces for $65. A concentrated eau de toilette will retail for $95. Four ancillaries will be sold: after shave tonic, $45 for 3.4 ounces; after shave balm, $40 for 3.4 ounces; deodorant, $16 for 2.6 ounces, and shower gel, $25 for 6.7 ounces.A spinning ring that the entertainer wears inspired the cap and neck of the fragrance bottles, said Paul McLaughlin, creative director for Liz Claiborne Cosmetics. The detail is in shiny silver on the women's bottles and matte silver on the men's. Both are engraved with Usher's credo: And he certainly has fans a-plenty at Claiborne. "Usher has a great understanding of the fragrance market," said Art Spiro, president of Liz Claiborne Cosmetics, which holds Usher's fragrance license. "He was totally engaged in the project even before we met with him."And in terms of his products' appeal, Usher's thinking big.

I was very happy to read that Usher was indeed coming out with a fragrance line. Nowadays, that fashion industry is inundated with celebrity driven lines. It is about time for an entertainer to break out of that mode and dive into fashion in a different way....Usher is an entertainer/celebrity who happens to appeal to a wide range in individuals varying from age to gender. With this quality, his fragrance line will be even more successful than perhaps any other celebrity. In the interview, I liked that Usher stated that he would create a lifestyle line, but that takes time. It makes me feel as a consumer that he takes this new launch very seriously and prides himself on being as professional as possible. I also feel that Usher is not just coming up with a line to make a few extra bucks, but in reality is genuinely interested and has a passion for this future endeavor.

Danielle Douglas-Jones