On February 25th, Ginza Mitsukoshi reopened after moving its fragrance section to the basement floor.
The store stocks over 200 types of maison fragrances from 10 brands created by European perfume specialists and perfumers, which are not often available in department stores. A new fragrance section has also been added, featuring "bag-sized" fragrances ranging from 7.5 to 15ml (easy to fit in a small bag).
Atelier Cologne, which debuted in Japan last fall, will release limited-edition bag-in sizes of its "Cologne Absolus Spray" (3 types, 7.5ml each/3,150 yen), and the long-established maison L'Artisan Parfumeur, which captivates customers with its unique fragrances, including the world's first fig-themed fragrance, will release limited-edition bag-in sizes of its best-selling "Mure et Musc" and "Premier Figue" eau de toilette (15ml/4,200 yen).
Penhaligon's, a brand purveyor to the British Royal Family, will release limited-edition bag-in sizes of its "Elizabessan Rose," which uses genuine Old English roses in abundance, and its "Endymilion," which has a striking oriental and fresh scent. To commemorate the reopening, seven limited-edition kits and three gifts for purchasers are available. Also available from March 5th is "Ginza Story," a perfume oil specially blended for the store by French natural cosmetics brand SHIGETA. It features an elegant blend of bitter citrus and floral jasmine notes, and comes in a convenient roll-on bottle. It's inspired by the sophisticated woman strolling the streets of Ginza. This marks the first time that Chico Shigeta, the brand's founder, has produced a perfume oil. According to a store representative, while fragrance used to be seen as the final step in fashion, more and more customers are choosing fragrances to match their makeup. The store decided to move the fragrance to the same floor as the cosmetics section for easier shopping. More than 250 fragrances, including domestic and international, maison fragrances, and fashion fragrances, will be available, and fragrance specialists, parfum sommeliers, will suggest scents to suit customers' preferences and lifestyles. "We've had a lot of customers who have purchased atomizers at the same time as their purchases at our store for some time now. We sensed that our customers have a habit of carrying fragrances with them, so to meet that need, we specially produced bag-in sizes, focusing on maison brands. There weren't many bag-in sizes for maison brand perfumes before, but in this day and age where perfume can be purchased at drugstores, we focused on offering a selection that is unique to department stores. We want to spread the culture of wearing perfume to our discerning customer base," said Irizuki Masako, a buyer for cosmetics in the women's goods division at Isetan Mitsukoshi.
