Two companies at the centre of a recent media report have publicly denied any conversations about transferring perfume licences for major luxury brands. Coty, the U.S.-listed beauty group, said it is not engaged in talks to sell or transfer any of its prestige brand licences, and Interparfums, the Paris-based fragrance house, reiterated that no negotiations are taking place.
In response to the report, Coty stated: "Any suggestion that Coty is in talks to transfer or sell prestige brand licences is categorically false and without merit," a Coty spokesperson said. Interparfums’ chief executive, Philippe Benacin, echoed that position, saying: "There are currently no discussions whatsoever underway," he said.
The questions about licence ownership come as Coty navigates a period of operational recalibration. The company withdrew its full-year guidance in February and issued a warning regarding its third-quarter profits. Those developments have coincided with leadership changes and a renewed strategic emphasis on core assets.
Under interim chief executive Markus Strobel, Coty has said it will concentrate on its main brands. Among those singled out are the Hugo Boss and Burberry fragrance lines, which Coty classifies as part of its "prestige" brand portfolio. The company has indicated these prestige fragrance licences are not included in the strategic review that is focused on its makeup brands.
While speculation about the movement of high-profile fragrance licences can surface quickly in the luxury goods arena, both Coty and Interparfums made clear in their responses that the specific claims in the report do not reflect ongoing commercial discussions between the two firms. Coty emphasized its commitment to concentrating on its core brands as it works on improving performance under interim management.
Context - Coty has recently adjusted its financial guidance and flagged profit pressures, prompting a companywide focus on stabilising performance. The firm’s prestige fragrance licences, including Hugo Boss and Burberry, remain designated as core assets outside the scope of the current strategic review of its makeup business.