When I was in high school, nothing was more important to me than saving up for a Mini M.A.C. Crossbody from Rebecca Minkoff. You know the one: chain crossbody strap, swivel hook hardware on the front, leather fringe hanging from the zippers. It struck the perfect balance of fashion and affordability, and to my friends and I, no outfit was complete without it. While my taste in bags has changed—nowadays, I prefer the Love Too collection or the Jean Crossbody—my affinity for the Rebecca Minkoff brand has not, so I was excited to hear the news of Rebecca Minkoff finally launching her first-ever fragrance.
While many fashion icons are directly associated with their signature scents, Minkoff herself has been wary of fragrance for quite some time. When asked her other beloved perfumes, she tells STYLECASTER she basically has none. “I didn’t have a signature scent as I had stopped wearing scents mostly when my children were born,” she shares. “I didn’t want chemicals on my skin that would be harmful to my kids.”
No matter how sweet a scent, Minkoff couldn’t justify wearing a fragrance that was potentially dangerous—so, she decided to make her own. “I went into this process wanting to make something that was not going to be harmful to myself or my kids, as it’s vegan, gluten-free and phosphate-free, and now I can feel comfortable wearing a scent again.”
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Courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff.
A year in the making, it took some time for Minkoff to find a formula she could stand by. “This is not the norm, most fragrances are filled with toxins and chemicals,” the designer insists. “I care deeply about what goes into my body or on my skin, and my children’s. I know my customer would have the same concerns, so I wanted to give her something to celebrate the important milestones in life without compromising health.”
Of course, it’s also worth noting that the perfume smells incredible. “The signature scent features a combination of feminine accents of jasmine and coriander in combination with a modernized tobacco accord to deliver sensuality and warmth,” says Minkoff. The balance of soft and intense notes makes it the ultimate unisex scent. “The fragrance is for all genders. Who divides fragrance now anyway?!” she asks.
Courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff.
While we buy perfume for the scent, it’d be a lie to say most shoppers aren’t equally concerned with the aesthetics of the bottle—and ever on-brand, Minkoff’s perfume looks chic. “I designed the bottle with Chad Levine, and our approach was to ride the line of masculine and feminine, a mixture of both soft and hard,” she shares.
In fact, she took inspo from her very own handbags. “I knew I wanted to create a design that someone would be excited to place on their counter, and took inspiration from my quilted Edie bags with the soft lines, while the top is more hard with an insert of leather,” she says.
Most importantly, it’s eco-friendly, too. “Reusability was a key factor when designing this. Since I have always focused on sustainability and protection of our oceans, we used recycled glass, plastic, and FSC-certified paper along with compostable cello wrap,” Minkoff says. There’s also a refill program, which she believes will help not only mitigate waste but inspire other industry players to do the same.
Courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff.
A brand-new bottle of Rebecca Minkoff Eau De Parfum will run you $95, and you can shop it now on the brand’s website. When asked if her new signature scent is the only beauty product we’ll see from the Rebecca Minkoff brand, Minkoff cheekily hints that she’s got a few other things up her sleeve. If they’re as good as this debut scent, it’s safe to say Minkoff will take the beauty world by storm.
