A little more than a week ago, KKW Fragrance officially launched in a brick-and-mortar store for the first time since the brand’s beginning.
But with KKW Fragrance reportedly racking in sales of $10 million in just a single day, Kim Kardashian West opens up about why the company is mixing up its uber-successful selling structure, a year after its initial launch.
“As successful as my fragrance brand has been, it was definitely really risky starting a brand and selling fragrance when you can't smell it for yourself,” Kardashian West told Fashionista.
“I always had the goal of moving to a [retail] location. I think there is still that customer that doesn't feel comfortable buying something — no matter how pretty the bottle is or how well you describe it online.
“There's still that customer that wants to smell it for themselves, and I wanted to give that [opportunity] to them.”
Exclusively at Ulta stores, shares for the beauty retailer have also reportedly spiked 20 per cent since the partnership was announced in August. But for Kim, she said it was important to do business with people that make the experience really enjoyable.
“Ulta definitely is a big part of the future and expanding in the beauty business; they have so many brands and it's exciting,” Kardashian West said.
“I did want people to feel it for themselves and to smell it for themselves and touch the bottles and really have a good experience.
“I really did want to expand in general, and I feel like Ulta was the perfect place to start this.”
Since the launch KKW Fragrance, the company has surpassed all expectations of how successful a direct-to-consumer digital model can be, so much so big beauty players have been asking Kim for advice.
“It's like a constant conversation, and I look to so many different brands for advice as well, so it's more just like admiring and supporting each other,” Kardashian West said.
“I find that even though brands can be in competition, they are so supportive of each other. There's this feeling within the industry that there is room for everyone — at least that's been my personal experience with people and heads of big companies.”
So where is KKW Beauty heading in the future? Kim said she has the hopes of expanding into other areas of the industry.
“I talk about expanding into hair all the time. The right partnership hasn't come about, but I do think about it and I do talk about it,” she said.
“I really would love to do skin care. I'm so particular, especially now that I'm in my late 30s and I try every single anti-ageing product on the planet, I go to every facial. I'll try everything. So it's definitely something that I want to do and I hope to do in the future.”
This interview was originally conducted by Fashionista.
Image source: @kimkardashian
