From Bentley’s newest fragrance, Become, to Leo Messi’s debut and Bottega Veneta’s scent revival, a growing wave of sustainable luxury is reshaping the fragrance industry.
It’s been more than a decade since British luxury automaker Bentley made its foray into the fragrance industry with the launch of Lalique Bentley Crystal Edition — a collaboration with French crystal maker Lalique — along with Bentley For Men, and Bentley For Men Intense, developed by renowned perfumer Nathalie Lorson. Those early scents reflected the brand’s dedication to crafting refined, masculine fragrances that emulated the experience of driving one of the automaker’s luxury vehicles.
But a lot has changed since then, both for Bentley and the fragrance industry. One of the biggest shifts for both is the move toward more accountability. Bentley has been working toward launching its first fully electric vehicle and has pledged to phase out all combustion engines before the end of the decade.
“Already the Bentayga and the Flying Spur are [hybrid] and they represent about 65 percent of our sales,” former Bentley CEO and Chairman Adrian Hallmark said in 2021. “By 2025, we’ll offer our first full-battery electric vehicle as well. And then by 2030, only battery electric vehicles. This is a radical change, but it’s nine years — it’s not nine months.”
Become, Bentley’s newest fragrance, crafted by master perfumer Alienor Massenet, also embodies that focus on sustainability. The luxury automaker has taken a more deliberate step into sustainable luxury, incorporating upcycled materials and renewable ingredients sourced in collaboration with Symrise. For Bentley, its sustainability commitment resulted in Become achieving 70.81 percent renewable carbon content and 46.97 percent upcycled materials.
“Inspired by the beauty and magic of nature, I sought to create a scent that awakens the senses and evokes the feeling of being truly alive and powerful,” Massenet said in a statement. “Whether it’s the grandeur of trees or the calm of water, these natural elements reconnect us to reality, allowing us to fully embrace the world around us. For this fragrance, I wanted to honor nature’s peaceful yet powerful essence through the use of quality ingredients.”
Massenet describes Become as both invigorating, with fresh black pepper and juniper berries, and warmly comforting due to the richness of myrrh absolute and Madagascar patchouli essence. “These spicy, balsamic, and woody notes paint magnificent landscapes and transport us olfactively to the heart of the earth,” Massenet said.
Bentley’s approach to sustainable fragrance extends to the bottle itself. The aluminum cap on Become is fully recyclable, and the biodegradable green gradient bottle speaks to the company’s focus on reducing waste without compromising style.
The drive toward sustainable fragrances is part of a larger movement within the industry led by labels like Michelle Pfeiffer’s Henry Rose and New York’s Le Labo. Consumers are increasingly demanding products that embody their values with high-end fragrances like Parfums and Eau de Parfums outpacing colognes and Eau de Toilettes — growing at three times the rate. The shift toward longer-lasting scents aligns with a preference for fewer, higher-quality purchases, reducing environmental impact. Recent data from Circana show that fragrance was the fastest-growing segment in prestige beauty during the first half of 2024, with sales increasing 12 percent compared to the previous year.
Bella Hadid’s Orebella, which debuted earlier this year, integrates a proprietary biphase formula that combines essential oils and hydrating ingredients such as snow mushroom extract and jojoba oil. These alcohol-free perfumes meet Ulta Beauty’s Conscious Beauty standards, carrying vegan certifications from PETA and Leaping Bunny, which align with consumer demands for clean, ethical products. The scents are packaged in minimalist bottles adorned with gold geode-inspired accents, underscoring both luxury and sustainability in design.
Luxury label Bottega Veneta has also made its fragrance comeback, with the introduction of a collection centered on sustainable luxury, further establishing the trend toward ethical fragrance production. Its new fragrance collection, designed by creative director Matthieu Blazy, draws deeply from the brand’s Venetian heritage and celebrates the essence of travel. The label says the five unique scents capture the sensory highlights of a perfect vacation day, translating moments from dawn to dusk into olfactory experiences with scents including Italian bergamot, French angelica oil, Spanish labdanum, Macedonian juniper oil, and Moroccan orange blossom. Each fragrance reflects the brand’s minimalist ethos and craftsmanship, appealing to those who embrace understated luxury.
Also joining the clean, sustainable fragrance movement is minimalist skincare label, Merit. Its debut fragrance, Retrospect, marks a deliberate step toward diversifying its offerings beyond makeup and skincare. The luxury beauty label spent more than two years perfecting its first fragrance, with more than 200 iterations tested before finalizing the formula.
Aila Morin, Merit’s chief marketing officer, noted that fragrance was always part of the brand’s strategic roadmap. “We never viewed Merit as strictly a makeup brand,” Morin said, highlighting how the brand focuses on enhancing customers’ everyday experiences. The fragrance launch comes in response to customer demand, with a 2022 survey revealing that fragrance was the most requested product among Merit’s followers. Retrospect is a sophisticated scent, Merit says, intended to complement the minimal routines that have become Merit’s hallmark.
Similarly, soccer legend Leo Messi’s recently announced first signature scent, which is only available through JCPenney, reflects his personal and professional ethos. The fragrance comes in recyclable, navy-blue glass bottle and luxe, eco-friendly packaging. “This is truly a unique and inspirational fragrance, in a personalized bottle, for all fans around the world,” Messi shared in a statement. It’s a calculated move by Game On Product Group, positioning the product as an intersection between high performance and environmental stewardship. “We knew immediately it would resonate with our customer,” said Michelle Wlazlo, Chief Merchandising and Supply Chain Officer at JCPenney.
“The scent contains fresh top notes of cardamon, and wild cypress contrasted by warm notes of leather and cedarwood,” says Frank Voelkl Principal Perfumer at DSM – Firmenich. “These notes together with hints of vanilla wear nicely on the skin and create a siege that is bound to make everyone want more of it. It is a scent to be worn by anyone looking to feel confident and strong just as Messi.”
And with Messi’s fragrance expected to hit $100 million in retail sales by 2026, the commercial potential of sustainable fragrance shows no sign of slowing.
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