L'Arome was a British perfume company that launched in 1981, aiming to capture the essence of world-famous fragrances by creating its own versions. The company, based in Deesside, quickly established itself with a business model that relied on multi-level or network marketing, a strategy often associated with pyramid schemes. L'Arome’s products were sold under the brand name Echoes, which cleverly suggested that these perfumes were reminiscent of beloved and iconic fragrances from well-known manufacturers, but without directly copying them. This allowed the company to appeal to consumers looking for alternatives to high-end perfumes at more affordable prices.
By 1989, Jim Moore was one of the four partners running L'Arome, helping to expand its reach through the multi-level marketing strategy. L'Arome’s most notable tactic was encouraging its 180,000 distributors to ask potential customers what their favorite perfumes were. From there, the distributors would offer them the Echoes version of those fragrances. This model allowed the company to build a vast network of sellers, furthering the reach of their products.
However, in 1991, L'Arome ran into legal trouble with one of the giants of the perfume industry—Chanel. Chanel, which had long been a dominant force in the world of fragrance, filed a lawsuit against L'Arome under the Trade Marks Act of 1938. The French luxury brand accused L'Arome of infringing upon its trademarks by marketing Echoes versions of its famous fragrances. The case was brought to court, and Mr. Justice Millett ruled in favor of Chanel, finding that L'Arome's methods of selling and branding were misleading and violated trademark laws. As a result, L'Arome’s operations were severely impacted, and the company went bankrupt, owing a significant £6.5 million.
Shortly after the bankruptcy, L'Arome was purchased from the receivers and rebranded as L'Arome International. Despite this attempt at a fresh start, the company ultimately failed again in 1993, unable to recover from the legal and financial turmoil it had faced.
L'Arome's Echoes perfumes were marked with a numerical system: bottles with 500 series numbers corresponded to popular women’s fragrances, while the 600 series was reserved for men’s fragrances. However, it’s important to note that these perfumes were not created by the famous brands they sought to emulate. Instead, L'Arome’s Echoes perfumes were their own creations, made to mimic the scents of beloved fragrances from major manufacturers. As the company launched new perfumes over time, the series numbers often shifted, marking the release of new versions to match emerging trends and customer demands. Despite the company’s eventual collapse, L'Arome’s products left a lasting impression in the perfume industry, particularly in terms of their ability to offer affordable alternatives to the world's most famous scents.
Women's Fragrances:
- L'Arome #501 corresponds to Opium
- L'Arome #502 corresponds to Poison
- L'Arome #503 corresponds to Chanel No. 5
- L'Arome #504 corresponds to Coco
- L'Arome #505 corresponds to White Linen
- L'Arome #506 corresponds to Anais Anais
- L'Arome #507 corresponds to Chanel No.19
- L'Arome #508 corresponds to Giorgio
- L'Arome #509 corresponds to Chloe/Rive Gauche
- L'Arome #510 corresponds to Chloe/L'Air du Temps
- L'Arome #511 corresponds to Fidji/Beautiful
- L'Arome #512 corresponds to L'Air du Temps
- L'Arome #513 corresponds to Youth Dew/Oscar de la Renta
- L'Arome #514 corresponds to Miss Dior/Beautiful/Obsession
- L'Arome #515 corresponds to Paris/Obsession
- L'Arome #516 corresponds to Lou Lou/Oscar de la Renta
- L'Arome #517 corresponds to Ysatis/Gloria Vanderbilt
- L'Arome #518 corresponds to Arpege/Miss Dior
- L'Arome #519 corresponds to Private Collection/Cinnabar
- L'Arome #520 corresponds to Paris
- L'Arome #521 corresponds to Lou Lou
- L'Arome #522 corresponds to Passion
- L'Arome #523 corresponds to Ysatis
- L'Arome #527 corresponds to Lauren
- L'Arome #528 corresponds to Red by Beverly Hills
- L'Arome #529 corresponds to ?
Men's Fragrances:
- L'Arome #601 corresponds to Kouros
- L'Arome #602 corresponds to Paco Rabanne
- L'Arome #603 corresponds to Polo
- L'Arome #604 corresponds to Aramis
- L'Arome #605 corresponds to Azzaro
- L'Arome #606 corresponds to Eau Sauvage
- L'Arome #607 corresponds to Drakkar Noir
- L'Arome #608 corresponds to Obsession for Men
- L'Arome #610 corresponds to Giorgio for Men
- L'Arome #611 corresponds to
PLEASE does anyone have the equivalents chart? I am desperately trying to find out what 522 and 608 (and a few others) were based on?
ReplyDeleteI have the distributor manual, and I can confirm that (as above) fragrance 522 was based on Passion, by Parfums International. The gents fragrances only go up to number 606, in both my manual and in the sample kit that I have. If you check the chart that is printed above, on this page, you will see that 608 corresponds to Obsession for men. The list above matches the one in the 1989 distributor manual, except for numbers 607 - 609, these fragrances must have been later additions to the collection.
DeleteHi, Can anyone (past agent/distributor) remember which one of the mens was selling the best, It was a strong, extremely long lasting a bit oily scent, i was unbelievable! - well known to all the agents or distributors as EVEN BETTER than the original, Does anyone know which one from the mens selection that was - not sure but it could also been a woman's that men wore?
Deletethanks in advance
It was Paco Rabanne.. I used to sell LOTS of it! :)
DeleteI have the display box with the fragrances - most of the bottles are full or have most of the perfumes in the sample bottles. Thank you for the information.
ReplyDeleteV. Stock
I'm finding this fascinating, as I've been trying to understand what my only two bottles are trying to smell like. I only have one quibble-- I have a vintage English bottle of Echoes Cologne for Men 604, which corresponds in your chart to Aramis. My issue is that I have tried many bottles of Aramis and 604 smells nothing at all like Aramis. Aramis has a distinct leather note but no musks, while 604 is very beautifully musky. I thought I read somewhere else that my 604 was a copy of YSL Opium for men. I've not tried Opium Pour Homme, so I can't say if that's true either. I guess I need a sample of Opium to compare.
ReplyDeleteThank you for commenting. All information was taken directly from the distributor's paperwork which listed the scents and numbers. Not all the fragrances were exact copies, as no one knows the precise formula except the companies that manufacture them (and they are rade secrets), so companies like Echoes tried to copy what they could.
DeleteI can confirm that many of the fragrances were made by EXACTLY THE SAME COMPANYS THAT MADE / BLENDED The OILS FOR THE ORIGINALS. - How do I know this? I was at the original meetings with the oil manufacturers prior to us selecting which to use. Jim Moore, sales director. L'Arome.
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