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At $250, the latest launch in luxury men’s fragrance is more expensive than Dior Sauvage — and comes from a drugstore shaving brand.
On Tuesday, Harry’s launched its first-ever fine fragrance, Tamalpais, exclusively via its direct-to-consumer website through an early access link sent to its mailing list. Its official launch date is Dec. 4, when it will be listed publicly on the site and TikTok Shop. Made with expensive oud and saffron, and designed in collaboration with Los Angeles-based artist Matt McCormick, the scent is more of a marketing move than a foray into niche perfumery, with only 250 bottles available. The brand hopes the launch will highlight the other scents in its permanent product lineup, hinting at possible expansion into more accessible fragrance in the future.
“With partnerships in general, and in particular this one, it’s really about driving engagement and awareness,” said Giselle Balagat, Harry’s vice president of brand, who added that it will help with the brand’s “scent equity.” Balagat said the scent was designed with input from McCormick and French fragrance and flavor firm Mane, Harry’s current fragrance partner for all its products.
McCormick, a celebrity tattoo artist-turned-painter and fashion designer, created the fragrance’s cowboy-themed bottles and artisanal mixed-wood box, as well as the packaging for a special-edition candle called Iverness. At a more accessible $35, the candle will be available direct-to-consumer as well as through TikTok Shop and Revolve’s winter pop-up in Los Angeles.
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The artist’s audience lines up with Harry’s core demographic of 20-to-40-year old customers, said Balagat. The younger age group in particular is “being influenced by influencers describing fragrances through how they make them feel,” she added, as well as posts about dupes of more expensive brands. Harry’s previously used TikTok Shop as the launchpad for a special-edition body wash called Hearth, which sold out within 10 days.
Balagat said fragrance is in a “test-and-learn” phase for the brand, which is “exploring” the possibility of future fragrance launches. But it’s already leaning heavily into emphasising scent in all its personal care products, including its body washes that are frequently described online as Le Labo dupes. Tamalpais is the brand’s second fragrance after its limited-edition masstige fragrance Kin, which launched exclusively on Harry’s direct-to-consumer site and TikTok Shop for $40 in September 2024.
The fragrance marks the second collaboration between Harry’s and McCormick. During the 2023 holiday season, the brand and artist launched a $125 travel kit that sold out within 36 hours.
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