President-elect Donald Trump has added two new fragrances to his merch shop: Fight, Fight, Fight and Victory 47. Among many others, the launch raises questions about the future of the grooming industry. “The fragrances stand out because they lean heavily into traditional masculinity at a time when male grooming has become all about inclusivity and diversity,” says Pauline Oudin, CEO of marketing agency Gradient Experiential. “Most grooming brands today frame selfcare as a universal concept that transcends outdated gender stereotypes.”
These colognes (both currently sold out, with the next batch available on pre-order) aren’t Trump’s first. He launched Success in 2012 with licensee Perfumania Holdings, which discontinued the scent in 2015 as it wound down its retail operations. Donald Trump: The Fragrance, licensed by beauty conglomerate Estée Lauder Companies in 2004, was again short-lived, with production ceasing for undisclosed reasons. This time, the fragrances hit differently. Trump is soon to be in power in the US and at the epicentre of a broader societal shift towards conservatism.
