Curious (fragrance)

Curious
Fragrance by Britney Spears
Released	September 14, 2004
Label	Elizabeth Arden
Tagline	Do you dare?
Successor	Fantasy

Curious is Britney Spears' first fragrance, developed in partnership with Elizabeth Arden and launched in 2004. Created by Claude Dir, it debuted in the United States in September 2004, followed by a global release in March 2005. Described as a blend of white flowers and vanilla-infused musk, Curious received widespread acclaim. It became the top-selling fragrance of 2004, with sales exceeding $100 million. By 2011, Elizabeth Arden had sold over 700 million bottles of the fragrance. Experts attribute part of its success to Spears appeal, acknowledging that she 'made it cool to wear fragrance' among young women.

Conception and release

The launch of the fragrance was first announced in June 2004 in a press release confirming that Curious would be released that fall as part of a licensing agreement with Elizabeth Arden. In the statement, Paul West, president of Elizabeth Arden, described Spears as a “talented, fashionable woman who appeals to a young and international consumer base”. The scent was described as a blend of white flowers and vanilla-infused musk. It was also announced that the packaging would feature two of Spears’ favorite colors, pink and azure blue, and the bottle would be azure with heart-shaped charms. Additionally, a scented whipped body cream, shower gel, and solid shimmer stick would debut simultaneously in department stores.

The official United States launch of the fragrance took place on September 14th, 2004, at New York’s Macy’s, where Spears was joined by her fans and executives of Elizabeth Arden. Speaking about the fragrance, Spears stated, “It’s very sensual smelling, with a hint of vanilla musk, but not overly sweet. It’s very sexy […] It’s amazing. I’m very excited about it”. Regarding its conception, Spears also said, “I’ve always wanted to have a fragrance of my own, and now I’ve seen my dream come true. It’s feminine and sexy, and Elizabeth Arden […] added Louisiana Magnolia. It reminds me of home”.

The global launch of Curious occurred on March 18th, 2005, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in New Orleans, Louisiana, Spears' home state. Fans from various countries—Australia, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, and Ireland—who won special contests in their respective countries joined Spears during the launch.

It’s so great that all of you are here today to help Elizabeth Arden and me [and] my fragrance Curious go global […] When we were making it, we knew it was something special.[…] It’s really nice to share something so personal and special with people that I really love, with my fans and everyone who wears it, and now I’m very happy that everybody around the world can enjoy it

-Britney Spears on the global launch of Curious.

Regarding the success of the fragrance’s initial launch in the United States, Scott Beattie, Chairman and CEO of Elizabeth Arden, stated it was a testament to the appeal of the scent, packaging, their innovative marketing techniques, and the influence of a celebrity like Britney Spears on a glamorous product category.

Packaging and scent

The scent has been described as floral, fruity, and sweet and it was marketed as “an exhilarating fragrance created for the outgoing woman, […] who dares to take chances and seeks new adventures”. The fragrance is described as having top notes of Louisiana magnolia, golden Anjou pear, and water lotus; middle notes of early morning tuberose, star jasmine, and pink cyclamen; and base notes of vanilla-infused musk, blonde woods, and sandalwood.