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This fall Estee Lauder brand will introduce a Private Collection Tuberose Gardenia scent from Aerin Lauder, who is senior vice president and creative director. This confirms a report that appeared earlier on this blog. Aerin Lauder has done a superb job of revamping the Re-Nutriv line and positioning the firm’s fragrances, and it is a logical step.

This reporter covered the 1973 launch of Private Collection by the company’s founder that occurred at Bergdorf Goodman. But, as was the case more often than not, there were some rough moments.

Just prior to the launch, a station wagon showed up from the company’s Melville plant and several Lauder employees took the merchandise from the store. I received a desperate call from Bergdorf’s beauty merchandiser, asking if I had heard whether the products were going to another store.

I called Leonard Lauder’s office, and he told me that the essential oil house, IFF, had found an additional ingredient that Mrs. Lauder asked for, and she wanted Private Collection reformulated.

The new scent was quickly bottled and repackaged, allowing Lauder to honor the original launch date. Someone asked Mrs. Lauder why reformulate it when no one would have known the difference. “But I’ll know,” she replied.

At the same time in 1973, Bonwit Teller, a top specialty store then in New York, was preparing to launch arch-rival Ultima II’s Ciara. However, Charles Revson, Revlon’s founder, did not like the fit of the gold cap. At the last moment, he had his marketing staff yank the merchandise while the cap was being retooled. They also made the launch at the last second.

The week following the launches, both Lauder and Revlon execs swapped “war stories” at the Oak Bar. They were exhausted but enthralled by the founders’ chase for perfection. Back then, there was a passion for products, as opposed to passion for public relations and spin.