Halle Berry To Launch New Scent...

Coty's latest celebrity manifesto: Give them Halle. The beauty giant has signed Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry to a scent development deal, which will involve the star developing a fragrance portfolio and appearing in its advertising."Halle is an iconic actress and symbolizes beauty to many generations," Steve Mormoris, senior vice president of global marketing at Coty Beauty US, told WWD. "She adds another dimension to the celebrity fragrance market. Halle has always been a little more mysterious, not quite as open with her personal life as some other stars. Her fragrances will allow her to present another facet of her personality to her fans."The first Berry fragrance products are expected to launch globally in spring 2009, Mormoris said. They will launch in "mid-tier" department stores, such as J.C. Penney, and then will move into the mass market. "We're committed to developing a project that will bring luxury to the mass market," said Mormoris. Generally, such celebrity deals include $3 million to $5 million up front, with a royalty of about 5 percent, according to industry sources. Mormoris declined to discuss the terms of Berry's deal. While star fragrance deals are not being announced at a pace like they were a few years ago, Mormoris emphasized that he does not see a slowdown in the celebrity beauty category. "It's clear to us that the celebrity segment is alive and well," he said. "It's constantly being reinvented and refreshed. These fragrances are entertainment, but in a different way."Coty's extensive celebrity portfolio also includes the scent brands of Jennifer Lopez, David and Victoria Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kimora Lee Simmons, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Kate Moss and Tim McGraw.