Dubai Legendary martial arts star Bruce Lee is making his way to Dubai in the form of perfume.
Shannon Lee, the legend's daughter and CEO of Bruce Lee Enterprises, is launching a new Bruce Lee perfume brand in the UAE in the next week.
Lee has teamed up with French perfume manufacturer Chkoudra Paris to create three scents that make up the Bruce Lee perfume brand.
"Dubai is such a cosmopolitan multicultural hub so it makes a lot of sense to launch here. I don't think we have many Bruce Lee products in the UAE market. This perfume will be an introduction. I've been very touched by how well-known my father is in the region. I would be very enthusiastic to create more of a presence here," said Shannon Lee.
Bruce Lee was named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Important People of the Century. Lee was an actor, martial arts instructor, film director, producer, screen writer and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement. He was known mostly for his daring stunts in action movies during the 70's, including Fist of Fury, Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon.
Formless, shapeless
Lee was also a philosopher and is famous for the quote; "Be formless... shapeless, like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You pour water into a bottle; it becomes the bottle. You put water into a teapot; it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow, or creep or drip or crash! Be water, my friend..." On July 20, 1973 Lee died from an allergic reaction at the age of 33.
The new perfumes aim to reflect the different personas of Bruce Lee. The three fragrances which are targeted at men are titled ‘Be Water', ‘Don't Think, Feel', and ‘Anger Blinds', representing his different philosophies.
The perfume will cater to the mid-market range and will be distributed across all major perfume stores and supermarkets at first in the UAE then in the GCC.
Fragrance market
Over the next five years the Middle East fragrance market, currently valued at $3.5 billion (Dh12.84 billion), will prove to be one of the fastest growing segments of the industry worldwide.
"In addition to increased demand for generic fragrances, we believe that celebrity perfumes will set the pace for rapid market expansion. The men's perfume category is projected to grow at a rapid pace, underpinning today's male's desire to both look and smell good. We are proud to be associated with such a prestigious brand and we are sure that it will be well accepted by the consumers in this market and across other international markets," said Shaikh Mohammad Ali Saeed, CEO of the Shaikh Mohammad Saeed Establishment.
According to a recent Global Industry Analysts' report, the global market for fragrances and perfumes is forecast to reach more than $33 billion by 2015.
Museum plans
This new perfume brand along with a range of other merchandise ensures that Bruce Lee's legend continues to live on through his merchandise. Lee's licensing company, Bruce Lee Enterprises, was formed in 2008 to handle the licences of all Bruce Lee related merchandise from action figures to movie memorabilia. They also license for advertising and promotion of the brand.
Lee also owns Leeway Media, a production company that produces films inspired by the Lee legend. The distributors are hoping the launch of Bruce Lee's latest documentary, I am Bruce Lee, which has already been launched in the US and will soon come to the region, will help boost perfume sales in the Middle East. Lee is also looking to build a Bruce Lee Action Museum in Seattle dedicated to her father's legacy.
