Old Navy — purveyor of the American flag T-shirts and flip-flops of your youth — is getting into beauty. On the heels of Gap Beauty’s recent revival of its fragrances for a new generation, the lower-priced Gap Inc. brand is also betting on the category to help grow its business. On Wednesday, Old Navy launched Old Navy Beauty Co. — a body-care and fragrance collection — nationwide and online following “a successful in-store pilot.”
With seven scents spanning three categories (body lotion, hair and body mist and body wash), the ONBC debut offering aims to cater to a variety of olfactory tastes. And despite being sold at very Old Navy prices ($7.99 for 3 oz. products and $14.99 for 8 oz products), the fragrances were developed by perfumer Jérôme Epinette, the nose behind popular luxury scents like Byredo Gypsy Water and Bal D’Afrique.
Photo: Courtesy of Old Navy
“With Old Navy Beauty Co., we’re continuing to build a more complete omnichannel
shopping destination for our customers, bringing beauty alongside the style and value
they already know and love,” Old Navy CEO and President Haio Barbeito says in a press release. “This expansion reflects our commitment to making everyday shopping simpler, more inspiring and more convenient through an accessible assortment designed for everyone.”
Beauty has been a big push for Gap Inc. recently, and according to the company, it’s resonating with its consumer base. The Old Navy line, for its part, was created with careful feedback from its in-store customers during the pilot program.
“Our customer is playful, youthful and loves to express their individuality, so beauty is a natural extension of how they already engage with Old Navy as a finishing touch,” Gap Inc. Head of Beauty Deb Redmond tells Fashionista via email. “During the pilot, we saw customers really embrace the experience, trying different scents and finding their favorites….The pilot showed us that beauty is something our customers are excited to discover here, and we’re making it a bigger part of the Old Navy experience, bringing elevated products and fragrance to more customers at an accessible price point.”
The choice to start with body care and fragrance mists was born directly of consumer demand, Redmond says: “They align with what Old Navy customers want most. As a trend-driven, value-conscious customer, they’re looking for products that are fun, accessible and fit seamlessly into their everyday routines.”
Related: Gap Beauty Revives Its Iconic Fragrances for a New Generation
The collection of scents — designed to be worn individually or layered together — includes Gourmand Thrill (toasted pistachio, creamy coconut and salted amber), Fresh Splash (juicy pear, salty beachwood and white woods), Vanilla Crush (vanilla, tonka bean and warm woods), Floral Sweet (raspberry, amber, patchouli), Amber Vibe (Italian mandarin, golden oud, sundried amber), Sorbet D’Lish (passionfruit, frosted pineapple, peach blossom) and Suede Embrace (jasmine blossom, sheer amber, wild honey).
“The approach was really about creating fragrances that feel distinctive and elevated, but also very easy to understand and enjoy,” Epinette tells Fashionista of creating the line. “The Old Navy team wanted each scent to have its own personality and an immediate emotional connection, while still feeling cohesive as a collection. Within that framework, I had a lot of creative freedom to play with contrasts, textures and unexpected combinations of ingredients. I wanted each fragrance to have something familiar that draws you in, but also a twist that makes you want to keep smelling it.”
Photo: Courtesy of Old Navy
While other fragrances on his résumé tend to be on the pricier side and from luxury brands like the aforementioned Byredo, Vilhelm Parfumerie and Liis, the perfumer said his process is pretty much the same when developing scents at more modest price points. “Every project has parameters, regardless of price. For me, an elevated fragrance is about balance, construction and having a memorable signature… not simply using expensive ingredients. The challenge is being very intentional about where you create impact, texture and depth,” he says.
While Epinette is of course pleased with the entire line, “I’m especially proud of Vanilla Crush,” he says. “There are so many vanilla fragrances on the market, so I wanted to create something that felt unexpected. The black pepper and bergamot bring a vibrant freshness, while pistachio, lavender and labdanum add texture before settling into vanilla, tonka, amber and woods. It’s still warm and addictive, but it’s a different, more dimensional take on vanilla.” He also added that he expects Suede Embrace and Sorbet D’Lish to become quick fan favorites because of their “warm, addictive quality” and “immediate appeal,” respectively.
Photo: Courtesy of Old Navy
Old Navy’s expansion into beauty isn’t just via its own line, though. It’s also forming retail partnerships with existing skin-care, makeup and body-care brands, building a robust beauty offering. “Customers have already responded well to many of these brands in our stores, so this launch makes it easier to discover and gives beauty a bigger presence at Old Navy,” Redmond says. “By bringing together favorites like E.l.f., Touchland, Tree Hut, Cetaphil and Method alongside Old Navy Beauty Co., we’re creating a true beauty destination, where customers can discover both familiar favorites and something new.”
As for the strategy behind choosing these specific labels, the retailer “looked at the brands and products our customers already love, as well as some new ones we thought they’d be excited to discover,” she explains. “We wanted to create a destination that feels easy to shop and has something for everyone, from everyday beauty essentials to body, hair and fragrance favorites.”
Redmond is optimistic about where beauty can take the Old Navy brand in the future: “We really see this as the beginning of a new part of the Old Navy experience. We’re bringing elevated beauty to a customer who loves to have fun with fashion and express their individuality, and we’re excited to keep listening, learning and see where they take us next.”
