Heritage
A house, in its own words
Ariana Grande-Butera was born on June 26, 1993, in Boca Raton, Florida, and built her fragrance business alongside her rise as a multi-platinum recording artist. She announced her debut fragrance in February 2015, stating she wanted to create something that encompassed everything she loved. In April 2015, Grande visited LUXE Labs in New York City to work on the formula, letting her brother Frankie help pick out the scents. Her father reportedly suggested the name Eclipse before Ari was chosen. The debut fragrance, Ari, launched on September 16, 2015, reportedly generating over $300 million in retail sales within five years according to Luxe Brands. She released Sweet Like Candy in 2016, positioning the line firmly in the young demographic space. Her fifth fragrance, Moonlight, arrived in 2017, followed by Cloud in 2018, which won Women's Popular Fragrance of the Year at The Fragrance Foundation Awards in 2019. Thank U, Next launched that same year, with R.E.M. following in 2020. The line continued expanding with Mod Vanilla (2022), Vanilla Suede (2024), and Plush Vanilla (2025). Grande releases a new fragrance on average every 281 days according to fan documentation.
Grande approached fragrance creation as an intensely personal endeavor from the outset. Her naming conventions draw directly from her music catalog, with fragrances like God Is A Woman and Thank U Next referencing her songs, creating an integrated identity between her musical and aromatic work. The brand's positioning bridges accessibility and aspiration, offering both prestige perfumes and body mists that serve as entry points into fragrance for younger consumers. Several scents have been developed with input from Grande's family, reflecting her hands-on approach to development. The line maintains pricing that Vogue described as hovering between $45 and $68, making it approachable for the teen and young adult demographic that forms the core audience. The gender non-exclusive approach for fragrances like Ari was a deliberate choice, with both Ariana and her brother Frankie describing the scent as meant to be worn by all. This philosophy extends to the broader R.E.M. Beauty brand, where Grande has spoken about creating a beauty space that is for everyone, reflecting broader industry shifts toward representation and equity.