Q+A with Ulrich Lang of Ulrich Lang New York Fragrances

Good morning, Uli. So, let’s have the skinny on ULNY. Ulrich Lang New York really came about as a fusion of my background in the Cosmetics Industry (L’Oreal Germany) and in New York’s art publishing arena. Our first fragrance, anvers, was introduced in some of the leading stores in the US and Europe in 2003.

How did your previous work experience prep you for this adventure? I worked in Marketing and Sales both domestically and internationally - key elements in my current business. I love working with creative people, something that’s very useful now.

You enjoy the art world. How do you weave this into your work? Our concepts are inspired by photography. We work with cutting-edge photographers on our visuals and the “model” for our fragrances is a gallerist based in Antwerp, Belgium.

How have you grown your business? Slowly and steadily. Patience is key. We started with one account (Department store Quartier 206 in Berlin), now there are many more in the major fragrance markets.

What would you do differently next time? Nothing. I think if you have a passion for something you need to follow that passion. New Yorkers tend to try things out - just do it! Something I learned in America.

A man of no regrets… OK, you travel a lot. What’s that all about? I don’t have a big team, so I travel myself. Spending time with our clients is a key factor of our success, I think.

What five “lessons learned” can you pass on to would-be beauty entrepreneurs? Be patient. Be different. Be better. Be smarter. Be nicer.

How concise of you! Can we refer to this as The Uli Way? OK, let’s close with a lay-up: your three favorite artists? Irving Penn (my first art purchase), Doug Aitken and Katy Grannan, who we worked with on anvers 2.

Thanks, Uli. That was short’n sweet. Next time we’ll try some video…

Here’s a link to Ulrich Lang New York Fragrances web site. Photo credit: Erik Swain.