Tate McRae has entered the fragrance industry with her first fragrance, TATE 01, a second-skin scent inspired by the effortless glamour of '90s supermodels and designed to work with the wearer's natural warmth rather than overpower it.
The 23-year-old singer and dancer launched the fragrance on Thursday, October 1, marking her first fragrance venture in partnership with Scent Beauty, Inc. and Givaudan master perfumers Adriana Medina and Antoine Maisondieu.
McRae wanted TATE 01 to capture the youthful energy of '90s beauty while retaining the warm, woody qualities she personally gravitates towards. The result is a fragrance designed to develop differently on each wearer, with individual skin chemistry influencing how it evolves.
'I've always wanted to venture off into creating my own business at some point in my life,' McRae said. 'It feels so exciting that this is my own.'
'90s Supermodel Influence Meets Warm, Woody Notes
The fragrance was inspired by the supermodels of the 1990s, an era McRae returned to while developing the concept. Rather than recreating a distinctly vintage perfume, however, she wanted to preserve the youthful quality associated with the era while adding the warmer notes that reflect her own taste.
'I think a lot of the references were [that] – and keeping that youth within the perfume,' McRae explained, referring to the brighter elements such as bergamot. 'But then it has the warm woody sandalwood side that I feel is what I usually gravitate towards.'
TATE 01 opens with sparkling bergamot and clary sage before moving into white floral notes at the heart. As it settles on the skin, warm amber, creamy tonka bean, sandalwood and soft woods create a warmer finish.
McRae admitted that florals were not usually her first choice, but the balance between the floral notes and woodier elements ultimately drew her back to the formula. 'I've never gravitated towards florals before, but the balance of the woodiness and this ingredient called iso, which enhances your own pheromones, together was something that I just kept going back to and spraying on myself every day – and then getting compliments from other people,' she said.
@tatemcrae I can’t believe it’s here finally thank god I get to tell u guys. Go get Tate 01 yall
♬ original sound - tate mcrae
The Fragrance Designed To Smell Different on Everyone
One of TATE 01's most distinctive elements is ISO E Super, which McRae said she wanted included because it helps the fragrance smell different on each wearer.
That personalisation is central to the fragrance's second-skin concept. Rather than overpowering the skin, TATE 01 is intended to subtly enhance the wearer's natural warmth and create what the brand describes as a personal aura.
McRae also put the fragrance through a personal test during its development. For the past year, TATE 01 replaced her usual perfumes, allowing her to wear and assess the scent repeatedly. 'I definitely am someone who sticks to one and I smother myself [in it]. I wear it in the morning and then I wear it to bed, too,' she said.
The minimalist bottle follows the same philosophy. McRae wanted the packaging to feel 'classic, simple, timeless' and fit naturally alongside the other fragrances on her vanity. She also looked back at old imagery and mood boards while developing the design, ultimately choosing a bottle she felt she would have wanted herself as a younger girl.
TATE 01 is available through the brand's website in sizes ranging from 10ml to 100ml, priced from $30 to $82 (about £23 to £62). It will also launch online at Ulta Beauty on 16 October before reaching Ulta stores nationwide on 25 October.
With its combination of '90s supermodel references, youthful brightness and skin-focused warmth, TATE 01 offers McRae's interpretation of a fragrance designed to become personal to whoever wears it.
