He’s the inspiration, spokesman and model for Derek Jeter Driven, Avon Products Inc.’s newest men’s fragrance.
The cologne won’t be available until the end of November, but Avon reports advance sales are strong.
Jeter says he was as surprised as anyone that a beauty company came to him with a partnership deal.
"It was something I never thought about, something that never crossed my mind."
Q. Have you always worn fragrance?
A: Yes. I’ve changed allegiances already and have been wearing
the samples of Driven for months. I’m not just throwing my name and
face on something.How involved were you in the development?
When I was approached and decided to do it, I decided to be
involved in everything — the scent, the packaging, the logo, the
bottle. I knew what I wanted. I didn’t want it to overtake a room. I
wanted it to be clean and sophisticated.Is fashion and your overall appearance important to you?
Everyone should be aware of how they present themselves. A good
fragrance can give you confidence. And the Yankees have a lot of rules:
no long hair, clean cut, no facial hair except your top lip, we always
travel in a jacket.Can you describe your style?
I know more what I dislike. I would be in a suit today even if
I didn’t have to. You can’t be overdressed, but you can be
underdressed.Driven includes notes of grapefruit, oak moss and spice. Do you have a favorite smell?
What I like about a scent is you smell something and it brings
back a story. … I love the smells of the stadium, popcorn, hot dogs
— the first thing I think of when I smell hot dogs is the ballpark.Did you tell your teammates that you were working on a perfume?
One (teammate) knew. As long as it smells good, it’ll be fine.
They always want free stuff, so they’ll probably wear it if I give it
to them.
