CREATIVE DIRECTION MARNE SCHWARTZ
PHOTOGRAPHY VLADIMIR MARTI 
SET DESIGN DANÉ STOJANOVIC
LIGHTING ASSISTANT EFRAIM EVIDOR
STYLING ASSISTANTS LAURA JANE BROWN & IMOGENE LEGRAND
WORDS EMILY ALGAR

THIS FEATURE IS PUBLISHED IN THE 5TH EDITION OF GRAZIA MIDDLE EAST. DISCOVER MORE HERE.

PRADA PARADOXE

A scent that hinges on multiple opposing notes, Paradoxe is both a natural and synthetic blend of jasmine, ambrofix, serenolide, amber and Musk. But it’s the crystallised freshness of neroli bud that’s most enamoring. Distilled from the flowers of the bitter orange tree, it’s weightless, green and adds a honeyed softness to the ambery base.

DIOR J’Adore L’Or

Described as an “ode to the flowers of Grasse,” J’Adore L’or is a rich, enveloping boutique of velvety white petals. Perhaps the most enticing is jasmine grandiflorum, with its sticky-sweet finish and captivating power. Harvested at Dior’s own Domaine de Manon in France, the jasmine ensures the voluptuous, well-rounded finish the J’Adore franchise is known and loved for.

Memo Paris Argentina

An olfactive riff on the place it’s named after, Argentina is a rhythmic clash of ambrette rose and oud. ‘Tango rose,’ to be precise, an iteration mashed with the resin extracted from agar trees, giving it glamorous depth. The result is just as one would hope: unexpected yet difficult to walk away from.

Paco Rabanne Olympea Solar

Creating the smell of sunlight, Olympea Solar is bright and sweet. Tangerine is tempered with Tiare Flower, also known as Tahitian gardenia. Sensual and smooth but without being too heavy, it’s a fragrance that captures the feeling of ‘Golden Hour’ light on warmed skin. Radiant and steeped with energy.

Celine Bois Dormant

Hedi Slimane calls Bois Dormant an interpretation of a classic English flannel blazer, the opposite of black tie attire. A take that sits in perfect synchronicity with the scent’s notes: bergamot, cedar, white orrisbButter, vetiver. Juniper, however, stands out as sharp, aromatic, and deeply verdant – exactly as Slimane describes.

LOUIS VUITTON LV X YK L’Immensité

Thanks to the addition of ginger, LV X YK L’Immensité is so bright and zingy it almost vibrates. The spicy root is balanced with bitter grapefruit and steady amber – an invigorating, laser-focused scent creation by Vuitton’s Master Perfumer Jacques Cavallier Belletrud.

fugazzi thirsty

As the name implies, Thirsty is a slick, sweet, addictive fragrance that feels exciting. While the opening notes are crisp – bluebell, bamboo, warm fruit – it’s the dense sweetness of fig that warrants another inhale. Think ripe, luscious and suspiciously sensual.

viktor&rolf good fortune

Good fortune smells like fennel and gentian flower, at least according to Viktor&Rolf. A magic potion moonlighting as fragrance that is bright, captivating and creamy. Think of this  robust addition as your beauty cabinet’s new lucky charm.

TOM FORD ROSE DE CHINE

Naturally, Tom Ford knows good rose. But Rose de Chine is a little darker, richer and concentrated than usual. Its secret lies in a distillation process that creates a smokey, provocative finish for those in need of a classic floral with decadent edge.

elie saab le parfum lumière

If haute couture had a scent, it could feasibly be Le Parfum Lumière. An ode to warmth and light, you can’t miss its jasmine sambac heart notes. Grown in India and with soft facets of orange, it’s a confident, sparkling and artfully executed floral.

LOUIS VUTTON LV X YK Attrape-Rêves

The kitsch LV X YK Attrape-Rêves bottle is a clue to the scent inside; a weighty, tropical blend of peony, raw cocoa and patchouli. But the sweet kick of litchi (read: lychee), is what truly completes this fragrance in all its joyous glory. Juicy and ever-so-slightly floral feast.

hermès violette volynka

This fragrance – a new addition to the Hermessence collection – marries sweet violet with volynka leather. The material’s strength, a calling card of the French house, anchors down the weightless and powdery floral, resulting in something that’s both  masculine, feminine and perfectly balanced all at once.

kayali vanilla royale

Patchouli is a polarising flower. It’s heady, spicy, herbal. But when dipped in sugar – as it has been by here – it takes on a warmth that’s beautiful when layered onto the skin. Paired with vanilla and a syrupy sweetness, this is a gourmand scent that’s good enough to eat.

maison francis kurkdjian 724

Inspired by the electric concrete current of New York City, 724 is crisp, musky and vibrational. There’s white flowers, Calabrian bergamot and sandalwood, as well as aldehydes, otherwise known as synthetic compounds, that mimic soapy, or slightly metallic notes (in this instance, the creation of orange). Think of it as bottled energy.

AMOUAGE OPUS XIV ROYAL TOBACCO

 

Tobacco and royal frankincense are two of the oldest natural raw materials used in perfume-making. Amouage have married them here, the balsamic sweetness of frankincense adding depth to the vegetal softness of tobacco. Combined with benzoin, labdanum, vanilla absolute and fenugreek, Opis X I V Royal Tobacco is equal parts lavish and bold.

guerlain oud Khôl

Leathery, pure and deliciously hypnotic, Guerlain’s Oud Khôl is the olfactory interpretation of the colour black. The house specifically sources oud sustainably from Bangladesh’s forests, harvesting the wood by hand and extracting the resin using time-honoured rituals. The resulting perfume is dark and tempting.

byredo eyes closed

When commissioning Eyes Closed, Byredo founder Ben Gorham wanted to bottle up the smell of romantic intimacy; moments where your skin tingles, breath sharpens and heart vibrates. It has a cocooning warmth thanks to cinnamon, carrot and cardamom, but it’s papyrus – dry, mineral, earthy – that you’ll notice as it dries down.

gucci moonlight serenade

Inspired by magic and alchemy, this watery cologne is as delicate as it is memorable. The most discerning note is lavender with its soft, fluffy redolence. Layered with sage and tonka for freshness and depth, Moonlight serenade has a vintage accord as its enticing base note.

dries van noten fleur du mal

Juxtaposing the honeyed osmanthus flower with buttery suede, Fleur Du Mal is a fragrance that’s smooth, carnal and intriguing. Concentrating on a succulent flower perfumer Quentin Bisch calls “almost animalic,” its initial sweetness diffuses into something deeper.

carolina herrera Good Girl Midnight

Tuberose is an exacting flower with richness and warmth in abundance. Unsurprising then, that it makes up the heart of Good Girl Midnight – a glittering interpretation of the magic that can happen when the clock strikes 12. Sensual and alluring, the white flower is tempered with sweet vanilla, tonka bean and almond.

THIS FEATURE IS PUBLISHED IN THE 5TH EDITION OF GRAZIA MIDDLE EAST. DISCOVER MORE HERE.