Drawing inspiration from the feel of rare fabrics and the sheer luxury of haute couture gowns, the latest collection of fragrances from Elie Saab are every bit as beautiful as the runway creations they draw influence from.
Composed by perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, the quartet of scents each distil the uniqueness of such dresses into a sensory experience. ‘The first stage was to visit the salon haute couture to see the dresses and to see what they could tell me,’ explains Francis Kurkdjian. ‘Behind each word I tried to find a corresponding scent.’
Described as the scent of a rose with ‘a thousand faces’, Essence No1 Rose blends Bulgarian, Turkish, Centifolia and Damask rose alongside rose absolute. Essence No2 Gardenia is a woody floral composition that layers notes of gardenia, Egytian Sambac jasmine and Indian sandalwood, while Essence No3 Ambre features patchouli, sandalwood, amber and opoponax.
The final scent in the lavish collection, Essence No4 Oud, is an ambrée combination of black pepper, benzoin and agar wood.
You can hear more from Francis Kurkdjian in the video below…
Elie Saab La Collection de Essences, £160 each for 100ml
Try them at: Harrods
Written by Alice Jones
