&
Postcards from
SCENTS
SENSIBILITY – The Power of Perfume
Wi-Fi
Cars
INDOORS
“As the perfume doth remain In the folds where it hath lain, So the thought of you remaining Deeply folded in my brain, Will not leave me: all things leave me: You remain.” Arthur Symons
T
he appeal of perfume is that it is both ephemeral and empowering. It creates a legacy that lingers in a room long after its wearer has gone and infuses our imagination with a subtle power, hinting at a hidden identity. I like the idea of leaving an imprint with the perfume that I wear. Even if you’re not a beauty fiend who doesn’t wear fancy fragrances, life’s scents can be powerfully evocative. A whiff from childhood, whether it’s a newly baked cake or a pipe, can whisk you back in time faster than any photograph. No wonder then that the power of perfume is so potent. Studies
show that the ability to smell is highly linked to memory. When areas of the brain connected to recall are damaged, the ability to identify fragrance is impaired. In order to identify a scent, you must remember when you have smelled it before and then connect it to visual information that occurred at the same time. But forget science, this is something that our ancestors knew on a very primitive level. After all, scent has been big business since tenth century BC, when Assyrians used oils to scent their hair and skin and Cleopatra later infused cyprinum, a scent from henna flowers, into her famous bath of asses’ milk.
A JOURNEY THROUGH AMOUAGE’S COLLECTIONS
LYRIC
GOLD
This beautiful dark red bottle opens up a world of oriental mystery. This is one of my favourite female perfumes thanks to its base notes of vanilla and tonka bean.
Strong and luxurious, Amouage’s debut perfume is reminiscent of the golden age of perfumery with top notes of rose, lily of the valley and frankincense; a heart of myrrh, orris and jasmine and base notes that include civet, musk and sandalwood.
EPIC
UBAR
This delightful perfume evokes the many legends of the ancient Silk Road journey from China to Arabia.
Paradise is captured here with echoes of bergamot, lily of the valley and the majestic damascene rose.
MEMOIR
DIA
A woody and leather fougere fragrance inspired by the sombre mood of an existential journey. I much prefer the man’s version of this fragrance due to the vanilla and tobacco base.
A sophisticated fragrance designed to perfectly compliment its predecessor, Gold.
CIEL
HONOUR
Lighter and more refreshing than the other perfumes, this appeals to my European nose.
Consider this a filial elegy to the memory of Madame Butterfly.
SILVER
INTERLUDE
A spicy and woody fragrance accented with orange blossom and plum. This may be for men but I like its fruitiness.
REFLECTION
Unlike the more masculine notes of Reflection Man, the women’s counterpart evokes all the freshness of morning dew in springtime. Too light for my nose though.
Inspired by the chaos and disorder of the global financial crisis, this complex perfume has harmony at its heart. Love it!
JUBILATION
Created to celebrate Amouage’s 25th anniversary, creative director Christopher Chong went all out to make something truly memorable with a complex mix of everything from oud wood to honey.
FATE
Fate for Woman is a chypre oriental with a rich floral heart intensified by the darker chords of patchouli and oak moss. Again, I personally prefer the male version.
SEP 12 – 18 / ISSUE 286
041