Twenty two of the world’s most iconic fragrance makers and up-coming boutique brands have vaunted their wares today at the inaugural Masters of Fragrances event in Abu Dhabi.
Dior, Guerlain, Amouage, Bulgari, Salvatore Ferragamo, Armani Privé and Estée Lauder, among others, showed up to showcase their newest fragrances, with many brands debuting new and innovative products for the landmark event.
Highlights of the retail exhibition include Guerlain’s Le Secret de la Reine, a rock crystal and platinum bottle fashioned in the form of a bee with 14 carat of diamond. Bvlgari also showcased its Opera Prima, made from hand-blown Venini glass, decorated with diamonds and citrine.
DOTW News spoke with managing director of perfume at Bulagri, Valeria Manini, who was in Abu Dhabi for the event.
“The piece is very unique,” said Manini. “It’s a bit like old times when people were ordering one-of-a-kind pieces in Italy after the Middle Ages. We have this principle. Our clients ask for something wonderful. Bulgari is about jewellery and colour.”
The event also paid homage to the culture and traditions of the region, with its blends of oud and other aromatic oils. Manini believes that despite having the bigger brands and perfume houses, it is not a one-way learning process.
“I think we don’t need to educate the Middle East about our fragrances. They have to educate us. They are today the masters of perfume in this region and in Europe perfume has become a bit cheap in the mind of consumers,” she added.
“Here it is linked to spirituality as well as seduction. It is also cross-gender, which is difficult to find in other places and with other cultures, but here perfume is the centre of hospitality.”
Dubai’s Ajmal Perfumes showcased its own ode to oud with a life-size falcon and perfume set. With just 10 bespoke pieces, the hand-made glasswork and jewel encrusted perfume containers were made specifically for Masters of Fragrances.
The Indian oud was aged for 10 years and one particular batch, the Dahn Oud Al Ittihad, will retail for AED 750,000 (US $208,000) for one 35ml jewel-encrusted container.
THE MASTERS
Three ‘masters’ from the world of fragrances were also present at the event. Renowned author and fragrance aficionado Michael Edwards has been the leading perfume expert for decades – Vogue describes him pithily as “the authority”.
Edwards told DOTW News that many are bewildered when it comes to understanding fragrances, but uses the analogy of beverages to help non-experts grapple with fragrance preferences.
“You can have red, white, sparkling and fortified wines. I can offer you a Pinot Grigio, Cabernet or Sauvignon Blank, and each one has its own taste and character. With fragrances we have the same logic – we have florals, orientals, woody and fresh.”
“This is wine tasting for your nose and if you come at it from that angle then you get a very interesting, different and unusual aspect,” he added.
Edwards was joined by Antwerp-based international florist, Mark Colle and Tala Samman, a Dubai-based lifestyle editor and award-winning blogger.
Masters of Fragrances is an invitation-only event at the Manarat Al Saadiyat Gallery in Abu Dhabi, but the exhibition will promptly move to Terminal 1 at Abu Dhabi International Airport, where it will be on display for travellers until June 12, 2014.