Roja Dove Haute Parfumerie: Lavishly Scented

Here we can find up and coming stars of the fragrance world—Noses Roja considers to be contemporary geniuses—rubbing shoulders with the greats: a veritable Who's Who of perfume's history. As such, we have the second oldest surviving Parfumerie, Houbigant, and their Quelques Fleurs L'Original (launched in 1912) in contrast to The Party (founded by Diego Della Valle, Luca Di Montezemolo and Paolo Borgomanero—the men responsible for the revival of Aqua di Parma).

Roja has called this fragrance "One of the most beautiful jewels to come into the Parfumerie industry in decades." Along with such luminaries as Caron's Tabac Blond and Robert Piguet's Fracas, we find Ambre Topkapi by Parfums MDCI. Roja and his team are dedicated to embracing the new whilst treasuring the old.

Soothingly lit, as if by candles at twilight, the vintage Baccarat crystal and Lalique bottles gently bounce back reflections from every corner; the very walls inset with panels originally designed for the Orient Express.

Your eyes dart madly back and forth before coming to rest on something else exquisitely opulent, little pieces of beauty flickering just at the edge of your vision - there is so much to see that it is quite impossible to take it all in at once. Indeed, I had to go for a bit of a sit down to recover from so much gorgeousness. Had I a be-feathered fan, dear Fragrantica readers, I would have wafted it. All they are missing is a chaise lounge on which one could delicately faint!

Roja's magic ingredient is his skill to act as a key to unlock the innermost memories, desires and needs that the clients have within themselves by enabling them to find a language to express their own personal olfactory signature. The consultation last around an hour and a half and costs £250. With a highly trained member of Roja Dove's team, such a consultation costs £50, which is redeemable against any purchase made.

The staff of the Haute Parfumerie seems genuinely delighted to discuss perfumes and share their extensive knowledge with you—it's a welcoming, incredibly accessible atmosphere that everyone who loves perfume should come and visit at least once. It is surely the equivalent of popping to the V&A, looking around one of their stunning costume exhibits, but then throwing open the cabinets and being invited to try on some of the rare vintage pieces—shrugging on a Chanel jacket, a Dior gown, an exquisite piece of tailoring by Balmain: funnily enough, all names which grace the bottles of these very shelves. The perfumes collected here are fragrance couture.

I was lucky enough to be invited to try some of the latest fragrances to be added the collection—including the very latest from Roja Dove himself...

The first I smelled was the incredibly lovely Paradis Paradis. Named for the novel by Jean-Marie Dallet, this fragrance is incredibly feminine and trembles around the heart of Rosehip—an unusual note which works so well to hold the scent together, blended seamlessly with a fresh Bergamot opening and a really sophisticated (yet young at heart)dry down of Cedarwood, Musk, Orris and Vanilla. This is a perfume that really brings about a sense of wellbeing, one of those perfumes that manages to be both calming yet uplifting. Another signal that I am coming to love florals, at last.

 

The second I tried was actually a male fragrance (you see, I wasn't ONLY thinking of myself), this one being Eau d'Aviateur. Actually, I would wear this, too, so perhaps I was also thinking of myself. It would hardly be surprising—I am very selfish where fragrances are concerned! Eau d'Aviateur is incredibly exhilarating, one of those eyes popping open scents that always make you feel good. A fresh Chypre, the one also opens with Bergamot. The stand-apart note here is the Violet Leaf, which is just beautifully tempered —almost like highly refined Lavender, but totally wearable.

The last for me to try was Roja Dove's latest fragrance—and my most anticipated. I had tried and loved his previous three fragrances, the sumptuous floral Scandal, the smouldering Chypre of Scandal and (my favourite), Enslaved—a softly sensual Oriental. Here we were, at last, the moment I had been waiting for... Diaghilev.

 Author: Suzy Nightingale  (Miss_Nightingale)
Fragrantica Member