Tell us about the exclusive launch for the Middle East? At Diptyque we have a saying, “Perfume is an art and art is a journey.” Indeed, travel has always been at the heart of creativity at Diptyque. The Maison’s three founders travelled the world. From 1961, as they were establishing their store at 34 boulevard Saint-Germain, Yves Coueslant, Desmond Knox-Leet and Christiane Gautrot made their way to the Middle East. Theirs was a road trip by car, by coach and on horseback through the many landscapes of the region, at the time untouched by tourism. From Damascus, the city of jasmine, to Trabzon, via Palmyra, Aleppo or Baalbek, in search of scents, colours and wonders, they discovered a land of rich olfactory facets. Today, for its 60th birthday, Diptyque celebrates this same borderless territory with the launch of Eau Rihla, a new eau de parfum. The name Eau Rihla is an invitation to travel. It was inspired by Ibn Battuta, a Berber born in the 14th century – a great explorer who travelled nearly 120,000 kilometres during his lifetime. His memories are gathered in a book titled Rihla. By extension, rihla now refers to a genre of Arabic literature: travel narratives. This, once again, calls to mind Diptyque’s roots, as Desmond KnoxLeet used to fill his leather notebooks with notes and sketches to preserve the memories of his past adventures. Eau Rihla is thus a name that resonates as an invitation to travel along the routes of the Middle East. This olfactory journey, through memories gleaned along the routes of the Middle East, lies at the heart of the inspiration for the creation of Eau Rihla. The new eau de parfum is the olfactory recounting of a long journey where every scent encountered leaves its mark. Leather, inspired by Desmond’s notebooks or by travel trunks, plays a major role in the composition. Fabrice Pellegrin created exclusively for Diptyque a leather note to be used in Eau Rihla. Obtained from Chinese cedarwood, it is a natural ingredient with a leathery scent. Named “cedrocuir”, it is a “vegetal” leather with velvety and sensual facets. How would you say the GCC region is different from others in terms of fragrance? The Middle East market has grown to become a reference in the industry of fragrance, and even a vitrine, inspiring the world with their taste and take on niche perfumery. At Diptyque, we have always remained close to the Middle Eastern fragrance culture, since our founders were as well always very much connected to that side of the world. Their appreciation of the GCC region led them to create some of the world’s top-selling fragrances such as Tam Dao, Oud Paolo or Volutes to name but a few. The GCC region always amazed us with their precise knowledge of fragrances, scents and ingredi-
ents. They can easily connect and accept to be transported where the fragrance takes them. For there aren’t any limitations when it comes to the power of fragrances and what it can trigger in terms of inspirations. This market has a deep understanding of the world of fragrance and its subtlety, and it is very inspiring to watch. Creating Eau Rihla – our new exclusive fragrance for the Middle East – is naturally a result of the connection we always want to keep nurturing with the Middle East. Which of Diptyque’s fragrance consistently drive sales? Do Son, Tempo, Oud Paolo, Fleur de Peau, Eau Duelle and Eau Capitale are particularly appreciated in the Middle East region. What is your goal for Diptyque this year? Dip-
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tyque’s 60th anniversary in 2021 is the opportunity to celebrate, all through the year, that which has driven the Maison since its creation, that which symbolises the Diptyque spirit and the appropriate moment to bring to life five themes that are particularly dear to the Maison – a passion for graphic design, which was the first highlight of the year; actually, the encounter as a catalyst for creativity; nature, particularly in the Mediterranean, as a source of inspiration – to be revealed this summer; travel as an entryway into the cultures of the world; and finally curiosity, which is not a fault but something to be treasured. What do you envision for the future of Diptyque? We envision and hope to continue attracting people from around the world, and look forward to continue creating with passion. This is, for us, the most important. But in order to create, we also need to give it meaning and offer a product that takes into account the evolution of the world by becoming more and more eco-responsible. At Diptyque, more than ever, we are very sensitive to the subject of sustainability which is of course at the heart of creation for many years.
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