London-based niche line Gallivant has launched The Gulf Collection, a new trio of unisex fragrances. Ar Riyād, Dubai and Souq Wāqif were developed by perfumer Céline Perdriel.
“I first travelled to the Gulf in the late 1980s. The places I visited felt like nowhere else I’d ever seen. I was particularly fascinated by the beauty of the Arabic alphabet. The people and the places really got hold of my imagination, which was why I went on to study Arabic at university. When I think of my visits, these are images that come to mind: dhows with their distinctive sails, golden interiors, shimmering skyscrapers, the calm of courtyard gardens, desert horizons. The air plump and heavy with scent. A feeling of sumptuousness and grandeur. When travel still felt glamorous, with the promise of new sensations – before so many places felt the same.” — Gallivant founder Nick Steward
Ar Riyād ~ “Riyād means gardens and meadows in Arabic and even in this megacity I found cool, quiet corners and verdant courtyards, havens in the middle of this huge kingdom. This parfum evokes the languorous heat of late afternoon, a warm welcome into a hidden garden with the famous Saudi hospitality // This parfum (concentrated at 36%) opens with vervain oil – bringing a sparkling golden feeling on skin – alongside bergamot, bitter almond and ginger (a special CO2 extraction) for a refreshing dry, spicy elegance. The heart of this composition is bursting with an opulent orange blossom. I wanted to evoke the whole flower, at its fullest and most sensual in the end-of-day heat. There is also a hint of clove as well as nutmeg and ylang ylang from the Indian Ocean – imagine its petals floating in a copper basin; cumin from the spice routes further east. And the base of the composition celebrates a love for rich earthy patchouli, a “blond” tobacco (in a playful nod to shisha smoke), along with the chic luxury of olibanum and gourmand vanilla.”
Dubai ~ “My affection for this place has grown with every visit. I have many lovely memories of graceful moments in sumptuous gardens, of local friends taking me to their off-the-tourist trail neighbourhoods filled with glorious flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees. Sipping tea infusions watching the sundown. The balmy evening air, a hint of something nocturnal, the smell of jasmine and honeysuckle wafting by. The quiet luxury Dubai, away from the shimmering glass and steel towers. // This parfum opens with a sunny pear and neroli duo, set against a soupçon of leathery saffron. A tea accord takes centre stage alongside the jasmine sambac. There’s a waft of honeysuckle along with cypriol, a grounding, earthy, smoky material we love to use in many of our GALLIVANT creations. The base is constructed around smoky vetiver, sparkling modern musks and a touch of warm, golden amber”
Souq Wāqif ~ “Souq Wāqif, the “standing marketplace” is the heart of historical Doha – and the place I like to stay when in Qatar’s capital city. This merchant quarter gives the visitor a taste of authentic ‘khaleeji’ culture and I love exploring the souq in the evening, when the intensity of the sun has faded away. And you can’t wander around a souq without head-turning wafts of incense and oud, smells so evocative of the region. Imagine spice stalls, mashrabiyah — the wooden lattice work windows peculiar to the region — winding alleys, the cool of the shade, sacks full of nuts and luban (gum Arabic.) The hum, buzz, sense of anticipation and pleasure of exploring a traditional souq. And the rich aromas that follow you everywhere as you wander. // This parfum (concentrated at 36%) opens with a very special incense (we sourced it from Oman for its brightness and its pearlescent quality) combined in a very novel way with blood orange – we selected a special variant from the slopes of Mt Etna in Sicily, especially fresh, rich and juicy because of the volcanic soil. There’s a touch of saffron, too. In the heart, we have myrrh, patchouli and African geranium – unexpectedly fresh, like an uplifting breeze. Then, there are the unmistakable tones of oud, and woody resinous notes (guaiac wood and cistus labdanum are the star players). This use of oud is a first for us at GALLIVANT: it’s sourced from Vietnam – and as well as its beautiful full-bodied textured quality, I was reassured about its traceability and sustainability.”
Gallivant Ar Riyād, Dubai and Souq Wāqif are available in 100 ml Parfum, $270 each.