Persephone had been warned there was a price to pay for her otherworldly love, so when she returns to the living, she brings a gift: springtime, a bracing gust of Sicilian lemon and acai that blossoms into raspberry blossom, pink magnolia and violet leaf followed by the sensuality of sandalwood, skin musks and crisp amber.
Top notes: Sicilian Lemon, Acai.
Heart notes: Raspberry, Magnolia, Violet.
Base notes: Sandalwood, Musk, Amber.
THE STORY: Considered by many to be the most famous diamond in the world, The Hope is also one of the world’s largest diamonds. Described as the size of a pigeon’s egg, it is a distinctive grey blue in hue, and also emanates a rare red phosphorescent glow. The gem has been worn by sultans, queens, aristocracy and socialites; most notably Queen Marie Antoinette who wore it as a hairpin, and its last private owner, the flamboyant heiress Evalyn Walsh Maclean. It was the inspiration for the ‘Heart of The Ocean’ in the film Titanic and provides the inspiration for the iridescent fragrance.
THE FRAGRANCE: Opening with the warm radiance of cinnamon bark, myrrh and cloves conjure the diamond’s legendary fiery red glow. A woody shimmer of cedar and oud wood is at the heart, layered with the multi-faceted, honeyed brilliance of the immortelle flower. A base of black amber, labdanum resin (from the Mediterranean rock rose), musk and vetiver, exude pure glamour and sophistication. Decadent.
The burning sun and the blinding light of Tuscany add to the charm of the cypress-lined terraces. The hottest hour of the day is the best time to sink into the soft shade of the lemon trees and reread a few passages from Memoirs of Hadrian.
The Japanese garden is still asleep. At 10 o’clock, time stands still. A storm breaks out and the plants gather new strength. The air grows warmer, as the scent of gardenias and white flowers dotted with raindrops hangs in the mist.
