Why Are Amouage Perfumes So Expensive?
Bazaar Arabia goes in search of the elusive Damascene rose and rare frankincense – two ingredients that epitomise the exclusivity of the Omani fragrance house’s coveted creations
Mother nature doesn’t always play fair. Given the coveted Jabal Akhdar Damascene rose blossoms on the rocky terraces of Oman’s rugged cliffs for just four weeks every year – and not always at exactly the same time – catching this natural wonder feels like fate. It turned out fate was in our favour; plus we had master perfumers Amouage as expert guides in our exploration.
Rare Roots
“It’s not about one specific style, but about the philosophy,” insists Renaud Salmon, chief creative officer, when pressed about defining characteristics of the over 50-strong Amouage perfume collection. “Generosity, complexity and a sense of classicism – and originality as well.”
This trip to the maison’s manufacture refuted any preconceptions one might have about an exclusive Middle Eastern fragrance line founded in 1983; along with traditional bold, dark, smoky and woody fragrances – their coveted Library Collection encapsulated this perfectly – was Honour 43, a white floral bestseller that makes an ideal gift. I realised this label is much more nuanced than I’d originally anticipated.
Renaud’s unorthodox yet poetic creative process ensures the range is always evolving. “It’s very organic. I am gathering a collage of emotions, feelings and studies throughout my trips and meetings with different perfumers, and we reach a point when something just feels right. I then ask: ‘Does this bring something new to Amouage?’ If it does, then I try to make sure it is part of a bigger narrative, that it pushes a vision, a story that makes sense over the years. I am keen on art and craft; it is about original ideas, and artistic inspiration and innovation.”
It could be a memory or story that then has a perfume crafted around it to capture its essence, or a special smell could inspire a whole concept to be constructed; it’s more than just a smell, it becomes a lifestyle.
The challenge is ever present; how do you bottle a memory? Renaud recounted when he trekked up 3,000 metres to Jabal Shams, and saw juniper trees hit by lightning. Their resin crystalised in the heat, and there was a smoky smell of rich, metallic burning. His evocative photographs of the scene and his recollections helped the master perfumer tasked with concocting that fragrance in his formulations. “Usually a formula starts with one accord,” the Belgium-born creative says. What gave me confidence was that the one accord he came up with, after my studies, was very convincing already. Now we are moving into the fine tuning of the accord, adding complexities. I’m trying to go back with him to the scene, because I would love him to experience that in person.”
Subtle Storytelling
At first glance it might not seem obvious as to why we’d be transported to the heights of Jabal Akhdar, out of the city of Muscat which hosts the flagship boutique and manufacture. But this is clearly part of a larger narrative. Once you see the efforts the team go to to nurture and secure the finest, most fleeting roses then you realise why their fragrances are so lauded, so exclusive.
Ingredients, and the whole mystique and romance behind every scent is intrinsic to the process. Amouage were rightly keen to highlight their Middle Eastern heritage – which also provides their differentiation from other houses. That’s why they took us to Souk Muttrah, where we were educated by experts about the different grades of frankincense, “It brings life to fragrances,” Renaud explained. That is why this resin from the indigenous Boswellia tree is so coveted. “It is the type of ingredient, and there are not many of them, that you smell in the top notes, in the heart notes and in the base notes of the fragrance.”
Flower Power
Although roses are used throughout perfumery, often subtly just to add a touch of freshness, nuance or complexity rather than a key note, they tend to stand out. They aren’t also exclusively feminine, even though that’s the misconception most have.
“Fragrances are very personal,” Renaud reminds us, recounting that in the Middle East and Indian sub-continent, rose is often a masculine cologne choice too. And when you see the locals on the hills, dabbing rose essence from the buds they’ve just picked on themselves, you realise how universal it really is. Universal, and prized. Amouage is here for the long haul. Case in point? Their first harvest of four tonnes of petals? “It gave us just 60ml of ingredients”. The fact that they are now investing in even more terraces, helping the indigenous people harvest their natural ingredients speaks volumes about the ethos of this discerning enterprise, and their commitment to the country, and their product.
Lead image credits: Photography: Mazen Abousrour. Styling: Seher Khan. Model: Mellyna Chassy at Women360. Hair: Tanya Mahri. Make-Up: Rebecca Doney. Creative Director: Marne Schwartz. Executive Producer: Jesse Vora. Studio Manager: Ines Guendouz. With special thanks to Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort. From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s March 2022.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s June 2024 issue.