Mogra in the middle notes: Jo Malone’s new fragrance

Jo Malone’s heady new fragrance takes us back to Mumbai’s flower markets

April 20, 2018 03:43 pm | Updated 05:53 pm IST

On their first birthday here, Jo Malone launched an India-inspired fragrance. Celebrations began early, at 6.30 am to be precise. When I saw the schedule, I was intrigued: what on earth would they make us do? To my utter delight, I found out that our day would begin at the Minatai Thakre Flower Market in Dadar, Mumbai, to get acquainted with the notes of this scent. It was unusual, but so apt. There could be no better venue for the launch of Jasmine Sambac & Marigold, their much-awaited new fragrance.

In just a year, they have crafted a perfume composed with notes of two of the most beloved and omnipresent Indian blooms. And while there are many India-inspired fragrances in the world, there are none that were launched in such an unusual way. This blend will be available internationally, but mogra and genda are our very own.

Contrast and chaos

Before the brand launch last year, Celine Roux, head of global fragrance for Jo Malone, visited flower markets all over the country. I remember her infatuation with jasmine in particular, so much so that she carried garlands back to London. She collaborated with Mathilde Bijaoui, who was also the nose behind the brand’s Myrrh & Tonka Cologne Intense. “Jasmine Sambac had to be the star, but it needed a contrasting ‘twist’,” says Roux.

She was especially fascinated with the flower’s change of environment. Mogra buds are plucked fresh in the morning from tranquil fields and then transported to the frenzy of flower markets. She wanted the perfume to also capture this journey — the play of two opposites. Marigold brought chaos to jasmine. “Marigolds are big and bright with a fruity, green scent, while Jasmine Sambac is small and white, with a pure orality.”

Bottling India

The launch took us through the same journey, but in reverse — from a busy flower market to an elegant sit-down breakfast. We were taken around the market by Nazneen Jehangir, floral couturier and founder of Libellule, Mumbai. We learnt from her that marigolds are not from India. They were brought as a gift from the Aztecs more than 2,000 years back. “Marigold was for them what lotus is for us,” she said. As for jasmine, only the freshest, whitest buds were plucked by hand at dawn. “If they’re even slightly green, they won’t bloom,” she explained.

Indian flowers smell sharper and sweeter, and they fill up the room with their heady scent. Jehangir explains that most often than not, our flowers are grown seasonally, instead of in a greenhouse. This gives them a more voluptuous scent. But because they are cut short at the stems they do not last long. “It’s this ephemeral quality that makes them so beautiful,” she said.

Finding the fragrance

Walking into the flower market, a trail of powdery scent takes me straight to the Jo Malone team. I had my reservations about the perfume with jasmine and marigold as its main ingredients. If it was too festive, it would be limited. But this creamy cloud of perfume was refined and versatile.

While the first whiff was a surprise, I did not think much of the fragrance to begin with. It was clean, elegant and international, which is quite a feat with two very Indian ingredients. But I was looking for that ‘Ahhh’ moment, when you smell a perfume and fall in love with it. It did not happen in Mumbai. There were too many people trying different combinations, so the actual scent just got lost.

Back in Delhi, I liberally sprayed the cologne and finally got my moment. At first whiff, you smell the sharp notes of fresh mogra , flowery, yet effervescent and green. This was surrounded by a periphery of creamy warmth, like a fresh flower wrapped in cashmere. Over the day, the fragrance becomes warmer and richer, until it fades into a powdery softness. “Throughout the creative process, I was inspired by the Diwali celebrations: the colour, energy and heat,” says Bijaoui. She wanted to uplift the dewiness of jasmine, so she used marigold. “For the warmer side of the fragrance, I focussed on honey, vanilla and a special extract of ylang ylang that enhances jasmine’s just-picked purity,” she explains.

As I write, I have it dabbed on my wrists. I have also mixed it with two other Jo Malone favourites — Mimosa & Cardamom on my right elbow, and Red Roses on my left. I find that mixing it with an airy fragrance makes it too whimsical for my taste. Because it is so dewy, I prefer mixing it with something heavier like Red Roses, which makes it richer and warmer. But Jasmine Sambac & Marigold is beautiful on its own. It is a study in dichotomy — glorious yet understated, fresh yet warm, pure yet addictive.

At ₹10,700 for 100 ml.

weekend@thehindu.co.in

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