i'm a rose-petal-covered lady...

Paul Smith "Rose" a new fragrance for Women

Thursday 2 August 2007

Fresh. Modern. Airy. Individual. Addictive. Sensual. Not words you’d automatically associate with a rose fragrance. But the moment you mist Paul Smith Rose, you abandon all preconceptions. Because Paul Smith brings to this fragrance his signature skill – an instinctive knack of redefining the classics, introducing an unmistakable note of edgy elegance. This is, quite simply, a rose fragrance for a new generation.

It’s also infused with a personal story. The rose at the heart of this fragrance is one that bears his name. “My wife, Pauline, created a wonderful birthday gift - a rose cultivated specially for me. This proved to be an inspiration for the fragrance,” says Paul.

The Paul Smith Rose, a potently fragrant, cochineal pink bloom, with a tight peony centre and full outer flower, rambles and scrambles all summer long. Cultivated by the famous English botanist, Peter Beales, it was presented for the first time at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2006, after three years in development.

What’s more, a very modern technique has been used to capture its distinctive aroma. No blooms are harvested, crushed and distilled. Using technology called ScentTrek, the living flower is isolated in a glass bell and special equipment ‘inhales’ the scent molecules, which are then analysed and recreated in a laboratory. The resulting ‘note’ replicates exactly the scent of the rose as it nods and shakes its head in the breeze on a summer’s day – one of the reason’s this fragrance is so natural, authentic and spirit-liftingly fresh.

Antoine Maisondieu, the perfumer who worked with Paul on its creation explains: “I wanted to combine an airy quality with a soft, velvety feeling on the skin. I blended Paul Smith ScentTrek with Turkish rose oil and green tea, adding a sparking halo of violet and magnolia flowers. A woody accord, with touches of clear cedar, provides depth and structure, which along with soft musks, give it an addictive quality.”

The bottle and packaging are unexpected too.
“We wanted to turn the typical presentation of a rose fragrance on its head,” declares Creative Director, Alan Aboud. “To contrast with the petal-lightness of the fragrance, we designed a heavy glass bottle with a strong, functional shape. The thick, deep bottom fills the hand with reassuring weight - the juice then appears to float inside like a teardrop,” he explains.

“It’s topped off with an art deco inspired metal cap that feels quite industrial – almost masculine – in nature and each one is individually tooled, adding to a genuine feeling of craftsmanship. There’s certainly nothing ‘disposable’ about this bottle,” he says. Nor the soft cotton pouch featuring an exclusive Paul Smith rose print that hides the bottle within the box.

The logo – black and punchy - contrasts with the feminine, candy tones of the single rose stem on the outer packaging - a photo of the Paul Smith Rose itself, pushed so only the high contrast extremes of the image are visible.

To complement the eau de parfum in 50 and 100 mls, there’s a 150ml Perfumed Body Lotion and Bath and Shower Gel – dewy, delicious and delightfully different. Reminiscent of a rain shower on rose petals.

p/s : Felt like i'm showered with rose petals today. Huhuhu!