On October 30, Symrise took a new turn in the Middle East market with the opening of Jardin Arabia, its new creation center dedicated to fine fragrances in the heart of Dubai. 

Jardin Arabia, the creative and visionary heart of Symrise in Dubai

Symrise continues to strengthen its strategic presence in the burgeoning Middle East fragrance market with the inauguration of Jardin Arabia. On this occasion, perfumers Théo Belmas and Margherita Carini, senior perfumer Philippine Courtière, master perfumer Loc Dong, President Global Fine Fragrance Julianne Pruett, Deputy President Fragrance Ricardo Omori and President Global Fragrance Eder Ramos, and other key team members warmly welcomed customers, content creators and media.

Cleverly chosen, the name "Jardin Arabia" pays homage to the region and embodies its central location at the confluence of Europe and Asia, while highlighting the natural beauty of the building's structure.

"Jardin Arabia is proof of our determination to continue developing our business and supporting our partners in this region. Symrise is expanding its capabilities with the inauguration of this new, fully-equipped hub, and demonstrating its strength as well as its spirit of innovation."says Ricardo Omori, Deputy President of the Fragrance Division.

Located in the dynamic Dubai Internet City district and close to the iconic The Palm neighborhood, the space houses a magnificent atrium. Its contemporary, convivial design lends a warm ambience and offers visitors a distinctive and inspiring environment in which to brainstorm, collaborate and find solutions together in real time. In addition, this hub features spaces dedicated to the creative arts and olfactory culture, and will be the scene of exclusive cultural events such as masterclasses, interactions with perfumers and trend conferences to foster creativity, exchange and knowledge sharing.

Jardin Arabia brings together Symrise customers, perfume enthusiasts, influencers and media partners, eager to meet in a collaborative environment that encourages exchange and channels creative inspiration.

"Our new collaborative space is strategically located between the Marina and The Palm, two iconic and vibrant neighborhoods in the heart of Dubai. Jardin Arabia is a luxurious oasis where our partners and teams can explore new horizons with a view to co-creating the region's next olfactory nuggets."says Julianne Pruett, Global President of Fine Fragrance.

A fragrant tribute to the Middle East 

To celebrate this inauguration, Symrise took its guests on an olfactory journey between heritage and heritage. It was also an opportunity to unveil the two new Laire bases, Oud Onyx and Patchouli Minéral.

Guests were also immersed in a creative experience with the presence of a local artist specializing in Arabic calligraphy.

Narjes Nourredine is recognized throughout the Middle East for the beauty of her artistic approach, which straddles the line between modernity and tradition. She often takes part in official exhibitions showcasing traditional Arabic calligraphy and poetry. The artist embodies one of Symrise's core values: celebrating one's heritage with a view to creating a meaningful legacy.

Oud Onyx DL

Created by Alienor Massenet and Margherita Carini, this imaginary interpretation of the oud pays tribute to the Gulf region's attachment to this mythical wood. Although its history dates back to the Silk Road, oud remains an essential ingredient that continues to fascinate the perfume industry. Still in vogue today, it has made a name for itself on the American, Asian and European markets.

The Oud Onyx DL base unveils a new dark side of oud, offering a modern vision of the Middle East's most enigmatic ingredient. Conceived as a magmatic oud, the perfume duo explored the cold, mineral side of ambergris. Alienor Massenet and Margherita Carini used Ambrostar¹the emblematic Symrise captive, to bring the longevity and power of dry amber to the modernity and boldness of Flowerpool.². A surprising encounter in which this emblematic Middle Eastern wood reveals its mysteries.

"The Laire bases are very special to me and embody both Symrise's heritage and our roots in the luxury sector. Alienor and I built Oud Onyx DL around a unique new signature of oud combined with the richness of Ambrostar and Flowerpool. An unexpected duo for Laire's iconic collection".explains Margherita Carini, Perfumer.

Patchouli Mineral DL

A new trend is emerging for fresh, punchy fragrances, playing on strong woods and deep minerality. Symrise perfumers Théo Belmas and Loc Dong have risen to the challenge, developing a new Laire base based on the exploration of an emblematic perfumery ingredient: the exceptional quality of Madagascar patchouli, textured and velvety to the core.

Patchouli Minéral DL embodies a timeless, sophisticated patchouli, shaped by the unexpected mineral freshness of ambergris, playing on the chiaroscuro of Sympep.³ and Madagascar patchouli. The base is adorned with the sparkle and bite of Ambrostar. An exquisite base of glamour, elegance, vivacity and rupture.

"Patchouli Minéral DL was born of a challenge: to modernize an iconic ingredient widely used in perfumery, patchouli. This creation brings a fresh woody base to Laire's legendary collection of bases, using our remarkable quality patchouli Madagascar Lautier 1795. A co-creation that explores new olfactory territories, marrying patchouli with Ambrostar and Sympep.³. The boundaries between wood and ambergris blur, giving birth to a new base of salty, mineral and intense Laire".explains perfumer Théo Belmas.

_{1. A dried woody note with unique, contrasting mineral facets.}

_{2. Captif Symrise with leathery, animalic and earthy notes used to reinforce the scent of cleanliness and accentuate the white flower and aquatic effect.}

_{3 . A natural aromatic composition obtained by a patented process from an essential oil with woody, peppery notes with moss, balsamic and patchouli facets.}

Luc Gabriel discovered Cherigan while researching the history and archives of modern perfumery, particularly in the 1930s, "A nugget in the rubble of vanished brands. He took over the brand in 2017. He was able to patiently reconstruct the history and collections of the Maison by talking to collectors, perfumers and perfume specialists, and found bottles with their original juices from France, the United States and even Australia.

Born in 1929 during a pivotal period in history when Paris became the epicenter of the art world, Cherigan established itself as the discreet brand for artists and celebrities who made Montparnasse and Montmartre their playgrounds. A pure product of the Art Deco years, it enjoyed success with iconic fragrances such as Fleurs de Tabac, Chance, Parisienne and Bleu Impérial.

Luc Gabriel's private collection has enabled the reissue of Fleurs de Tabac. After many months of work in collaboration with a master perfumer, Cherigan now offers a contemporary version of Bleu Impérial directly inspired by the original edition. "Bleu Impérial bears witness to the glory days of Art Deco, the latest emblematic creation of a carefree art of living. Bleu Impérial is one of those eternal fragrances that carries you away, whatever the era. Very little concrete information exists about this fragrance, and it's fortunate that two bottles, found by passionate collectors, have come down to us intact with their juice and, in the case of one, its box. Bleu Impérial is a pillar of perfumery, rooted in the great chypre tradition of the 1930s and 1940s".says Luc Gabriel.

The two bottles from Luc Gabriel's private collection were used as the basis for the perfume study, the juice offering all its olfactory richness and a wealth of information on the raw materials used, highlighted by mass spectrometry and gas chromatography. Their analysis revealed a floral structure composed of a bouquet of spicy flowers set on a base of patchouli, moss and musks.

Modern regulatory constraints, ingredients banned by Ifra (International Fragrance Association), the disappearance of certain materials and Cherigan's demanding ethics: it took all the talent of the perfumer to interpret and restore the formula to its original form.

" In order to give a more contemporary interpretation without betraying the signature of the original accord, Bleu Impérial has been reworked, with the note opening up, giving greater prominence to citrus fruits such as bergamot and mandarin, and introducing purer floral notes thanks to neroli, orange blossom absolute, iris, tuberose and jasmine, now sambac rather than grandiflorum. In the original formula, carnation was the perfume's narcotic touch, but could be likened to a sometimes medicated note. In its new version, Bleu Impérial's addiction comes from a carnal leather sheathed in incense blades. The soul of the accord here is the base: the ambrette musk, which has now disappeared from the palette, has been replaced by an amber accord that brings a "second skin" effect. Combined with the soft, milky notes of sandalwood and ambroxan, today's version of ambergris, patchouli offers a unique trail, typical of the great florientals. "says the company.

Bleu Impérial is composed of 94 % of natural ingredients from fair trade partnerships and sustainable sourcing. The fragrance is kept away from light in an aluminum vial with a small funnel. The bottle, in glass hand-cut by a French glassmaker, is topped by an emery-polished cap for better contact and a perfect seal. The whole set is presented in a presentation box covered with high-end textured paper, inspired by that of the period, and featuring the original imperial crown and eagles in gold hot stamping. A unique code is included in each box to enable refills to be ordered. 

Alongside the historic reissues, Cherigan offers a contemporary collection of seven new creations, inspired by the 1930s era.