The making of Persian Rose
In mythology, no flower features quite so prominently as the rose. Its buds and blooms have inspired painters and poets and sent princes on the most dangerous of quests. And of all the roses, the damascene is one of the oldest and most exquisite, its origins stretching back a thousand years to the Middle East, where it flourished in its namesake city of Damascus, Syria. Legend has it that the Rosa damascena was introduced to Europe by French soldiers, on their return from the second crusade in 1148. As far as the spoils of war go, this one is particularly fragrant.
For LUMIRA founder and creative director, the origins of her love affair with the damascene rose scent are much more personal. “My grandmother grew the Damask rose in her garden and it always emitted the most beautiful fragrance. The scent immediately reminds me of playing there as a child – we would pick the flowers to bring into the home, so I associate it with happiness and love.”
Love. Of course, we can’t talk about a rose-scented perfume without mentioning it. “A symbol of beauty, the rose scent tells a love story,” Armstrong confirms. “This floral is imbued with romance and seduction – it has a reputation as the Queen of Flowers for a very good reason.”
Our Persian Rose Candle was one of the very first scents in the LUMIRA range, launched in 2013, and the Persian Rose Perfume Oil quickly followed. The ongoing popularity of both is a testament to the timelessness of this scent. The delicate familiarity of the namesake rose is enlivened by citrus top notes – zesty bergamot, mandarin and sweet orange. But this is no whirlwind romance, no flight of fancy: as the fragrance settles, a rich base of musk, patchouli and amber grounds it into something far more enduring.
Armstrong calls Persian Rose perfume “the perfect scent to wear all day. Whenever I wear this scent, I think about my family holidays visiting my grandmother in Europe.”
Elegant on its own, it can also be layered with other perfume oils, particularly Cuban Tobacco and Tuscan Fig. A budding romance, in scent.
Written by Michelle Bateman
