Sandra‘s Closet

This spring, Gucci launches a new floral fragrance collection, consisting of 5 new scents, in tribute to one of its most iconic motifs: The Flora Garden Collection. For more information on the history of Flora, please click here.

“With Flora by Gucci, I wanted to express the loveliness of the Flora woman charming, romantic and optimistic. Now with The Flora Garden Collection I am celebrating multi-faceted way the Gucci woman expresses her personality.”

– Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini

Gorgeous Gardenia, Gracious Tuberose and Glamorous Magnolia will be available in Switzerland in April 2012 in selected department stores and perfume shops.

Eau de Toilette 30ml (CHF 90), 50ml (CHF 112) and 100ml (CHF 168)
Body Lotion 200ml (CHF 69)

Generous Violet and Glorious Mandarin will be sold in Gucci stores only.

Gorgeous Gardenia

A sumptuous white floral: Gucci’s faithful creation of the perfect gardenia.

Top notes: red berries, pear
Heart notes: white gardenia, frangipani flower
Base notes: patchouli, brown sugar accord

Glamorous Magnolia

A soft rosy floral: Gucci’s recreation of this most lustrous bloom.

Top notes: freesia, green leaves, citrus zest
Heart notes: peony, magnolia
Base notes: musk, sandalwood, warm chocolate accord

Gracious Tuberose

A fabulously fresh floral: Gucci’s homage to this most charismatic of flowers.

Top notes: violet leaves, peach
Heart notes: tuberose, orange flower, rose
Base notes: cistus (Rock Rose), white cedarwood

Glorious Mandarin

A gloriously juicy fruit: Gucci captures the exhilaration of mandarin.

Top notes: mandarin, peony
Middle notes: jasmine, pina colada accord
Heart notes: ambergris, white musk, creamy wood

Generous Violet

A sophisticated woody floral: Gucci’s salute to the bountiful violet.

Top note: violet leaves
Heart notes: orris, violet petals
Base note: suede accord

Each bottle reveals a different coloured juice – be it pale pink, green, blue, violet or yellow; their boxes emblazoned with the corresponding flower from the Flora pattern. You just would like to have them all, wouldn’t it be a lovely display for your bathroom?!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of Gucci, © Sandra Bauknecht

Hermès launches the new fourth frangrance from the collection of garden-inspired fragrances, named Un Jardin Sur Le Toit, meaning a garden on the roof.

Let me tell you the story behind it that reads like a fashion fairy tale.

In 2003, the Year of the Mediterranean inspired by Jean-Claude Ellena to create the first Garden-Perfume, Un Jardin en Méditerranée, an homage to the  secret garden of Leila Menchari, director of decoration at Hermès, on the Tunisian shoreline.

Two years later, 2005, in the Year of the River, he set off to the island gardens in the delta of the king of rivers to invent Un Jardin sur le Nil.

In 2008, the Year of Indian fantasies invited him to glorify India’s rebirth after the life-giving monsoon rains, with Un Jardin après la Mousson.

In 2011, the chosen theme, “Contemporary Artisan”, is an opportunity to celebrate craftmanship, of every kind, throughout history to the present day. Un Jardin sur le Toit.

What unexpected fragrances could be shared? What unique story could be told? Which new water could be bathed in? After rainwater, river water, sea water… going back to the source, like going back through time. Happy as Ulysses to be coming home. What better pause in series of pilgrimages than a return to the  native land?
To the luxurious Hermès roof garden at 24, Faubourg Saint-Honoré, the French house’s headquarter.

This is such a beautiful story. The garden is high up, hanging like its mythical ancestors, over in Babylon. From its lawn and between its branches all of Paris is on view.

The green fingers of an Hermès craftswoman, Yasmina, the gardener, create this paradise. She cares for it every day, planting, pruning, watering and perfecting. This roof garden is very familiar to since 2004 in-house perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena. It is where he went for his first meeting with Hermès and each visit, even that he knows it by heart, he discovers it all over again.

„A perfumer’s place is everywhere and nowhere“ admits Jean-Claude Ellena. „That’s how, one day, I found something I thought was a long way right under my nose. I had been there several times. My footsteps had produces a burst of aromas, lush grass, damp soil, and I loved letting them work their way inside me. And in order to make it really Parisian, I sprinkled it with light…“.

The new Hermès composition includes fragrant notes of apple and pear, alongside tea rose and belongs to the olfactory family of Greens. It captures the atmosphere of a fresh and sweet-smelling garden by magnolia, basil and compost notes. Available Mid April.

LoL, Sandra

Photos: © Hermès
Eau de toilette: Natural spray 100ml (3.3 fl oz),  Natural spray 50ml (1.65 fl oz)
Perfumed body milk 200ml (6.6 fl oz)