Parfums

It seems to me that the enveloping warmth of Dries Van Noten’s aesthetic – enriched with embroidered Indian motifs, scenes from 18th century engravings, and stark color contrasts – springs not only from harsh Belgian winters, but also from the country’s history as one of the great trade hubs in the days of empire. Thick textures, colorful prints and Indian spices introduced a kind of domestic comfort that is now inherent to Flemish life and to Dries’ designs.

I asked Bruno Jovanovic – who possesses a flair for warm scents – to compose a perfume around Dries’ world. He decided to compose it around natural sandalwood, which he chose for being simultaneously soft and exotic, homely and unusual.

Allying sandalwood’s milky aspect with vanilla, saffron and sacrasol, and tempering it with a jasmine and white musk accord, Bruno created a lasting effect of buttery warmth, reminiscent of milky tea and speculoos biscuits, to see you through the winter. Like a couture winter coat and so many of Dries’ pieces, it is timeless, classic, and yet, ever so sensuous.

F.M.