The Middle East holds a special place in the hearts of Dolce & Gabbana. And it’s newest scent is the brand’s latest love letter to the region. Jean Christophe Hérault is the man behind The One Mysterious Night, a rich, oriental scent that uses one of the region’s most beloved ingredients at its core to take wearers, and those close to him, on a journey through Arabian nights. Discover how the scent came about below as Hérault discusses his creative process with Buro 24/7 Middle East contributor Farouk Chekoufi…
Could you tell us a bit about your creative process?
The woody and leathery signature of the iconic The One perfumes continues to bring strength and texture but is now faceted with a new noble and majestic wood which brings even more sensuality to the fragrance and pays tribute to a treasure of perfumery: the oud wood. I contrasted it with facets of rose absolute to modernise it and give it a new intensity.
Tell us about the inspirations and constructions of the fragrance…
For this new opus, I have been inspired by an evening in the heart of a medina and by all the different scents of incense, spices and woods floating in the air like one unique perfume. I imagined the hypnotic and suave vibrations of oud wood burning in front of every door. This is what I wanted to recreate for The One Mysterious Night — to carry anyone who smells the perfume into a narrow alley of an Oriental medina.
How did you reveal The One Mysterious Night?
I revealed this new creation by paying tribute to an iconic and precious wood, the oud wood. Vibrant and faceted with rose absolute facets it really infuses the fragrance and gives it a new structure. The voluptuous tonka bean settles the fragrance with more sensual accents.
This is what I wanted to recreate for The One Mysterious Night — to carry anyone who smells the perfume into a narrow alley of an Oriental medina.
How do the new notes illustrate the Dolce & Gabbana man’s strong character?
The One reinvents its original signature by releasing a new intensity through this new creation. The One Mysterious Night reveals a new facet of his personality, darker and extremely sensual, through the fusion of the exquisite notes of saffron, the vibrant and majestic oud wood tinted with rose absolute facets and finally the voluptuous tonka bean which captivates anyone who smells this scent.
What makes The One Mysterious Night so unique in the Middle East?
The encounter between warmth and freshness, the intense sensuality of woods and resins meets the sparkling freshness of aromatic and spicy notes. A blend of refined and exquisite ingredients into one unique signature.
Your ultimate ingredient for this perfume?
The final touch to this perfume is of course the Oud wood, which plays a major role in the fragrance. Faceted with rose absolute, it really gives a new powerful structure while keeping the original signature of The One original perfumes.
Why is this perfume is so special for the region?
I believe that when smelling The One Mysterious Night, you can really feel the inspiration of two different regions. This is what makes the fragrance so particular and addictive, because of its origins. The signature is so iconic of the Middle East region is now contrasted with sparkling, aromatic and spicy facets which give it freshness but also an incredible trail.
Who is the new The One Mysterious Night parfum made for?
A mysterious man of course! The One for men carries an exceptional elegance, sophistication and aura. In this version, he becomes even more sensual and captivating. His perfume is floating in the air hypnotising anyone around him.
What strong emotional memories do you associate with Dubai and Middle East?
An evening walk in the streets of Dubai, the moment when you can still smell the warm scents of the day, picturing the hustle of a food and spice market while feeling the captivating freshness of the night coming in.
What was the most difficult thing about creating a perfume for the Middle East?
The challenge was of course to keep the original signature of The One whilst infusing it with such an iconic ingredient from this region. You have to feel and capture the atmosphere in order to offer the best ingredients combination and structure.
How did the concept for The One Mysterious Night come about?
After The One Royal Night and its first step into this olfactive journey to Middle East, I wanted to carry on the adventure in this region and explore a different path, the one of a walk at the heart of the medina with the contrast of the warmth of the day to the freshness of the night.
The One for men carries an exceptional elegance, sophistication and aura. In this version, he becomes even more sensual and captivating. His perfume is floating in the air hypnotising anyone around him.
How did you begin the process of rethinking The One Mysterious Night?
After The One Royal Night, which already captured the spirit of the Middle East region, I wanted to take a risk and bring to life an iconic and beautiful ingredient from this region, the Oud wood. This is how I started rethinking the signature of this new version.
What makes The One Mysterious Night particularly special?
I would say its duality between the cold and fusing start, which makes us think of a fresh evening and the sensual and woody structure which reminds the intense warmth of a day in the Middle East region.
What makes the new scent so iconic, timeless and different from the previous?
It’s iconic because of the Oud wood which is so famous in and emblematic of the region; timeless, because The One Mysterious Night continues to carry The One original signature that is so elegant and sophisticated; and different, because it combines a new kind of freshness with a new intensity.
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