Scent Bazaar

How would you fancy a trip down the Silk Road? Today, we’ll pack our (imaginary) bags to a breathtaking place called Istanbul. Get eager to discover all about the renowned Egyptian Bazaar through your nose: Some heart notes of cinnamon, cumin and cedarwood and we’re set to go. Read more on Scent Bazaar.

It’s Istanbul (Not Constantinople), according to They Might Be Giants. In 330, Roman Emperor Constantine relocated the Roman Empire’s eastern capital to the Greek colony known as Byzantine.

Originally known as “New Rome”, the name later changed to Constantinople, which means the City of Constantine. The Ottomans (now Turks) captured the city in 1453 and renamed it İslambol (the City of Islam). In 1930, the Turkish Postal Service created a law formally declaring the remaining name to be Istanbul.

Istanbul was crucial to the Silk Road’s subsistence in the Late Antique and Early Middle Ages, importing and exporting various coveted goods as well as ideals to and from other countries. Spices, fur, leather goods, honey, wax, and ivory were all brought into the city to be traded by merchants from all over the world.

The city is a landmark for multiple routes such as the Bosphorus Strait: One of the world’s most important maritime routes for oil shipping from the Caspian Sea region and Russia to Asia, Western and Southern Europe.

Home to the most magnanimous covered markets in the globe, the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar still attract between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily.

From spices to scents, Istanbul is a city full of wonders for those who have the chance to visit it, when we can all freely travel again.

Meet NISHANE, the very first Istanbul-based perfume brand rejoiced globally for its unique perspective on artistic perfumery.

Mert Guzel and Murat Katran, both passionate fans of Mysteria fragrances as the rich heritage of the city they were born and raised in, had always wanted to build a brand that manifests the magnificence of niche scents created under the inspiration of the city of Istanbul.

Thus, in 2010, they began to work together and formally established NISHANE in September 2012. Today, they take part within the worldwide niche perfume enthusiasts as one of the best examples of niche perfuming, an encouraging pleasure for their creations.

Mert Guzel, born in Istanbul, a graduate of the Sociology Department of the University of Galatasaray, founded his own business to carry out his project of creating coffee table books in luxury hotels throughout Turkey. Hence, two coffee table books were published, still available on bookshop shelves.

Murat Katran, born in Istanbul, has a degree in International Trade from Boğaziçi and worked as an export manager for Turkey’s biggest steel mills in the first years of his career. Subsequently, he established his own steel export company.

Sparked by Istanbul’s rooted culture, renovated spirit, and urbane structure, NISHANE is set to be the symbol for the value you put in yourself and your loved ones with unusual and refined aromas and the sophisticated touch of its exquisite collections devised with utmost diligence.

How about their two new summer fragrances? Made with fresh and refined aromas and the sophisticated touch of its exquisite collections devised with the utmost diligence, EGE and NANSHE can be the perfect addition to your summer essentials.

EGE is a Turkish tribute to the Aegean Sea, an historically significant marker to the Ancient Greek civilization, which is derived from the Greek name ΑΙΓΑΙO. The use of both names is a deliberate choice by the brand to pay homage to both Turkish and Greek cultures, as they share such a rich background together around the coast of the Aegean and the Aegean islands.

Opening at the top with a flush freshness of yuzu with violet leaves and gentle spice of anise. Move into the heart where green aromatic basil meets green aromatic cardamom and freshness of aromatic mint, finishing in the base with aromatic, musty pine with notes of citrus and spice with an earthy via olibanum and liquorice.

With a redolence that evokes the enjoyable aromas of the sun and the sea, NISHANE encourages the wearer to reminisce about the most memorable moments of a sun-baked summer. EGE was created by Greek perfumer Ilias Ermenidis.

NANSHE was the Sumerian goddess of fertility, water, and social justice, as well as the patroness of dreams and prophecy. This fragrance embodies the divine figure’s qualities of kindness, compassion, and wisdom. NANSHE was created by independent perfumer Cecile Zarokian and is based on a sublime rose accord.

Top notes of lively bergamot, scented carrot seeds, soft spice of warm cardamom, and fresh yuzu lead to a heart of water fruits and flowers, rose absolute, jasmine sambac absolute, and ylang-ylang. This unisex Eau de Parfum is completed by a dry-down of orris, powdery notes, musk, patchouli, and sandalwood.

Each NISHANE fragrance is outlined to pay reverence to diverse emotions and moods, ensuring cherished moments to remember. The brand holds perfume conception to be an essential form of art and is earning a large reputation for telling stories with fragrances.

MINIATURE ART COLLECTION

The Miniature Art collection portraits seven different but enchanting fragrances made with some of Istanbul’s most iconic scents.

BLOSSOM COLLECTION

The Blossom collection embodies the essence of Mexican and Indonesian roots with some floral notes of jasmine and magnolia.

SIGNATURE COLLECTION

The Signature collection combines scents of leather, patchouli with a touch of citrus aromatic notes that give a balanced harmony to the mixture.

RUMI COLLECTION

The Rumi collection is inspired by the quotes of Mevlânâ Celâleddîn-i Rûmî.

SHADOW PLAY COLLECTION

The Shadow Play collection takes inspiration from the traditional shadow play also known as “Karagöz & Hacivat”.

NO BOUNDARIES COLLECTION

The No Boundaries collection shares examples of how perfumes tell stories and are designed to give the hopeful message of ruining all emotional borders throughout the world.

COLLECTION IMAGINATIVE

Collection Imaginative is inspired by the novella “The Little Prince”.

PRESTIGE COLLECTION

The Prestige collection represents the luxury of oriental notes formulating both palettes and traditions for dynamic, modern fragrances.

EXTRAIT DE COLOGNE

NISHANE, a perfume house is known for the “Extrait de Cologne” , a modernisation with that contains the 18% essence concentration. A staple to the brand’s portfolio.

EXPERIMENTAL COLLECTION

Unutamam crosses the line intentionally between luxurious seduction and animal ferocity, leaving the wearer to decide which mood to embody the aroma. Unutamam is an intense experience from the first spray: the brilliance of lacerating aromas and florals that rejects any attempt at a complacent reaction.

Many of the scents in these collections have also begun to be defined by many as iconic scents, like HACIVAT, ANI, HUNDRED SILENT WAYS, FAN YOUR FLEMES.

NISHANE strives to satisfy the tastes of true niche perfume lovers with a range of unique and sophisticated fragrances by blending accords from the Silk Road to the rest of the world.

All the products mentioned are currently available for order at Harrods or NISHANE.

If you enjoyed reading Scent Bazaar, then why not read Art Travelling.​

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