Gold Light in a Bottle

You may well be aware that Louis XIV king of France was known as the sun king. But maybe you are not aware as to why he held such a grand title?  Interestingly he chose the sun as his personal emblem in all likely hood because this grand planet was seen as the symbol of Apollo, God of peace and the arts and also, the star which gives life to all things, rising and setting with unfailing regularity. Sadly we can’t all be a sun God but we can have a touch of bright sunshine in our lives via our own divine connection to this most powerful of planets.  Fall in love with the Wood of the Gods and flirt with floral fragrance celebrating in one part the goddess of light by tapping into Acqua Di Parma’s “Signatures of the sun collection” perfumes filled with ‘Sun-filled interpretations of precious ingredients’. Meet two of the newest here, with inspiration that is regal and an ode to goddesses. Find out more in Gold Light in a bottle Here.

Image on left Harry Stonhill/ Illustration Ellie Darby-Prangnell

Acqua Di Parma’s latest olfactory offerings is in Oud & Spice and Lilly of the Valley celebrating spring, love and all things strongly fragrantly. Sensual, seductive and full of spring tide. The unisex fragrance duo is part of the exclusive “Signatures of the Sun Collection”.

Image Pixabay

The perfumes by the Italian maestros are classic art pieces embodying opulence amplified with traditional Italian artistry. The ingredients used in these fragrant concoctions have their own alluring attributes making them stand out, and shine as brightly as their collection suggest they should.

History speaks about the innate use of ambrosial scents as  Agarwood or Oud in spiritual and cultural experiences in Asia, Middle East and Japan. It has been mentioned in religious rituals, poetry and text. The earliest reference of Oud can be found in the Hebrew bible where it was described as a perfume ingredient used by a bride for her wedding.

In the Arab world, it was used to apply on the hair, behind ears, in religious ceremonies and before attending social gatherings. It is an emblem of the warm Arab hospitality and the burning of Oud raisins in Arab abodes continues even today. In Japan, it is used in the Kodo (Way of Fragrance) ceremony which is the traditional Japanese art of refinement where incense appreciation along with poetry recital takes place.  

Also known as ‘Liquid’ or ‘Black’ gold, Oud demands exuberant prices which at times is more than gold. Perfumers carefully choose the kind of Oud they want their creation to educe. A high quality Oud takes three centuries to produce. The increasing demand of Oud has certainly permeated the western scent-sphere by catching the attention of exclusive perfumers such as Acqua Di Parma. Here the alluring woody scent is accentuated with a rich mix of spices, instantly recognisable from a distance and lingers on the skin long after other notes disappear. The strong aroma, Italian luxury and ethnic heritage is imbued in this signature emulsion.

A signature collection is incomplete without floral interventions. Embedding youth, purity and happiness, Lily of the Valley historically denotes the old germanic custom of throwing Lilies of the Valley in joyful bonfires to pay homage to Ostara, the goddess of light  while welcoming spring and rejoicing new beginnings.

Image Zanna -76 at Pixabay

Introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages, Lily of the Valley is believed to have originated in Japan.  For almost 150 years, this classic fragrance has been deemed as a personal favourite by many yet this is a mute flower implying that it is unable to produce any extract and hence is reformulated by using natural and synthetic raw materials. A well loved scent, the fragrance fraternity has aromatised the smell in numerous scents.

Acqua Di Parma’s Lily of the Valley perfume is no less than a wearing a love story with floral, flirty and feminine notes. The long lasting allure of the scent is bound to make hearts melt and heads turn.  

So Oud and Spice lives up to its name with top notes of Bergamot, Raspberry, and regal Rose. Bringing a bright and floral top to set the tone, where its heart notes rejoice in spice spice and spice via Cinnamon, Pink Pepper and Cloves. These are held to the skin and allow for depth from base nots of the divine Agarwood oil, Patchouli, and Cisto Labdanum so the final flourish is deep wood with earthy facets and sort of  also ambergris dirty sexy note from biblically referenced labdanum

The Lily of the Valley scent opens again with full bright notes of Bergamot, Grapefruit, Black Currant that bring an almost urgent vibrancy to the perfume, which follow onto the the beautiful, fresh yet sweet notes of Petitgrain, and  fresh, spring-watery, elements with a facet of jasmine, to this floral, crisp green Lily of the Vally plant. Finally settling to the soft wood of Cedarwood, alongside Musk to gently wrap this fragrance up.

Blurring the boundaries between gendered fragrances, Acqua di Parma has reintroduced the art of Italian perfumery for an androgynous generation keen to resonate with the youthful spring vibes.   alongside in this collection to paying homage to our greatest planet The Sun. Regal and divine both these fragrances give you a touch of golden charm.

Find out more about the “Signatures of the Sun Collection” Here and more about the whole brand here at Acqua Di Parma.com

If you enjoyed Gold in a bottle why not read Runway Bird Here

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