House of Oud … THoO
By Dean Frankling
Figuring out the House of Oud’s latest venture is like piecing together a puzzle but then missing that final piece needed to complete it. No matter where you look, it is simply not there; it’s disappeared or travelled to another place, and it becomes more intense as you continue to search for it. That final piece will solve the puzzle, the mystery of being incomplete to being complete. But what is the final piece missing in the House of Oud’s latest perfume collection?
While it might appear that the House of Oud has rebranded itself to become THoO and produced some perfumes under the name, there is no answer that warrants its transition. But what if, like a puzzle, there is a missing piece that will grant us the answer to this change? Perhaps with a little further digging, it will all make sense. Let us decipher the House of Oud and its latest ‘THoO’ perfumes.
The ‘THoO’ Mystery and Time
Put simply, ThoO is a new collection of perfumes by the House of Oud. Time is the theme, and is represented through three perfumes that echo an ‘experience’:
- JUST BEFORE: BEFORE
- THE TIME: RIGHT NOW
- LIVE IN COLOURS: FROM NOW ON
How does one describe time? Words ranging from endless, intangible and invisible almost construct an image of time, describing it as something that exists but cannot be fully understood, or visible for that matter. THoO perfumes, while themed on time, are not trying to describe the image of time to its wearer, but allow them to live time, harness the moment, experience its imperceptible effect on us as human beings. THoO are a collection of emotional perfumes that encourage you to reflect on the moment within time; the moment you spray the perfume on you, and the effect it has on you.
Men and women are always living time: but are they really living it? THoO is not an answer to time but the experience of it. It is keen for you to embrace what is often overlooked in its importance through perfumes that are designed specifically in its reflection of creative freedom and beauty that comes as a result of the passing of time.
Can one overuse the word time? For something that is endless and intangible, it is impossible. When does someone take a moment (within the moment) and realise they are living in space and consciously realising their existence. Mobile phones, games, television give us a euphoric sense of an abstract reality that we accustom ourselves to – and sometimes prefer to remain in. THoO perfumes present a map of discovery towards beauty that you may often miss in this technology-driven world.
JUST BEFORE: BEFORE
The before moment, the previous, the first behind the second. Before an explosion, there is preparation, and the Just Before perfume is preparing you for your what is to come; what that is exactly, is down to the individual to discover. Just Before begins with a fresh zest of Lemon and a generous, but not too generous, essence of Saffron. The Lemon is the burst, and the Saffron is the punch of this perfume. It is followed on by a mystical essence of Palo Santo with sweet Vanilla and gentle Sandalwood for its base.
The Just Before has an expression of energy that is patiently waiting to exfoliate its essences.
THE TIME: RIGHT NOW
The Time is the present, the experience you are ultimately having, but more importantly, the awareness of it. To be aware that you are existing, living, and experiencing is often overlooked as an important part of being human. The Time perfume is telling you it is the here and now, a brief moment different from all other moments you will continue to experience. Its calm ingredients of Blue Tea, Iris and Verbana capture the moment; its doors closed to external elements until its base of Cedarwood and Black Tea come knocking, blissfully completing The Time’s inviting aroma.
An experience captured, but not trapped, The Time perfume is an experience of pleasure, awareness, and calm; an embrace of the now moment.
LIVE IN COLOURS: FROM NOW ON
While time does not have an end, the THoO collection does. The narrative of the THoO collection is rounded off with their Live in Colours: an explosive reaction to the sense of awareness and experience of the present. Like the Before perfume, the Live in Colours is ignited by a fruitful delivery of Lemon, Grapefruit and Red fruits for a fresh but gentle start. It is followed by a hint of Ginger and a bitter touch of Pink Pepper to bring the fruitful ingredients together for a neutral but radiant aroma, whilst concluding with Musk and Hinoki wood that bring about the dawn of a new age of living.
Every part of the THoO collection is part of a new beginning; one door closes and another door opens as the saying goes. While time does not permit a new beginning in restarting the clock and going back, it does, however, allow one to reconnect with the present and live moments and experiences to the fullest. The mystery behind the THoO branding, website name, and overall change is perhaps simpler than it appears. It remains the House of Oud, but it is also THoO; in other words, they are the same but are presenting their progress as a step to something new, that is indeed, its THoO perfumes.
An emotional collection of perfumes that encourage you to live the moment within time, and not outside of it. House of Oud create perfumes to live each day like it is the last and embrace the colourful world that is your home.
Available at www.jovoyparis.com
