By Kilian Asian Tales and an Ode to Calligraphy (2012) {New Fragrances}
By Kilian will launch their last chapter of the Arabian Tales next month in the US with Amber Oud. After this closing chapter you will be able to discover from May 2012 a new cycle of stories with the series 4 Asian Tales, plus a perfume named after the art it pays homage to, Water Calligraphy.
The first of the Asian Tales to be introduced in 2012 is Bamboo Harmony, inspired by "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter,"...
"With this new collection, KILIAN takes us on another exciting discovery of a new culture,"
The project reportedly started off as an olfactive journey but soon the importance of symbols and words became apparent to the creators, who then paid particular attention to the symbolism of the red color, selecting an "opera red" hue and chose the Chinese lucky number 8 by reproducing the initial "K" 8 times on a coin. The coin is threaded with red so as to activate the lucky fluid of the money.
Water Calligraphy is composed by perfumer Calice Becker with "simplicty and spirituality." It is about the olfactive impression of a flower sitting by a pond of lilies. The scent features notes of grapefruit zest, reseda blossom, dewy water lily, majestic sambac jasmine, evanescent magnolia "giving an impression of quiet water sliding over cardamom and vetiver, like Chinese ink slides over rice paper."
Bamboo Harmony is an homage to the material that the Chinese Literati considered to be a symbol of human perfection and which is used for making brushes. The composition is also signed by perfumer Calice Becker and is about being the olfactive interpretation of "a subtle sip of white tea taken in the heart of a bamboo."
The fragrance opens on top notes of luminous bergamot, bigarade and neroli. The heart is of white tea leaves, mimosa and a hint of spices. The base notes are rare Maté essence, sensual fig leaves and oak moss.
The other three Asian Tales will be launched one each year. In 2013, "The Peony Pavillion" will be the inspiration followed by "The Peach Flower Water Source" in 2014 and finally "The Lotus Flower and the Dragon King" in 2015. The names of the perfumes have not been communicated yet.
Perfumer Calice Becker has a signature knack for creating balanced compositions. It will be interesting to see how her own sense of harmony meshes with the Asian philosophical values of balance and harmony.
