INTENSE DELIGHT
Elie Saab Le Parfum was henceforth born, radiating with “the duality of my world: the light of the Middle East and the modernity of the West.” Saab, a Lebanese couturier based in Paris, has always had an innate sense of what women really want to wear. His signature collections of chiffon drapes and dazzling eveningwear have graced the silhouettes of princesses and A-listers alike, and his reputation for altering and tailoring a dress directly on a woman’s body is as legendary as his remarkable rise to fame at the mere age of 18, when he opened up his first couture house.
“My sole ambition is to inject beauty into the lives of women,” the designer tells BAZAAR exclusively. “For me, each one of my creations should be the height of femininity; my priority is always to design a dress that highlights a woman’s figure at its best,” says Saab, who is unambiguous when it comes to what inspires his style.
“We are the result of our culture and heritage, and I’m certainly inspired by my culture and the richness it offers. It was important for me that this heritage be part of my perfume. It was also essential for me to create a fragrance that would please every modern woman. The result is a very elegant scent composed of very fine materials.”
NATURAL RADIANCE
“What I love most about this project for Elie Saab is that it glistens with a very positive air of self-assured femininity,” says Kurkdjian. Mediterranean petals, plucked when warmed by the sun, touch the senses at the very first whiff. The heart of white flowers, sambac and grandiflorum jasmine, is gilded by a delectable trail of rose honey and a mysterious shade of patchouli.
The latest Le Parfum Intense, is the sequel to this womanly concoction. While the EDP evokes light of day at its brightest, Le Parfum Intense is all about the last strand of light that appears across the horizon right before sunset. This time, the flacon takes on a classic gold tint, with exotic ylang-ylang at the heart of the fragrance for that subtle touch of mischief.
Saab says of the master perfumer: “He immediately understood what was important for me – the emotion that the perfume could bring to the women who wear it. Just like for the dresses that I design, I wanted to instil beauty into women’s lives, via this perfume. For most women, an Elie Saab dress is an inaccessible dream. This fragrance is a touch of the exceptional in their everyday lives.”