making of

PHI – une rose de Kandahar is basically gone

Good morning from Zurich where the snow that we got after X-mas (around 40 cm, hossa!) is melting, under a grey foggy sky, that seems to merge  with the grey asphalt of the city.

And, allegory you are surrounded, like the snow my stock of PHI-une rose de Kandahar was melting in the last few weeks before the holidays. I have put aside a pile of the rose de Kandahar for an order that will leave Switzerland for Saudi Arabia. There, I am collaborating with Odore, the first real “niche” (better: low volume -artisanal- high end perfumery) boutique in Saudi Arabia, based in Riyadh, a shop that I have not visited yet, but might, one fine day, searching an excuse for a trip into a different, exotic, warm and sunny, spot. Odore was founded by Sultan Al-Sheaibi a good year ago. We met a good 18 months ago in London, I was visiting to discuss Sultan’s business idea. After the trip, I was convinced that Sultan knew what he wanted and that he was determined to offer the best there is in perfumery in a region where perfume lovers appreciate perfumes beyond the ordinary.

You know: I am the longer the more picky about where my scents are placed. In a time where you find everything everywhere this is important.

As you may imagine, exporting and importing to Saudi Arabia is not that easy and the more I appreciate what Odore accomplished.

Anyhow: Some of what is left of PHI is reserved for Saudia Arabia and will be packed next week. And then there is basically left what is the shelves, in my warehouse in the US, on the shelves in the stores, and a few bottles that are my reserve for whatever might happen. And then, we are back to field zero. I need to make more, but this will take good while. This is what “niche” actually is all about. Precious scents that are hard to get. And if you get them you should expect them in a Swarovski free zone.

So , yes, although it comes without Swarovskis and other blingbling elements,  une rose de Kandahar was and is a big success. I am very grateful for this. Basically, this tells me that there is hope, for “niche” outside the dark halls of extravagant luxury.

And, yes, I am sorry that we are soon running out. I can only promise that it will come back towards the second half of 2015, I guess.

I also guess and hope that the gap will be filled by Rose flash. End January. As always, I am a bit behind my plan, but that’s what plans are made for: To be changed.

Today’s picture shows you a rose failure: After having painted it, I decided that it was all wrong, this watercolor rose. I washed it off, dried it with a flannel and loved the effect.