After burning Cire Trudon (specifically Solis Rex and Adb El Kader) in his atelier for years, Giambattista Valli joined forces with the historical candle company (once Napoleon’s official wax producer and supplier to the court of Louis XIV) in 2010 to craft his first bespoke bougie: Rose Poivrée. “When I was preparing to open my first store in Paris, I wanted to have my very own unique scent for the house of Valli. The idea was to blend two contrasting elements and find the equilibrium point. I chose a fresh, dewy rose—like those found in Le Petit Triannon at Versailles—and upon this delicate scent we added some ground black pepper from Tuscany. Rose Poivrée is a balance between Italy and France; it’s a spicy scent,” explained the designer. In honor of his recent boutique opening in Milan, a new Italian-inspired blend, Positano, was composed to set the mood. “Positano is like my Proust’s madeleine. White flowers, lemon, orange blossom—those are my scents. They are my heritage. I was born in the summertime, and they are the first scents I recall smelling,” he said. While Rose Poivrée was once a prized souvenir to bring home from the City of Light, this French favorite is now arriving stateside, along with Positano—especially good news for those of us on the show circuit, as these weighty candles add some serious bulk to already overstuffed luggage.
$95 each; visit ciretrudon.com for more information
