Courtesy of Strada Parfumerie
As the world slowly begins to open up our dreams of traveling to far-flung destinations are becoming a reality. Whether it’s for a new experience or wanting to relive a fond memory, there are certain places that we treasure. The founders of the newly launched perfume house Strada Parfumerie wanted to capture this. Beginning with four unisex fragrances, each was designed to capture the unique identities of globally renowned locations. Based in Dubai, co-founder Mishal Al Marzouqi tells us more.
What is your first memory of smell?
Travel was my first memory of scent, in particular the first time I traveled to Egypt with my father. I was 12 years old and vividly remember the local perfumeries. I was in awe at the stunning crystal perfume bottles filled with jasmine. Smelling the heady exotic aroma of these white flowers is something I will never forget. An amazing experience.
And, your fondest?
That’s a very difficult question to ask a founder or a collector. Personally I believe that your fondest olfactory memories are those that are connected to certain locations or occasions. Fresh scents such as Dior Sauvage remind me of my first trip to the Maldives. Ouds transport me back to London, in particular walking through Knightsbridge or Sloane Street. The weather can be quite cold over there and I love how this ingredient compliments this type of temperature. However, if I had to choose my absolute fondest it would be powdery scents as they always remind me of my mother.
Why did you decide to enter the world of perfumery?
I have been a perfume enthusiast since I was eight years old! I’ve spent many a year collecting vintage and rare fragrances from all across the world. I always wanted to launch my own brand to capture the very essence of the extraordinary destinations I have experienced on my travels.
How did you come up with the concept and name of Strada Parfumerie?
I met my business partner Mohamed in a department store in Sloane Street. We both started chatting about fragrance in the beauty hall and the rest you can say is history! Our infatuation with high quality, unique scents was parallel to our love for travel. After numerous conversations, we both became increasingly passionate about creating a fragrance collection that would conjure the memories of millions around the world through the sense of smell.
We launched ‘Strada Parfumerie’ in 2014 and created bespoke fragrances for private clients including the Royal Family. In 2018 we decided to change our business model and launch a collection of perfumes for the public. It has taken us two years to re-brand but we are over the moon that Strada Parfumerie officially launched last week! Due to the ongoing travel restrictions, we very much hope that our perfumes can transport our customers to an enchanting and magical destination.
How did you decide on the locations that inspired your four fragrances?
It is safe to say it was a hard decision! There are so many incredible locations across the world. Both Mohamed and I discussed certain criteria’s when it came to whittling down our selection i.e. popular cities, attractive streets, tourist attractions. We ended up choosing Sloane Street in London, Avenue Montaigne in Paris, 5th Avenue in New York, and Via Veneto in Rome. Each of our perfumes is designed to capture the unique identities of these world-famous locations.
Talk to us about the perfumers you worked with?
We partnered with three different perfumers from across the world for our launch: Christian Carbonnel, Cyrille Carles and Moellhausen.
We worked with Master perfumer Chris Carbonnel for Sloane Street and 5th Ave. Chris is renowned for his oriental compositions and we couldn’t think of a better perfumer to capture the very essence of the scents we had in mind.
We partnered with the Italian perfume house Moellhausen to create Via Veneto. We felt that they could truly grasp the sense of Italy and Via Veneto in particular. This was the same for Avenue Montaigne; we worked with Cyrille Carles who works in an established French perfumery in Grasse.
Do you have a favorite blend?
I love oriental scents, particularly oud. If I had to choose a blend, it would be ingredients such as rose, spices, and smoky woods which intertwine perfectly with oud.
Why is travel so important to you?
I love exploring different cultures and meeting new people. Some of my favorite trips have been to Brazil, the US, Nepal, and Bangladesh. I absolutely love how no country is the same and that I am constantly inspired whilst traveling. I am always searching for new ingredients, fragrance brands, and scents.
Talk to us about sustainability and your environmental practices?
We strongly believe that beauty should not come at a cost to the environment, therefore all of our formulations are 100% vegan and the packaging materials are 100% recyclable. Environmental practices are part of our social responsibility and it is a top priority for us as a brand. We genuinely believe that this is one of the reasons which makes us different from other perfume houses.
What’s next for Strada Parfumerie?
Where to begin! Keep your eyes peeled for more olfactory journeys. We are going to explore new countries soon which is very exciting. We will also be offering bespoke personalization on all Strada perfume bottles. Keep your eyes peeled.
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