Last night, British luxury perfume house Roja made an exciting announcement, welcoming a new member into its family.
Photo: Frederick/Roja
Founded back in 2011, Roja has slowly but surely become one of the world’s leading fragrance houses, drawing the attention of connoisseurs across the globe with its distinct scents. In the book of Roja, each artfully crafted fragrance brings together fine quality raw materials sourced from around the globe, and the brand’s beautifully packaging, featuring handmade silk-lined boxes and gem-encrusted tops, further adds to its signature style.
Manuel Arnaut with Roja Dove. Photo: Frederick/Roja
Photo: Frederick/Roja
It’s no surprise that founder Roja Dove has earned himself the title of “Master Tailor of Scents” — over the years, Dove has dedicated his years of learning the art of perfumery towards creating a brand that caters to the world of niche haute perfumery, and has amassed a clientele that’s young and experimental. Dove revealed recently that 50% of the brand’s consumers are less than 34 years old. So it was only natural for the British perfumer and fragrance historian to have his maison invite a young nose into its fold. Cue Antoine Cotton, the man behind Roja’s newest collection of fragrances, which celebrates the spirit of the youth.
Photo: Frederick/Roja
This week, Dove welcomed Cotton to the Roja family with a beautiful celebration in London, which was attended by noteworthy names in the industry. During the soirée, Dove also shared his thoughts about the new era for Roja, one that is driven by innovation. Born in Grasse, Cotton hones years of expertise within the field, and his arrival at the brand has taken off by storm, with the young perfumer curating two new Roja fragrances that will be revealed next year.
Roja Dove and Antoine Cotton. Photo: Frederick/Roja
Photo: Frederick/Roja
As Roja gears up for a vibrant new phase, Vogue Arabia speaks to the young nose, Antoine Cotton, about his vision for the brand, the new scents he’s working on, his favorite notes, and more.
What is your vision for the future of Roja?
The next chapter of Roja will be with daring and bold fragrances, and trying to push the boundaries of what perfumery can be in the future.
Tell us a little bit about the new fragrances that you put together.
The next perfume will be released in 2025, there are three of them. They are very strong and embody the heritage of Roja.
As a perfumer, what are your favorite notes?
Woody, spicy, and leathery notes make a great mixture, which we find in most Roja perfumes.
Tell us a little bit about the fragrances you created for next year.
Next year, there will be three new fragrances that are all exploring different universes. They are very exotic, classy, strong, deep, and dark, and they are curated to evoke a lot of different feelings and emotions.
Photo: Frederick/Roja
How was your experience growing up in Grasse?
Growing up in Grasse was very nice. I grew up near a field, and around all the excitement of the industry. It was a very interesting period for me. I met a lot of different perfumers, and they gave me a lot of good advice, which inspired me to get into the art of perfumery.
Which scents inspired you during your childhood?
A lot of scents inspired me when I was a kid in Grasse. There were a lot of different scents in Grasse, but also a lot of different scents from when I was traveling, like spices, fruits, and different atmospheres that I want to share in the perfumes I create.
How was it meeting Roja Dove?
I met Roja in London a few months ago, and it was a very exciting moment, full of sharing, full of advice for my career, and it was great. A lot of memorable moments.
