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French perfumer Camille Goutal tells CHIN MUI
YOON how her fragrances make perfect mementoes of happy occasions.
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Songes evokes images of exotic, tropical
holidays.
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HOW do you remember a special occasion? With journals,
photographs or treasured keepsakes?
It seems only natural for a daughter of an accomplished perfumer
to keep her most valued memories in bottles of fragrances. For
Camille Goutal, the distinct smell of a fragrance always rekindles
recollections of happy moments in the nicest possible way!
Goutal is the daughter of renowned French perfumer Annick Goutal,
who was the mastermind of her eponymous perfume line before she
passed away in 1999. Now Goutal Junior carries on her mother’s
legacy of creating unique scents: Her first was named Quel Amour!
(What Love!) to remember the time when her boyfriend left her a
trail of pink peonies from her Parisian apartment doorway up to her
bedroom.
She has recently created her 10th perfume for the brand to relish
an equally happy memory.
“I named my scent Songes, which means daydream or a
reverie,” she explains, holding out a moon shaped golden glass jar
at her store located along a quiet square at Place Saint-Sulpice on
Paris’ Left Bank.
“During a holiday to the island of Mauritius five years ago, I
was walking through a garden one night when I was suddenly engulfed
by the scent of an exotic flower. It was an intoxicating perfume of
something very pretty, sensual and feminine.
“The next morning, I learned that the flower was none other than
the frangipani,’’ she tells with a laugh.
Now – after five years of research and trials – that magical,
exotic scent has been captured by Goutal and her business partner,
Isabelle Doyen, in this new fragrance.
Songes fills the head with its intoxicating bouquet of jasmine
and gardenia which make up the top notes, a peppery vanilla note in
the middle before settling down with earthy sandalwood, styrax (an
evergreen plant also known as Snowbells) and vetiver oil (from a
wild grass valued for its tranquil scents).
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Camille Goutal converts valued memories
into scents.
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And somehow, just like Goutal’s happy holiday memories, the scent
evokes visions of sun-kissed sands and exotic tropical blooms.
“We captured the same scent through a blend of essential oils
extracted from the frangipani tree and Tahitian gardenia. We used
absolutes of jasmine and ylang ylang from Madagascar, where seven
million flowers are used to yield just 1kg of oil.”
True to Annick Goutal style, Songes’ luxury is in the details:
Each frosted glass bottle is crowned with an elegant crescent moon
cork with a gold twine tied around its neck. The signature ribbed
bottles for the eau de toilette and eau de parfum spray bottles are
decorated with a dainty muslin ribbon to add a playful, feminine
touch.
If frangipani is not your cup of tea, Goutal says that there are
plenty of other scents in the range which appeal to a wide range of
women, and her advice is to “choose whatever you like!”
“Wearing perfumes makes me feel feminine,” she says. “Women make
a very conscious choice when they choose a fragrance to wear. Some
women have told me they feel more confident, stronger. Others have
said they feel uplifted and encouraged. I’d just tell women to wear
whatever appeals to them. It’s like love at first sight.’’
She tells how one fragrance, Petit Cherie, is favoured by
teenagers and women in their 60s as they say it recaptures their
youth. International celebrities who wear Annick Goutal scents
include Liv Tyler, Nicole Kidman, Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore.
The brand was bought by the The Tattinger Group in 1995, and now
makes up its staple of fine products which include champagne and
Baccarat Crystal, as well as the elite Hotel Bristol.
Today, Annick Goutal perfumes are retailed in six boutiques
across Paris and luxury departmental stores around the world, from
Saks in New York to Harrods in London and The Raffles Hotel in
Singapore. In Malaysia, they are exclusively retailed through Asia’s
sole Annick Goutal boutique opened by Ken Lim of Kens Apothecary, at
the
Le Meridien Hotel Kuala Lumpur.
 Le
Meridien Kuala Lumpur 
Location Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur is the most accessible hotel in
the city, just 28 minutes from Kuala Lumpur International Airport by the
KLIA Express train. The hotel's location in the southwestern part of
Kuala Lumpur along the new airport rail link between Kuala Lumpur
International Airport, city centre and business districts makes it an
ideal choice for travellers. Rooms Le Meridien's 396 bedrooms and
26 suites offer refined comfort including a broadband data port for fast
Internet access, a well-lit workstation, technologically advanced
security and excellent amenities. Restaurant Guests can choose
from four exciting dining options, each offering a distinctive style and
ambience. General The extensive conference and convention
facilities at Le Meridien will meet all modern needs. Guests can enjoy
the leisure facilities, which include a free-form pool with water slide,
gymnasium and a luxurious spa. |
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