DUBAI: Established in 1730, British perfume label Floris London is the only perfumer to hold royal warrants in the UK. With a historic client list that includes British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe, the storied label is also particularly interested in the Arab world — besides designing bespoke fragrances for clientele in the region, the brand has released a men’s scent that is exclusive to the Middle East.

Having designed custom fragrances for individuals in the region before, Edward Bodenham, brand director of Floris London, told Arab News that that the perfumery team “noted a trend in warm, comforting, deep fragrances. Definitely, a strong connection to rose, patchouli and precious Cambodian oud oil … a particular highlight to the forward-thinking taste of these clients is their interest in dynamic notes like cashmere and smoke.”

The untrained nose will be able to detect the vast differences in typically European scents and those that are popular across the Middle East, and Bodenham made further distinctions between British perfumes and those found in mainland Europe.

“The differences between traditionally English or British fragrances and those that are popular in the Gulf is that our classic scents generally tend to be lighter in comparison. I would say that French and Italian fragrances, generally speaking, tend to be more intense though, so more similar to fragrances popular in the Gulf,” he said.

With regard to their latest regional offering, Santal Intense, Bodenham explained that it builds on the same notes found in the Santal Eau de Toilette that was released in the early 2000s.

“When creating the original Santal we wanted to compose a sandalwood themed fragrance for a new generation. We created a scent with a reassuring fougere theme, but with some modern and unexpected twists, like the inclusion of notes of green grass, black pepper, cardamom, nutmeg and tonka bean,” he said, using the term “fougere” that means “fern-like” in French and describes one of the main fragrance families.

“When creating Santal Intense we focused on increasing the levels of amber, woody amber and frankincense within the fragrance, which provided a greater depth and longevity as well as increasing the sillage of the scent,” he explained, referring to the scent trail that a perfume leaves behind as it evaporates.

Floris London’s royal warrants give the label the right to be named as an official supplier to the British royal family and use the royal coat of arms on their products.

“I think that, to some extent, holding royal warrants and having a connection to the British royal family does have an appeal, because, unlike a sponsorship from a celebrity who is paid to use and endorse a fragrance, the royal family remain impartial and are free to choose and support fragrances from any fragrance house they prefer,” Bodenham commented on the company’s royal connection.

DUBAI: Dutch Moroccan Egyptian model Imaan Hammam hit the runway in New York City on Monday at the Ralph Lauren Fall/Holiday 2024 show.  

Hammam graced the catwalk in a soft, ethereal button-down silk dress in a radiant metallic cream hue. Her ensemble also featured a beige cardigan that was buttoned at the center. 

Completing her look, a matching purse was draped over her shoulder and she flaunted shoulder-grazing dangling earrings.

The show, which was minimal in Ralph Lauren terms, was inspired by Lauren’s first women’s fashion show in 1972, where he displayed his wares to editors and friends in his own office.

In front of a typically starry front row that included actors Glenn Close, Jessica Chastain, Kerry Washington, Rebecca Hall and Jodie Turner-Smith, Lauren opened his show on a note of timelessness — his longtime ethos — with the appearance of muse and supermodel Christy Turlington, now 55, in a sleek beige wool coat.

The collection featured a series of designs in soothing neutral tones — tans, browns, grays, black and metallics. The soft palette characterized both daytime garments like tailored jackets and sweaters with trousers, and evening wear like slinky, sequined gowns. There were roomy sweaters, lots of boots and wide leather belts with “RL” buckles.

There were Lauren’s familiar Western accents, like long fringes on coats and jacket sleeves. And especially the occasional cowboy hat, which accompanied not only casual ensembles but, to close out the show with a memorable look, a backless gown dress in sparkly gold.

Lauren, 84, appeared briefly at the end, in well-worn jeans, to cheers from the crowd. 

Close wore a white Lauren pantsuit. “This is a very, very special suit,” the actor said at the event. “It was made especially for me. Custom. Five years ago. I won a SAG award in it. So here I am. It looks just as beautiful. It’s a shame to wear something like this only once.”

Close added that growing up in New England, “the mentality was, you buy something that has great quality and then you wear it until it wears out. That’s how I was brought up.”