Complex, subtle and vivid, the enigma of these flowers has yielded six distinct and original fragrances. The first was SANDRINE, an ode to the primal and elegant Magnolia. Working with good friend and perfumer Sandrine Videault, Sandrine tells the story of the flowers first opening, the gift of the first ripening. In honour of Sandrine, Saskia worked with another close contemporary, MICHEL Roudinitska, to capture the heady beauty of the Magnolia at the end of her bloom.
Grandiflora’s collection grew deeper with the evolution of a house classic: MADAGASCAN JASMINE also composed by Roudnitska. This bracingly fresh composition was followed by a fragile almost autumnal contrast. BORONIA is a scent elegy to Australian native flowers inspired by Saskia’s bush childhood in Dural, NSW. Among the most expensive natural essences on earth, The Tasmanian Boronia flowers sourced for this scent are rare in the extreme with a poignant and subtle warmth.
Like planting a garden, a fragrance will reflect the private aesthetic of the house. As an artist, Saskia is often drawn to bright and clear flowers yet her work is also given drama with darker blooms. Drawn to yet another “impossible” flower, Grandiflora developed the mystical QUEEN OF THE NIGHT with esteemed “nose” Bertrand Duchaufour. Drawn to the esoteric, Saskia wished to pay homage to the enigmatic Cactus Flower that blooms only once a year in the heart of the night. Another world first.
Finally, in celebration of 25 years of Grandiflora, Saskia launched her namesake perfume composed by the brilliant Christophe Laudamiel. Redolent of Gardenia, SASKIA is a portrait of the overflowing nectar of a busy flower shop, evoking the layered beauty of contrasting scents speaking to each other.
Grandiflora fragrances have grown organically over time, honed by the deep experience of Europe’s most respected perfume architects and the intuitive curation of Saskia Havekes. Their compositions are subtle and their materials as rare as Tasmanian boronia leaves and the precious Magnolia Grandiflora.
