Marking the birth of a new era in the company’s history, Amouage revealed its Renaissance Collection to Sydney media at an intimate lunch at Chiswick, Woollahra.
Narrating a key chapter in the brand’s odyssey to paradise, the collection features four alluring fragrances –Enclave, Crimson Rocks, Ashore and Meander.
Drawing inspiration from its home country, the Sultanate of Oman, these sophisticated blends of exquisitely contrasting scents are a liberating force of imagination created by internationally renowned perfumers including Domitille Michalon-Bertier (Crimson Rocks), Mackenzie Reilly (Ashore and Meander) and Julien Rasquinet (Enclave).
At the event, Michael Marzano, National Education Manager at Agence De Parfum, explained the company’s recent success, initiated at the end of 2019 with the arrival of Marco Parsiegla as CEO and the appointment of Renaud Salmon as Chief Experience Officer.
“Marco Parsiegla, Chief Executive Officer at Amouage, who came from the Procter & Gamble group, has moved operations back to Oman and coming back to the roots and origins of Omani fine perfumery,” he said.
Michael spoke about the hero ingredient in the new collection, telling guests “we are going to go on a geographic voyage of Oman”.
“We’ll be discovering three key raw materials today – the famous silver frankincense, the rock rose of the Al Hajar mountains and of course the myrrh, three ingredients which shape the platform of the Omani and Middle Eastern perfumery,” he said.
The fragrance inspirations:
Enclave – As the last sun rays bid farewell to the fjords of Musandam, Enclave sophisticatedly portrays the freshness trapped inside a rich, earthy warm hideaway where land meets the sea. Blue and green notes of Spearmint and Cardamom Oils transcend the fragrance stages, giving it a freshness that lasts forever, while the pleasantly surprising Amber, Labdanum, Cinnamon Oil and Saffiano together with earthy Vetiver capture the surrounding hot mountains at that precise moment in time.
Crimson Rocks – Conjures the majesty of Al Hajar mountains in all their glory at dusk. Standing tall at the top, one is engulfed by a sweet sense of peace. For this fragrance, Amouage brought to life an intense Rose, one that is resilient to withstand extreme yet gentle weather, welcoming just like the mountains it calls home, rooted to stand the test of time. Texturing the Rose are red notes of Cinnamon and an earthy Jujube Honey Accord which along with Oakwood and Cedarwood paint the Al Hajar mountains in deep crimson hues.
Ashore – On the coast of Ras Al Jinz, mid-summer, when the sun is in the middle of the sky, Ashore, depicts a mirage of the senses. As one’s eyes are saturated with light, a surreal brightness blends all that is around them, leaving only the wind that carries the scent of spices from the East. This intoxicatingly white floral fragrance of Jasmine, Ambergris and Sandalwood offers an olfactive interpretation of the union of the sun, the sand and waves while the Cardamom and Turmeric recall the scent of spices from India.
Meander – Explores the exhilarating feeling of happiness in a land of fog, lush green mountains and running streams. Drawing inspiration from the Sultanate’s southernmost Governorate during the monsoon season, Amouage creatively translated the surreal fog using Frankincense and smoky Vetiver, the rich greens with Cypriol and Jonquille, while its caramel-coloured mud is brought to life with earthy Sandalwood, Carrot Heart and Orris root notes.
Amouage’s total fragrance sales were up by over 15% during the last two quarters of 2020, while e-Commerce revenues grew by more than 600%.
“Amouage is renowned for creating some of the most finely crafted perfumes in the world for over three decades,” Renaud said in a statement. “Continuing to build on this legacy, I want to take the brand on a quest. One that will see us explore new frontiers and discover new facets of the House. I chose to debut this epic fragrance odyssey with Renaissance, the rebirth where we translate what it means to experience pure joy, unbound by perception.”
All fragrances are eau de parfum containing 25 per cent fragrance oil, and retail for $459 for 100ml.
Images from the launch event below:
Clayton Ilolahia (What Men Should Smell Like), Margaret Khoury (Fragrances of the World) 
Clayton Ilolahia (What Men Should Smell Like), Hass Murad (Sydney Men’s Style) 
Icy Ling (Influencer) 
Jack Slade (Boss Hunting), James Want (Boss Hunting) 
Kirstie Clements (Freelance), Damien Woolnough (Ironed Boxers) 
Michael Edwards (Fragrances of the World), Samantha McMeekin (BEAUTYcrew), Diandra Malivindi (Elle and Marie Claire) 
Natalie Lopez (Agence de Parfum), Michelle Ruzzene (Esprit) 
Nick Smart (Agence de Parfum), James Want (Boss Hunting), Jack Slade (Boss Hunting)