Befitting a queen, Iris Malika is a new fragrance by Chopard and the first of a new collection named Chopard IMPERIALE.
Malika means queen in Arabic, and it is to today’s aspirational women that this new creation pays tribute. Like all Chopard fragrances, Iris Malika was inspired by the maison’s jewellery creations and is the olfactory counterpart of the IMPERIALE Collection, voluptuous jewellery created for women – contemporary empresses – who own their power. Amethyst plays the leading role in this precious anthology. Like the violet hued quartz, which has magnetic powers, Iris Malika possesses an element of mystery. The magic happens both inside the bottle and outside it when the fragrance finds its place on the skin or becomes a delicate trail.
OPULENT ORIGINS
This perfume is the quintessence of two cultures coming together in total harmony: France’s tradition of fine fragrances, of which it is the worthy heir, and the high-end scents of the Middle East. The creator of this opus, perfumer Dora Baghriche grew up in Algiers, at the heart of the dual ArabMoorish and French traditions, and she carries these two worlds within her. Chopard Co-President Caroline Scheufele asked Dora Baghriche to create a purple iris. The latter was free to interpret this as she wished and selected the root of the iris flower and tonka bean. “I like the interaction that the two materials can have,” she explains. “There is a root and a bean. I wanted to start with something powerful, earthy. The bean harks back to Eve, the original woman, the queen of the world. That’s the idea of this perfume. In olfactive terms, iris is very woody, with a slightly buttery, harsh smell. It is not an easy scent to tame. Neither is the tonka bean, with its silky tobacco notes. It has a little more character than vanilla, with an element of almond.” The iris was the symbol of victory for the kings of France and under Louis VII, it became the ‘Fleur de Louis’, then over time, the ‘Fleur de Luce’ and finally the ‘Fleur de Lys’, symbol of royalty.
BENEVOLENT BEAUTY
Caroline Scheufele is a pioneer in sustainable luxury. The first to advocate ethical and responsible jewellery, she believes beauty must be equally ethical. Chopard has applied the same philosophy to its perfumes, embarking on a wonderful undertaking entitled A Journey to Sustainable Luxury Perfumery. To create her fragrances, the co-president decided to work with Firmenich, the world’s leading non-listed perfume and taste company. “Firmenich is one of the most prominent maisons that has chosen to use ethically sourced flowers, plants and woods” says Caroline. “Alberto Morillas and Dora Baghriche, the perfumers with whom I have chosen to develop our fragrances, work with them. I am also well acquainted with the owners, so this is very much a story of mutual trust.”