The Fragrant Harbour

This week at Sassy, we’re all about fragrance – on Sunday, Maura and Natalie headed to a Perfume Master Class at The W to make their own perfumes, and we’re currently planning a very exciting fragrance-oriented event for June 3rd (mark your diaries ladies!)… In true Carrie Bradshaw style, this got me wondering, is there such a thing as a smell that can represent a place? We all know how strongly our sense of smell is linked to nostalgia – one faint breath of CKOne plunges me instantly back into my teenage years, and I can’t even sniff Hugo Boss scent without being reminded of a certain ex-boyfriend… but can a perfume remind you of a place? And more specifically, what would be the perfume to represent Hong Kong? Is there a scent which captures the aromas of tea, incense and the sea, but which also might have some notes of wet market, air pollution and that very particular Hong Kong stink of money?!

We got in touch with the lovely perfume buyers at Lane Crawford to see if they could suggest the perfect scent to represent the fragrant harbour… Here are their suggestions…

Jo Malone – Verbenas of Provence
We just love Jo Malone scents – her Jasmine & Mint Cologne has been one of my dressing table staples for the last year. Apparently inspired by the citrus-scented ambience of a private-dining club in Hong Kong, Verbenas of Provence is a fresh, clean fragrance with citrus topnotes. Blended from the leaves of vervaine citronelle and undercut with hints of flowers and exotic spices, it is summer in a bottle! If only we knew which dining club was the inspiration we would love to see if the location matches this delicious smell.

Available at Lane Crawford ifc mall, Lane Crawford Times Square and Lane Crawford Canton Road. Cologne 100ml is HK$950 and 30ml is HK$480.

Creed – Silver Mountain Water
Inspired by the exhilarating crispness of mountain air and the purity of cascading alpine streams. With Citrus notes, Tea, Blackcurrant, Musk and Ambergris. This scent will remind you of a sunny day on a junk, breathing in the fresh marine air (way out past Sai Kung).

Available at Lane Crawford ifc mall, Lane Crawford Pacific Place and Lane Crawford Times Square. 75ml – HK$990 and 30ml – HK$620

Hermes  – Kelly Caleche
Kelly Caleche by Hermes is a a very unusual scent as it is a leathery floral – a strong, earthy, warm scent with a bit of a smokey tone. It’s the perfect combination of masculine and feminine, though some people find it a little full-on for their tastes (just like Hong Kong then!).

Available at Lane Crawford Times Square.

Do you have a particular scent that reminds you of Hong Kong? Let us know and we’d love to check it out!