Perfume lovers have long admired the author of the fiercely original Manoumalia, Sandrine Videault, a maverick artist who chose to work only on compositions she believed in, hence her tiny commercial production. Sandrine left us last year at a tragically early age. Her last gift to us, and to the Australian floral designer Saskia Havekes, whose soul and world Sandrine fell in love with, is her Magnolia Grandiflora.
Magnolia Grandiflora Sandrine is part of a pair of fragrances, both dedicated to Grandiflora's namesake blossom. An unusual debut for a fledgling brand, but a vibrant, emotional tribute to the story behind the scents, since the other magnolia was composed by Michel Roudnitska, the son of Sandrine's mentors, Edmond and Thérèse.
While Michel's magnolia is lush and sensuous, this fragrance captures magnolia on a summer morning in its first, luminous stage: a dewy rose-tinged bud, shimmering with the tangy zest of a grapefruit note. “It's probably the first time I detect a chypre accord in the flower”, Sandrine wrote. “I didn't know it existed in nature. For me, it was the most important thing to say about this Magnolia. Of course, this flower smells of lemon, and also conjures a certain moistness, but there are also fruity notes of melon, watermelon, earthy notes, etc.”
