Magnolia for Everyone

Sydney floral artisan Saskia Havekes and perfumer Sandrine Videault are preparing Grandiflora’s first perfume which will be a magnolia scent. The juice is macerating as we write. In the meantime you can enjoy Saskia’s aesthetic on the cover of Michael Edwards’s Fragrances of The World 2013.

Photo: Gary Heery
Flowers: Saskia Havekes for Michael Edwards

When I lived in Sydney I would often walk past Grandiflora in Potts Point just to breathe the fragrant air. The sign of a superlative Sydney restaurant was and still is flower arrangements by Saskia whose signature flower is magnolia. Magnolia is also known as Grandiflora, and is therefore the name of her floral artelier and her upcoming scent. Branches, leaves and flowers are hallmarks of Saskia’s style.

Magnolia is the new white.

Further Reading
Grain de Musc – Two Magnolias will blossom in January 2014 at Grandiflora
The Fragrant Man – Sandrine Videault
The Fragrant Man – Grandiflora Sydney

9 responses to “Magnolia for Everyone”

The cover of the book is beautiful a work of art in itself.

Jordan River June 14, 2013 at 4:44 pm · · Reply →

Sure your new magnolia tree will be too.

I can’t stand chemical perfumes — they smell like insecticide to me and also make me feel very ill. However, organic, natural oils are aromatic and healing. That is the true perfumes to me — ingredients from nature.
My dog is soothed by them too, he loves lavender oil.

Jordan River June 17, 2013 at 1:47 pm · · Reply →

Welcome Genie. Yes I find I alternate between naturals and fine fragrance. A good perfumer will use synthetic molecules to extend and magnify a scent and even approximate a non-distillable scent like gardenia. By a ‘good perfumer’ I mean that they will not produce an insecticide bomb with their well composed blend. I too get headaches from some ‘fumes. With naturals I have no problem carrying round a self-made decant to top up their usually (but not always) shorter longevity.