SimplyAbuDhabi XXXIII

P aris, France. on the iconic Avenue George V, at number 36, there is a black-walled shop: The Harmonist boutique. Founded in 2015 by Lola Tillyaeva in Los Angeles with the help of parfumier Guillaume Flavigny, who has created many notable fragrances for Armani Privé, Tom Ford and Commes des Garçons, this fragrance brand soon conquered the American and European markets and now has landed in the Middle East with a corner at Harvey nichols at the Mall of Emirates. The concept behind this perfumery house is simply unique. in fact, the name in itself “The Harmonist” combines both the word “harmony” and the word “alchemy”. So, the concept behind The Harmonist is one of Feng Shui, thus allowing you to discover, thanks to this philosophy, the perfect fragrance for you that can complete your personality in all its Feng Shui elements which are: earth, metal, fire, water and wood. it all starts once you enter the store, which was designed by Franco-indian interior designer Alnoor, when the fragrance consultant invites you to smell some fragrances arranged in nice vases that recreates the yin-yang harmonious order. There are all the fragrances created by The Harmonist, like Velvet Fire, Metal Flower and Guiding Water etc, and once you have chosen those you like the most, the consultant will ask you few questions, such as your date of birth, year and place of birth, allowing her to define your Feng Shui element. in my case, my predominant element is earth, which means that i’m “stable, reliable, a good listener”. From here, from the fragrances i have selected at the beginning of my Feng Shui journey, she will ask which element i want to enhance in my life such as metal which brings out creativity, water which brings prosperity, wood which brings status and seduction or fire which seeks wisdom. After the fragrance consultant has understood my desires and which elements i want to enhance in my life, she will suggest three fragrances helping you understand which one suits you most. in my case, i was captivated by The Harmonist latest fragrance “yin Transformation”, reminiscent of the transformation that swells first within the yin energy itself and then moves over into yang. A sensual water with a unique texture whose top notes are calypso orchid, mandarin, bulgarian rose, with middle notes of almond milk, ylang ylang, iris and base notes of white musk, sandalwood and benzoin. All accompanied by an attractive, light blue-coloured bottle inspired by ancient containers of Chinese medicine which also recreates all the Feng Shui elements. in fact, the bottle is in fire-blown glass, protected on the inside by a metal plaque which allows the fragrance to be stable and not be contaminated by other elements, the perfume has an air spray and the head of the bottle is made of ceramic thus recreating its earth element. So, after this inspiring and spiritual experience, i decided to interview Madame Lola to discover more about the secrets behind The Harmonist. Simply Abu Dhabi: What was your first memory of perfumes?Was it good? Lola Tillyaeva: i was born in Central Asia, a land straddling the fabled Silk road. Creativity flourished alongside trade for centuries here and the caravans travelling via the ancient cities of Samarkand and bukhara carried spices and silk to Europe through this region. So, my early childhood memories of scents are linked with the delicious aroma of spices. Whenever i smell cinnamon or cumin, i’m instantly transported back in time to my childhood. And of course, my earliest perfume memories waft up from fragrances my mother wore, which had floral notes of jasmine. Smells act like time capsules and our childhood memories have a lasting impression, staying with us throughout our life and affecting our perfume preferences. Simply Abu Dhabi: Do you remember if, as a child, you already wanted to create a fragrance brand? Lola Tillyaeva: As human beings, we have five senses which not only help us explore our surroundings, but also enhance our sensations, emotions and memories, which in turn help us understand our inner world, the world of our own creation. i have a very keen sense of smell. As a teen, i started experimenting, blending perfumes to find a scent i felt comfortable with. Several years ago, i created a perfume for myself and it proved very popular with my friends. Encouraged by this result, i decided to create my own perfume brand, which is very close to my heart and encompasses my philosophy of life. Simply Abu Dhabi: How did you realise the concept behind The Harmonist? Does this influence your ownmemories? Lola Tillyaeva: Some of the most fundamental questions for a human being are: ‘Who are we?What is the purpose of this journey we call life?’ These questions have fascinated me ever since i was a young girl, and i studied various ancient philosophies trying to find answers to them. The power and wisdom of these teachings have reached out to us through the ages and still help us make sense of our world. one of the main missions of our brand is to encourage and motivate our clients to take an enlightening and rewarding journey into their inner self through exploring the world of scents. Simply Abu Dhabi: The Harmonist is a very spiritual brand; can you tell memore about it? Lola Tillyaeva: The Harmonist perfume collection is inspired by the philosophy of Feng Shui, the traditional Chinese concept of empowering your inner self, and, indeed, your whole life, by bringing it into harmony with the world around you. our scents embody the five elements regarded as the building blocks of all-natural phenomena—metal, fire, earth, water and wood. We wanted to use the sense of smell to interpret the messages of these fundamental elements. by choosing the right fragrance, you add an ingredient to your aura: the energy of the missing element you need for personal harmony. SimplyAbuDhabi:What is the aimof your brand and yours as creator of the brand? Lola Tillyaeva: The Harmonist is underpinned by the concept that human beings should live in accordance with the laws of nature, in harmony with their inner and outer self, at peace with themselves and others. i regard it as the mission of our brand to encourage people towards a new understanding of themselves and the world around them, to awaken a sense of shared responsibility for this beautiful planet, a sense of belonging. Even though we have left Mother nature far behind, closing ourselves off in stuffy cities, we are still her children, part of a greater whole. Last year, the Harmonist launched an art project that will focus on each of the five elements of nature, exploring them through the prism of art. We started with the element of water, and in September 2017 we opened our installation, The droplet, as part of the Ad inTEriEUrS exhibition held at the historic centre of Paris, Musée de la Monnaie de Paris. built out of aluminium tubing, 12m high and 6mwide, The droplet is an art installation designed in the shape of a falling water drop. Through this installation, we hope to raise public awareness of the catastrophic state of the world’s natural water resources. The droplet exhibition will tour several cities providing an innovative platform where ecology experts can meet, discuss and engage the public. i believe that art has an incredible capacity to inspire, encourage and unite people around the cause, due to its ability to touch the human soul. Simply Abu Dhabi: I remember you launched The Harmonist with major events duringCannes FilmFestival. Is there a linkbetweenThe Harmonist and the world of cinema? Lola Tillyaeva: The Cannes film festival is a major event celebrating the power of creativity and art. The advertising campaign for the Harmonist was created by one of the most prominent and distinguished French film directors, bruno Aveillan, whose works have set the benchmark in contemporary filmmaking. bruno did an impressive job in expressing the philosophy behind the Harmonist through the beauty and power of cinematography; therefore, we thought it would be logical to hold the Harmonist’s launch event during the festival in Cannes. Simply Abu Dhabi: What are the next steps of The Harmonist in the upcoming months? Will there be new openings and new fragrance launches? Lola Tillyaeva: The Harmonist’s boutiques debuted in Paris and Los Angeles in 2016. The fragrances were subsequently launched in Cannes and Zurich, and then in barneys new york, boston, Glendale, San Francisco, Las Vegas. The Harmonist perfumes are now also available in London at Harrods, Moscow’s TSUM department store, dubai at Harvey nichols and Milan at rinascente. The product is expected to be launched in Germany in the coming months. Simply Abu Dhabi: What are the three feelings that the “right” perfume should give to a customer? Does the ‘perfect’ perfume actually exist? Lola Tillyaeva: Creating a scent is very much like creating a piece of music—notes blend into chords, and the chords harmonise into a full- blown melody. Just like a good piece of music, a good fragrance encompasses a wide range of tonalities, the notes of different scents, if you will. So, when you choose a perfume, it’s important to pause a moment and wait until you feel the bottom notes and see if they give you the three feelings of comfort, warmth and confidence. There is no such thing as a perfume that is ideal for everyone. Like clothes, it depends on the occasion and character of the person. i’d say that perfume can certainly be perfect for a particular moment, occasion or for a particular mood.