Knightsbridge isn’t my usual hangout (the Birkins and blowdries put my ditzy Luella to shame), but Harvey Nichols’ fourth floor just gets better and better, so they’ve lured me ‘uptown’.
Turns out their beauty hall is also harbouring a few well-kept surprises and I was drawn in by the Moroccan-style gold star packaging of MEMO Paris, a range exclusive to Harvey Nichols.
Created in Paris in 2007 by book publisher Clara Molloy, in partnership with perfumier Aliénor Massenet of IFF, the MEMO range of luxurious perfumes, scented candles, room sprays and bath products were inspired by her worldwide travels and her Spanish roots.
What really struck me about these fragrances is just how fresh, vivid and bursting with energy they are, with the summer fragrances capturing that sultry, exotic holiday scent. They evoke images of hippy-chic island hopping, poolside glamour and long balmy nights with names like Ibiza Buzz, High In Hawai, Lost In Mykonos and I Miss Miami.
My favourite scent from the collection has to be the mystical, spicy, evening fragrance, Lalibela, with notes of rose, tobacco leaf, coconut orchid, patchouli, jasmine, peony, absolute incenses and wood.
The fragrance is named after the sacred Christian city of Lalibela in Ethiopia and legend has it that the angels came down from heaven and built the city’s 12 churches in just one night.
The MEMO fragrances have the innocent, girly appeal of the Marc Jacobs Splash series and Juliette Has A Gun, but they are much more complex and intense, making a strong statement rather than a subtle hint.
Clara Molloy draws on her childho0d memories and international adventures (what a lucky duck she is) and encapsulates the local scents and flavours of each dreamy destination, and has a huge stash of mementos from her travels like metro tickets, books, travel diaries.
The beautifully-designed MEMO fragrance boutique on the Left Bank is top of my itinerary for my next Paris trip it even offers a tailored service with personalised candles and bespoke gift sets.
At Harvey Nichols, prices start from £29.50 for home sprays to £75 for the eau de Parfum.
MEMO, 60 rue des Saint Pères, 75007 Paris. Metro: Sèvres Babylone / rue de Rennes.