from gallivant founder nick steward
The Souq Wāqif story
"Souq Wāqif, the “standing marketplace” is the heart of historical Doha – and the place I like to stay when in Qatar’s capital city. This merchant quarter gives the visitor a taste of authentic ‘khaleeji’ culture and I love exploring the souq in the evening, when the intensity of the sun has faded away. And you can’t wander around a souq without head-turning wafts of incense and oud, smells so evocative of the region.
Imagine spice stalls, mashrabiyah — the wooden lattice work windows peculiar to the region — winding alleys, the cool of the shade, sacks full of nuts and luban (gum Arabic.) The hum, buzz, sense of anticipation and pleasure of exploring a traditional souq. And the rich aromas that follow you everywhere as you wander.
SCENT STORY
wandering through an Arabian souq
This parfum (concentrated at 36%) opens with a very special incense (we sourced it from Oman for its brightness and its pearlescent quality) combined in a very novel way with blood orange - we selected a special variant from the slopes of Mt Etna in Sicily, especially fresh, rich and juicy because of the volcanic soil. There’s a touch of saffron, too.
In the heart, we have myrrh, patchouli and African geranium – unexpectedly fresh, like an uplifting breeze.
Then, there are the unmistakable tones of oud, and woody resinous notes (guaiac wood and cistus labdanum are the star players). This use of oud is a first for us at GALLIVANT: it’s sourced from Vietnam – and as well as its beautiful full-bodied textured quality, I was reassured about its traceability and sustainability.
Bold, timeless, elegant
SOUQ WĀQIF PARFUM 100ML
Meet the maker
For the creation of the Souq Wāqif parfum, founder Nick Steward worked with Céline Perdriel. Based in Paris, Céline has become the go-to-perfumer for an innovative and contemporary style of perfumery rich in classical and historical references. Her compositions are clever, considered and bursting with a genuine love of perfumery and its emotional pleasures.
Says Nick: “People I know well in the perfume world, people whose judgement and taste I trust, kept saying to me: you must meet Céline – you two would really get on. And it turns out people were saying the same thing to her. And they were right! We hit it off straightaway."
Adds Céline: “If you insist on seeking out the best, the most beautiful raw materials, truly the most fitting ingredients for the particular perfume you’re creating, then you’re on the right path to create beautiful memorable scents. You don’t need to cheat with gimmicks. I like to create something chic, natural and timeless – so it felt like an easy fit working with Nick.”
