Spun Threads of all That’s Precious - Gold - Shalini Parfum 2024 - Shalini + Maurice Roucel
Alexander Grey, Maximal Focus, Tina Witherspoon and Christopher Campbell - Unsplash
Gold
Always believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible
Always believe in…. Spandau Ballet
A great admirer of the collection of Shalini Parfums, I am always in anticipation when she releases a new adventure. Her creations arise out of 2 realms, the outer and the inner, for Shalini is a bright soul concerning herself with not only her fashion and perfume business but infusing all with her luminous energy and compassionate nature. A rare, sought after combination that permeates into her perfume compositions. As with all of the collection they are crafted with Master Perfumer Maurice Roucel, hence they all pulse with a thread that binds them together as a collective. New York Couturier Shalini Kumar expresses excellence in all her works, her perfumes, no exception for each is a magnificent strand of place, a ‘genius loci’, capturing the spirit in a location, a capture from her extensive travel and seen through her extraordinaru senses. It has been my privilege to write on a number of her creations, I continue with ‘Gold’ released this year. From its merits as a precious metal to its artistic expressions in historical contexts, to its capacity to incite fervour and its luxurious conatations, yet there is more in this elixir than all that, something of a true luxury written inbetween the obvious.
Marina Yalanska - Unsplash, 2. Gold - Shalini Parfums, 3.Muillu -Unsplash, 4. Jayanth Muppaneri - Unsplash, 5. Kent Pilcher - Unsplash
Deeply aromatic and sun infused from the very first spray, Gold oozes a profound elegance, a luxury we can all associate with ‘Gold’. What is that feeling when we stand in a shaft of sunlight as it pierces a darkened coccon, we feel nurtured and enveloped, it warms us beyond the physical body, our soul is lightened and recognises its natural niche. Marigold elevates with and opens us to the infinite possibilties of devotion within ourselves. Richly opulent it invites the wearer to return to a more pristine luxury, all our impressions of gold in all its extravagance are layered over with its potential to bind us to higher aspirations. This is the closest I can come to ambrosia, that nectar of the Gods, so coveted, that confered immortality. Here is a liquid essence of what is referred to as a ‘Golden Age’, not something just written in the past but serves as an indication of potential, should we drop petty egos and obessesions. It exists written into the tales and history of every culture, every expression of humanity, a universal truth.
"Golden Age" denotes a period of primordial peace, harmony, stability, and prosperity. During this age, peace and harmony prevailed in that people did not have to work to feed themselves for the earth provided food in abundance. They lived to a very old age with a youthful appearance, eventually dying peacefully, with spirits living on as "guardians". Plato in Cratylus (397 e) recounts the golden race of humans who came first. He clarifies that Hesiod did not mean literally made of gold, but good and noble. Wikipedia
Felipe Simo, 2. Rene Bohmer- Unsplash 3. Kirsty Mitchell- Wonderland, 4. Juniper Photon - Unsplash
In Gold there is a promise, an invitation, a shining hand offered in liquid saffron and honey, to partake once again of a heritage that belongs to us all regardless of status, creed or skin, are we courageous enough to turn the tide of our descent, to eliminate self for the good of all. A composition that is profoundly sacred, only those components that reasonate with its unadulterated purpose are used.
In its wearing I am enveloped in a luminous nobility, a real luxury, the only luxury we have, time and the choices we make of it. I am clothed in a heated embrace that is of the spirit, as well as a refined grace, nobility exists not in title but in our deeds and thoughts, how we pass through the worldly confines, beyond dogma and religion, it is the uncommon denominator.
Men lived like gods without sorrow of heart, remote and free from toil and grief: miserable age rested not on them; but with legs and arms never failing they made merry with feasting beyond the reach of all devils. When they died, it was as though they were overcome with sleep, and they had all good things; for the fruitful earth unforced bare them fruit abundantly and without stint. They dwelt in ease and peace. Hesiod.
Aleksandr Skochko, 2. Maximal Focus - Unsplash, 3. Yoann Lossel - Artist, 4. Susan Lyon - Unsplash
Frankincense and Myrrh swirl unbidden to bathe my form in sacred fumes, these are the gifts that elevate my spirit, dissolving lines of form so that physicality merges with the soul and the soul quietly shifts to become, sublimating the physical dominance of needs and ego fuelled drives. Gentle, gentle it whispers, relinquish your hold on desires, all is well, breathe deeply of peace and tranquility, it is your right. No need of conflict and strife for its fruitless ends are a circle of your undoing, liquify into my smoke of ages and see yourself for the first time with the eyes of all.
Resting under my flesh, Gold permeates me, in the fine droplets of an ancient mist, honeyed gold embraces amber traces,trailing upon me murmured voices from a past released at last in a soothing delicacy laced with a certainty of finding our true home.
Susan Wilkinson - Unsplash, 2. Yoann Lossel, 3. Scott Webb, 4. Photologic - Unsplash
Gold, an offering of a luxury redefined, gentle purity of thought, it wafts in timeless accolade to the possible, it is the dreaming in the dark and the piercing of beauty through the miniscus of limitations. Beauty as a sacred right humming in golden undulations, Gold is a enveloping triumph.
The Golden Age was first; when Man, yet new,
No rule but uncorrupted Reason knew:
And, with a native bent, did good pursue.
Unforc'd by punishment, un-aw'd by fear.
His words were simple, and his soul sincere;
Needless was written law, where none opprest:
The law of Man was written in his breast. Ovids Metamorphoses (7CE)
Marigolds, Saffron, Frankincense, Myrrh, Honey and Amber
Shalini Kumar - Founder Shalini Parfums, 2. Gold Shalini Parfums, 3. Master Perfumer Maurice Roucel
Gold kindly gifted by Shalini, with my thanks
Shalini Parfums Gold Can be found here -
GOLD PARFUM COLLECTION — SHALINI PARFUM
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