Travelling with Elodie Pollet to Experience Mystery and Scents of the Middle East
She lived in the United Arab Emirates in years 2007 to 2009; experiencing the flourishing economy of 2007, as well as financial crisis in 2009. Impressionable woman and scent expert, Elodie Pollet, invites you to an amazing trip interwoven by aromas throughout the Middle East.
"We lived in a beautiful location in Dubai..."
"...in an apartment overlooking the sea in the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Marina Bay. You know, for a European Dubai is an incredible city! It is not like a trip to the neighbouring countries in Europe, where you can get to know the local people, to talk with them, to get to know their habits. It is not so easy to get to talk to the local people. There is a host of foreigners and everyone speaks English, so there is no need to learn any other language. However, there is one place where you can definitely meet the local population; in shopping centres."
The Dubai women from the point of view of a chic French lady
"Women and men live separately and men have several wives. Women in Dubai are very feminine, despite mostly wearing black abayas.(A loose over-garment, essentially a robe-like dress, covering the whole body, worn by some women in parts of the Muslim world so as not to attract attention - editor´s note.) Only the face can be seen, which is beautifully made up, using striking make-up. You can see their handbags; these are mostly very luxurious, colourful and designed by world fashion houses."
The entire life of Elodie Pollet is associated with perfumes. Her love of scents has brought her to the idea of wishing to produce them herself. It is no accident that it happened here in the United Arab Emirates.
"Perfumes used in the Middle East were a great surprise to me. They use perfumes in sprays, as we do in Europe, but they like to combine them, layer them. The scents here are much more intense than I experienced anywhere else. In addition to the perfumes they also use oils sold in small beautiful bottles."
A typical smell is one of aromatic burning insense...
"In the Arab world they use a lot of bakhoor. It is an aromatic burning insense made of natural raw materials, typical for the Arab world. They let their clothes absorb the smoke from this mixture, which they then wear. People from the Arab countries love the smell of wood, spices, amber. These are the scents that you can smell in every shopping centre." (Fumigation use to be a part of everyday life in many places around the world. It is used for healing, calming down, cleansing of spaces as well as persons, for meditation and to find new strength. - note of the editor).
Also the first two EUTOPIE perfumes are inspired by the Middle East.
"Perfumes Eutopie No. 1 and No. 2 carry a touch of the Orient, smelling of wood and spices. No. 1 is a more feminine scent; No. 2 can also be worn by men. You can find here a rose mixed with incense and rare wood species. It is sure to be chosen by women with a strong personality."
"Desert brought me the most intense and most romantic experience..."
Elodie Pollet travelled to places which were surrounded by unending desert...
"The most intense experience is not one from the middle of bustling Dubai, but a desert in Liwa where we slept with friends in a tent in the middle of nowhere. Walking along the dunes, watching the camels and listening to the desert. To experience the unbelievable silence of the arid desert was so special... one cannot forget the feeling.
At the same time the desert also showed me the most romantic place which I visited in the UAE. It was a wonderful resort of Al Maha, a luxury hotel in the centre of the desert with a private swimming pool, where I and my husband spent one weekend. The memory of this magical place will remain engraved in my heart forever..."
