By Lara Manal A.A.

Inspired by the mystique and beauty of the Middle East, Tom Ford‘s new fragrance, Sahara Noir, will hit stores by next month in the MENA region first even before launching in Europe.

In Saudi Arabia, it will be sold exclusively at Harvey Nichols, in Al-Faisalia, Shopping Mall, where there is already a long waiting list for the much anticipated and awaited perfume to arrive next month.

His desire to create a captivating scent that takes one to the culturally rich, diverse yet paradoxical world of Arabs, comes as no surprise for his fans and friends, alike.

In fact, he was first inspired to create a scent that captured the essence of the Arabian culture, during his close work, and later close friendship, with Kuwait’s Sheikh, Majed Al-Sabah, for the Shiekh’s launch of Villa Moda’s, Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent boutiques, a popular boutique house in the city of Kuwait.

Brainchild, Kuwaits’s Sheikh Majed, cited Tom Ford “as being a leading inspirational force behind his next business venture, the launch of his own, unique, perfume house: The Fragrance Kitchen. (TFK).”
* TFK is located in Kuwait City and Milan and the concept behind it was an innovated one where “East meets West” for both Men and Women.

Later in 2009, the two epicures with a passion for creating perfumes that can capture one’s memory of a brief, fading, moment of transcendent beauty and revive it, worked in tandem, when Tom Ford requested an exclusive scent to be made for his boutique opening in Kuwait City which quickly became a bestseller!

Today, Tom Ford has gone on an Oriental adventure of his own and self created his new, frankincense-based scent, called Sahara Noir; using the history and culture of the region to build an imperious, new, scent specially designed for the Middle East.

“Middle Eastern culture has an extraordinary appreciation for the luxurious, emotional and memorable qualities of fragrance; perfume is worn there in a way that feels very familiar to me. Sahara Noir is my interpretation of this heritage,” said Tom Ford.

The oriental scent has key notes of Orange, Cinnamon, and Moroccan Rose. It opens with bitter Orange, sweet Oasis Grasses and Levantine Cypress. The heart is composed of Frankincense that is offset with Cinnamon, Egyptian Jasmine and Moroccan Rose. It finishes with the potent smell of Cedar and Vanilla notes; all familiar notes to Arabian perfumery houses.

“It is a deep and substantial perfume that caresses the senses,” adds Ford.

The only thing that does not resonate with the Arabian and Middle Eastern culture, is its name!

The Sahara Desert is the largest dessert in the world but located in North Africa and occupied by the Berber.

However, we are going to give dear Tom, the benefit of the doubt, assuming he chose this name due to The Sahara Desert being the largest Desert in the world and the oldest one, too; dating back to 6000 BC. Hence, it has been historically associated with commanding connotations such as: “Wild” and “Magnificent Vastness”; meanings which come to one’s mind when opening the beautiful bottle and feeling mesmerized by its hypnotic fragrance.

Sahara Desert is also widely known as the land where Golden sands meet under clear Blue skies, as far as one’s eyes can see, uniting together, personifying a tranquil and majestic beauty. And, the same can be said of Tom Ford’s vision of how the East meets West when developing this special perfume.

Still, next time, dear Tom, do check with us ladies, first, at Shoesanddrama.com, a Saudi blog devolved by a Saudi woman of refined taste and influential opinion.

Classic to Tom Ford fragrance bottles, the perfume is packaged in a fluted Gold box and comes in an Aurelian, luxurious, and precious, Golden bottle… the color of its renowned Golden sands.

Prices are not yet available.