Krigler Launches a Scent Meant for Paradise
'If you know, you know' is an expression that gets thrown around a lot in reference to brands that have a certain rep. Under the radar, but the best of the very best. And in the case of Krigler, an independent family owned fragrance house, the reputation is very much warranted. After all, Krigler has an archive of fragrances worn by the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Ernest Hemingway to name a few. This summer, Ben Krigler, a fifth generation heir-and-head of the family business has launched a new scent, Voyage au Paradis 56, meant to whisk us all away to the resplendent Cote D'Azure—all while referencing the house's iconic history.
Much of the Krigler fragrance collection is rooted not just in iconic clientele, but the ability to evoke armchair travel in whoever sniffs the latest confection. With Voyage au Paradis 56, Krigler wishes to take us all to the South of France, and the exploding international tourist hub that it has become.
"The Côte d'Azur has been able in a century to define what a Riviera should be: idyllic, international, refined, but also expensive and exclusive. But there is one Riviera and this is what we had in mind with Voyage au Paradis 56," explains Krigler. And how does one do this? By using ingredients and inspirations from the region, of course. The scent contains whiffs of fresh florals and citrus, namely bergamot, musk, orange, jasmine, caraway, and frangipani.
Like many of the fragrances that Krigler currently sells, the latest is a modern take on a perfume the house launched in the past. "When the perfume was originally created in 1956, it was a perfume celebrating the beauty of beaches and the luxury of the palaces in the Cote D'azure, as well as the fame of the artists who lived there, the charm of its cities, sea and sun, nature and sun." Krigler elaborates, "At the beginning of the 20th century, the Americans discovered the Riviera. They brought revolutionary music: Jazz. Ahead of fashion and as a spearhead of the modern world, the Côte d’Azur transformed into a real paradise."
The secret to making an old fragrance new, according to Krigler, is simple. "History is constantly repeating itself, we are simply interpreting the basics over and over again, modernizing them with our time," he says. In this instance, Voyage au Paradis doesn't have some of the ingredients originally used, because of scarcity and new regulations. But Krigler reiterates, "I truly feel that as we grow, we must know our history."
So what set Voyage au Paradis 1956 apart from just another summer scent then? "Much like the Cote D'Azure, it's not only meant for the summer. Remember, Winter on the French Riviera was the time when in the 19th century, the rich aristocracy from the Great Britain, and all over Europe would come." And the reputation of paradise that precedes the age old destination? Well, Jean Cocteau famously wrote that while face to face with the Mediterranean, you simply couldn't deny "its cobalt, its sapphires, its turquoises, it's a paradise."
Who would be the prominent figure in history who would wear the new fragrance today? Krigler surmises that it's unisex, so Jean Cocteau naturally comes to mind. For women, Francine Weisweiller, a French socialite and patron of Yves Saint Laurent and the aforementioned poet.
Interestingly enough, Krigler doesn't want you to mentally head only to the Cote D'Azure when you wear Voyage au Paradis. Au contraire. "I hope whoever wears it will be transported to their own paradise, it can be anywhere and it doesn’t have to be a specific place. It can be your feel good place."
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