Unspoken LANGUAGE

L'OFFICIEL speaks to Maria Perello about her partnership with bespoke perfumery master Henry Jacques

- LAURE AMBROISE

Together with your husband, tennis icon Rafael Nadal, you imagined two perfumes for men and one for women with the Haute Parfumerie Maison Henry Jacques. How did you get to know the brand?

We were first introduced to Henry Jacques and Anne-Lise, daughter of the founder and CEO, by a mutual contact. Rafael and I both love and appreciate perfume, and there was an instant connection, which made us want to learn more about the brand and the world of Haute Parfumerie.

What I really like about Henry Jacques is the brand’s exclusivity and discretion. They make the choice to only work with the finest ingredients and materials, and to only be available through their own boutiques to preserve their brand values. They never compromise to maintain the highest level of quality in terms of their perfumes, and also in terms of the care and attention they give to their clients. These are all things I can relate to and that spoke to me from the beginning.

What are the inspirations behind these three perfumes and what are they called?

My perfume is simply called Maria Perello. I wanted to create a perfume that smells of happiness; my happiness. My main inspiration was my happy memories, and I wanted the scent to reflect my personality today. It is light but memorable, fresh yet sophisticated, and soft but strong enough to last the entire day without being too overpowering. Delicate, yet mighty. I also wanted it to give a sense of elegance and youthfulness. I really had high expectations of this perfume and love the idea of being recognised and remembered by it.