Fields Of Glory

Celine Roux of Jo Malone London and master perfumer Mathilde Bijaoui spin wheat to gold with the re-launch of Poppy & Barley.

- Teh Sue May

At first whiff, the vivid olfactive notes of Poppy & Barley takes the mind to the most unexpected of places—the tale of Persephone from the Homeric Hymns, to be exact. One can practically see the young girl dancing on a lush field, picking blooms of red on a spring day as harvest nears but when asked to set the scene for the scent, Jo Malone London’s head of fragrance development dives into a different immersive vision, painting an emotive picture that is equal parts vibrant and surreal. “Poppy & Barley takes you to the heart of an English meadow,” says Celine Roux, global head of fragrance for Jo Malone London. “It is the end of every summer and the fields are a ripple of golden grains with bursts rebellious poppies. They seem to pop up out of the middle of nowhere, and I love the contrast of colourful reds against smooth gold.”

FULLY BLOOMED