Spanish Scents, Socks & Slippers, Silver and Saladiers

Spanish Scents, Socks & Slippers, Silver and Saladiers Good Morning! I hope that you are all feeling perky and ready for the W/E? I was given an uplifting shot in the arm this week when a charming gentleman arrived at the Perfumery and proceeded to study the 400 bottles of artisanal fragrances currently on our shelves in the greatest of detail. I had a sneaking suspicion that he may be a fellow scent addict and my instincts were spot on. Ricardo Ramos, for that was his name, is the Creative Director of an eponymous fragrance house based in Granada in the gorgeous region of Andalusia, Spain and his collection is dedicated to the history, arts and smells of this ancient kingdom. Ricardo is an incredibly exuberant olfactory ambassador and totally charming and we were like two excitable children comparing notes. Fortunately for me he had some samples of his work with him and it was a real privilege to smell them with their creator and learn about their inspiration and the incredible ingredients that he has used. His background is no less fascinating as he is half Columbian and half Spanish and a successful Fashion Designer to boot!  Incredibly well travelled with qualifications in historic textile conservation, Ramon is also an avid collector of ancient banknotes (!!!) so this is a man of great passions and I think that this is abundantly clear in his perfumes. I love talent and this man has it in spades! We did the deal on the spot and I am extremely proud to be launching his collection exclusively in the UK this week. Shop Now - Ricardo Ramos - ZirYab (Extrait dP) 100ml - £160 I am opening with six of Ricardo's scents and they are all stunningly beautiful. I was going to stick to his range of Eau de Parfum however one Extrait or 'pure perfume'  seduced me and I couldn't live without it! 'Ziryab' is my current paramour and I am utterly entranced. It is named after one of those rare historic polymaths who make one feel rather inadequate and Ziryab (born 789 AD)  or Parjaro Negro (Blackbird)  is as inspirational as the fragrance itself. It is not known if he was of African, Arabic of Persian origin however his career flourished at the Court of Granada were he became a renowned musician, fashion designer, mathematician, cosmologist, botanist, composer, poet, singer, meteorologist, chef.... well you get the picture!! The man was a genius and I like to think that I am channelling just a little of his talents when I wear this mesmerising combination of Mediterranean notes and Oriental spices. Mandarin, petit grain and jasmine sparkle at the top however it is the truly intoxicating heart of mace, clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, patchouli and oakmoss over a woody/chypre base that really transports. This is a very strong scent at a high concentration however it does not overwhelm but rather envelops one in warm arms - it basically feels like being hugged all day. Although this is a more costly scent, I find that two brief spritz's will last all day and so a bottle will be with me for 6 months. Shop Now - Ricardo Ramos - Morayma (EdP) 100ml - £130 In terms of sheer elegance 'Morayma' dedicated to the last Queen of Granada, is incandescent in its loveliness. White flowers dominate, with gardenia, jasmine and magnolia supported by coriander, guava and fig leaf over sun-dried hay and Tuscan iris root. Feminine but imperious, this is a scent to live up too! Shop Now - Ricardo Ramos - Zambra (Edt) 100ml - £130 'Zambra' is inspired by Flamenco which I love, so I was halfway there before I inhaled! However the scent lived up to the challenge and has a throbbing heartbeat of amber, chypre and vetiver crowned with a flourish of bergamot, lemongrass, citronella and basil. Shop Now - Ricardo Ramos - La Aurora (EdP) 100ml - £130 LaAurora is dedicated to the scent of incense exuded by the Easter Procession in Granada. I adore incense so this was a early favourite and here it is teamed with two of my favourite ingredients, the wonderfully green violet leaf and zesty bergamot. Add a dash of gurjun balsam, rose and cedar and we have a very sophisticated ambery oriental that lasts the distance. Shop Now - Ricardo Ramos - Matcha Nono (EdP) 100ml - £130 'Matcha Nono' is the perfect spring scent as its lead note is almond blossom which is light, creamy and full of sunshine. It is also a  very interesting cultural melting pot, with Japanese Matcha tea, yuzu and cherry blossom, a touch of Baklava from Turkey (which conjures the Pio Nono pastry of Granada) and finally a delicious combination of cinnamon, white chocolate and pistacio. Gourmand fragrances often leave me cold however this is absolutely glorious and moreish - once you smell it you will be hopelessly addicted like me! Shop Now - Ricardo Ramos - La Lindosa (EdP) 100ml - £130 Finally there is 'La Lindosa' named after the mountain range of La Lindosa at the door of the Colombian Amazon jungle, where the oldest cave paintings of the Americas are found, this fragrance pays homage to the pre-Columbian olfactory legacy by representing its ancient heritage with a formulation inspired by fragrant offerings to the ancient gods expressed with fruits and aromatic resins. If you are going on holiday I thoroughly recommend taking this with you as the combination of passion fruit, coconut, copahu balm and jasmine are gently exotic and will create a scent memory that will last forever! The bottles are stunning too - a reproduction of an original design for the 1930's. Packaging is sustainable and handcrafted in collaboration the the Spanish Downs Syndrome Association. I shall be bringing more of Ricardo's work to RW later in the year as I am absolutely smitten!! Shop Now - AMAI Jewellery Collection - From £33.50 I mentioned jeweller Katie Egan last year as she is one of the most talented designers that I have ever worked with. Her signature clean lines and architectural aesthetic make for a collection that is beyond fashion fads. This is timeless beauty that will look contemporary in 50 years time but also respects its heritage with a touch of thirties chic and 60's glamour thrown in. Take Katie's large, silver, ball-charm hoops - these can be worn plain or a large silver ball can be added to make more of a statement. This is clever and practical - hoops for the day and add the ball for the evening - they dress up or down well too so look great with jeans and a white shirt or a little black dress. The 'Line' ring is a gorgeous design - very chic and understated -  and I just love the 'hook and eye' bangle, again the simplicity is the key to its classic beauty. The piece de resistance for me are the 'abstract' earrings and matching bangle. These earrings conjure the supermodel Iman (Mrs David Bowie) and will elongate the neck - showstoppers! This collection is made entirely from recycled gold and silver! Shop Now - Women's Merino Wool Socks - £10 Shop Now - Women's Wool Slippers - £36.95 As the weather seems to be getting colder I have brought in some light merino socks for women. One size fits all and we have some beautiful colours including magenta, burnt orange and golden yellow that add panache to jeans and dark trousers. I am also very pleased with our ' cerise' slippers from Denmark - these are fair trade and handmade in Nepal. Fantastically comfortable, easy to to slip on and, to my knowledge, the only slipper that will go in the washing machine! I chose this colour so that they are easy to spot - dark slippers have a habit of blending into the background! Shop Now - Conical Bowls - From £26 A finally, a happy ending! The lovely Lene and I found the most incredible pottery in Aix en Provence and fell in love with a collection of hand-made, conical bowls with a rich, coloured glaze interior and a black exterior. The shape, the colours and the obvious talent of the potters make them irresistible. However having waited for 2 months for them to be made, they began what can hardly be described as a hazardous journey to East Dulwich. Three weeks ago I received an email to say that the entire collection had been lost between Paris and London and so the potters would have to start again!  Fortunately the bowls were found this week in  a warehouse in Burgundy so someone has a very poor sense of direction and took a left turn far too soon! The good news it that they were worth the wait and the lovely Lene has just popped them in the window - we have had three sales in 15 mins which is most gratifying! The only downside is that I don't think my nerves will stand a repeat order! The Good Doctor is meeting my best friend for the first time this evening at 'The Babur' - an outstanding Indian restaurant with a vegan menu which is just down the road in Honor Oak. Fingers crossed! Have a lovely w/e and let's hope that the sunshine stays with us - it's great gardening weather! Very best wishes, Michaelx