SpeM PetraM Eau de Parfum

“Spem Petram, ” which translates to “Stone of Hope, ” is a deeply personal fragrance for Olivier Durbano, one that finds his religious, spiritual, and artistic impulses overlapping to create a deeply resonant, biblically-inspired (the capital M’s are a nod to Mary Magdalene, who in French religious lore lived out her life in the forests of Southern France) scent of dark wood, spicy resin, and incense. At its core is a unique ingredient oft-referenced in the good book- nard, an aromatic central Asian plant related to valerian root with a distinctively earthy, salty, mineralic quality. It’s the perfect bridge between the other ingredients- smoky olibanum, fiery cinnamon and saffron, sharp, bright fir, and rich woods, everything combining to build to an ecstatic crescendo tempered with an unexpectedly lush rose note. Together, it creates a powerful sense of exotic spirituality- potent, warm, and soothing, but with an otherworldly characteristic that never becomes overly familiar.