Power to the flower

By Gianna G. Maniego

In an ordinary world, boys and flowers don’t usually mix.

But in a world where strength is found in the graceful stem of a tulip, and endurance is gleaned in the subtle lines of a sake bottle, the mingling of men and flowers is a marriage of power.

Such is the premise of Kenzo Power, the latest institutional fragrance for men offered by the world-famous Kenzo Parfums.

“We are not talking of the Western concept of power, but the Japanese concept of inner strength,” says Sebastien Morin, area manager for Southeast Asia and India of Kenzo Parfums, explaining the philosophy behind the new perfume.

Kenzo Power is simple, subtle, and surprisingly long lasting. Olivier Polge created the fragrance from a floral blend of jasmine, freesia and rose, overlaying it with bergamot, coriander, cardamom, tolu balm, cedar wood and labdanum to make it more masculine. The result is a spicy scent, with a delicate floral note that is “not quite there,” a scent inspired not by a specific flower but by a “certain florality.”

The packaging itself reflects the minimalist sophistication of the fragrance.

The fragrance is encased in a silver flask of mirrored metal designed by renowned Japanese artist, Kenya Hara.

Hara, a cult figure among graphic designers, patterned it after a bottle he made earlier for Masuichi Ichimura brewery’s Hakkin sake. The flacon betrays the designer’s love of space and captures the authenticity and poetry of minimalism.

“There is luxury in minimalism. Minimalism highlights the sensitivity of a man and reflects his inner strength,” explains Morin.

A growing trend

It was a bold decision to use the company’s success in floral fragrances and parlay it into a new fragrance line for the discerning masculine market, but Morin says it was a calculated risk.

“We wanted to create a fragrance for men that would become an institution and we have been successful in using flowers in our creations—both in fragrances as well as in fashion—so we decided to take the risk.

“Besides, florals are not absolutely out of the market. It’s a growing trend. Of course, we made sure our fragrance doesn’t smell like a female fragrance. That’s why we used a floral abstract instead of a specific flower to make it acceptable [as a masculine fragrance].”

Kenzo Parfums debuted in Europe and the United States last year and is currently being introduced in the Asian market. In the Philippines, it is exclusively distributed by Rustan Marketing Corp. and available in all leading department stores nationwide.

Kenzo Power eau de toilette is available in 60 ml and 125 ml bottles and, as a nod to Hara’s original sake bottle, a 750 ml bottle. There is also a 125 ml after-shave natural spray.