You can’t fake passion. Passion is something that comes from deep inside you and surrounds you and those you touch. Shalini Kumar, better known as “Shalini,” is passion personified. From her early days in Bombay, to her childhood spent in exotic locations like Seville, Dubai and Provence, her passion for fragrance developed through the scented memories of these extraordinary settings. But while her passion to create perfume was yet to be imagined, Shalini was working on her passion for fashion; first creating for Valentino Couture and then creating her own haute couture line of clothing and jewelry aptly named Shalini Couture.
It was through happenstance that Shalini’s passion for perfume came to fruition. In 2001, a friend’s introduction to Master Perfumer Maurice Roucel was serendipity. The two had an immediate connection. It was at their first meeting that they had a discussion about Shalini’s favorite flower, tuberose. She said that she wanted a perfume that reminded her of her childhood memories of moonlit nights filled with rapturous tuberose and intoxicating orange blossom. That meeting led to their collaboration in creating the very first Shalini perfume, simply titled “Shalini.”
Shalini Parfum Lalique Flacon
Since Shalini Parfum debuted in 2004, Shalini and Maurice’s collaboration has been a continued passion project. In total, they have created 6 perfumes, the latest being Vanilla Rêve which takes the wearer to the tropical islands of the South Seas. Each of Shalini’s perfumes seems to take the wearer on an olfactory journey to an exotic location that stems from those wonderful memories captured from Shalini’s childhood.
All Shalini perfumes are pure parfum in concentration, as such, they’re an extension of her haute couture fashion collection using only the finest of ingredients and are created using the principals of classical French perfumery. Thankfully for us, Shalini’s passion has graced the world with an exquisite collection of the finest perfumes. I can only wonder where Shalini and Maurice will take us next.
So, let’s find out what else Shalini is passionate about:
- I am a hoarder when it comes to… owning multiple bottles of …Bordeaux!
- If I could have one superpower, it would be… gardening – my personal olive grove and a vineyard.
- In 10 years, I see myself …living by the sea painting and writing, growing olives trees and lavender.
- I am most grateful for… all the people whom I love.
- The most beautiful sight in the world is… a Provençal scene, any town, any street, any garden…
- If I had my way, I wish that perfumers/brands would…use more naturals.
- A guilty pleasure of mine is …reading by the Mediterranean with a glass of cold rosé under the heat of the Riviera sun.
- My favorite way to relax is… writing in a café in the morning with a steaming cappuccino.
- My favorite holiday is …by the sea, any sea.
- My taste in music leans towards…classical – Chopin, Debussy, Satie nocturnes…
Thanks to Shalini for sharing her passion with The Scented Hound. You can go to the Shalini Parfum website for more information about these extraordinary perfumes:
The Scented Hound Shalini Parfum reviews:
WHAT I SMELL: Delina La Rosée opens with a bright and luscious combo of lychee and pear. The fruit is ripe and not overly sweet, but incredibly juicy as if it’s dripping all of its harvested goodness while being drenched in sparkling water. Bergamot begins to enter which leads the perfume down the pathway away from the fruit and to the floral. As the florals begin to enter the room, a soft and lightly sweetened peony makes the first impression followed by a dry and somewhat chalky rose. But as this transition takes place, the fruits of the opening begin to pop up as if they’re trying to take center stage again. Here the perfume bounces in a lilting manner between the fruit and flowers. The perfume is lightly sugared, pretty and nicely airy so that the sweetness doesn’t become anything but pleasant. At this point the perfume is just so wonderfully enticing as it dances lightly on the skin. At times the perfume glides into a pink bubblegum aura, but it’s just little puffs of candied goodness that grace the perfume from time to time. In the end, Delina La Rosée settles to a comforting combination of the fruity and floral while sitting on a bed of quiet wood and musk.
Top notes: Lychee, Pear, Bergamot Essence
WHAT I SMELL: 24K opens with a warm, soft and tender rose that moves towards a lightly spiced tuberose and jasmine. The perfume buzzes with muted ambered florals that seems to become warmer on the skin with each inviting inhale. As the perfume continues to develop, it becomes more rounded and the florals seamlessly meld into one beautiful fragrant bouquet. At this point the perfume slows it’s progression and it radiates floral energy with a warmth and pulsing force that’s completely mesmerizing. There’s something nostalgic about 24K that takes me back to a bygone era of the 1980s and 1990s. But don’t get me wrong, the perfume doesn’t feel vintage or old fashioned in the least. In fact, it makes me yearn for some of those forgotten floral beauties of the past that you couldn’t help but notice.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: “Dynasty-lite”. The perfume carries all the quintessential aspects of the 1980s; big, bold, large and in command. But instead of being over-the-top and in your face, 24K remains perfectly muted.
The Scented Hound 