ABU DHABI, (Pakistan Point News - 25th Nov, 2018) "Sheikh Zayed will always remain in my memory. Two things about him have always stayed with me: his love of beauty, which was a driving force in his life, thanks to which magnificent cities have emerged from the desert, and his great generosity, which was reflected in every of his requests. He loved so many different perfumes, gifted a lot and took great pleasure in those around him sharing his passion."
These are the words of Henry Jacques, the founder of 'Henry Jacques' perfumes, remembering and embracing the relationship he had with the UAE's Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was a passionate customer of his perfumes, many of which were specially customised.
On Saturday night, the 'EU-UAE: Sheikh Zayed & Europe' exhibition opened at the Founder's Memorial in Abu Dhabi, showcasing a variety of European-made products purchased by Sheikh Zayed, including 'Henry Jacques' perfumes, along with an archive of his pictures and videos during his trips to Europe. By holding this exhibition, the European Union Delegation to the UAE, wants to celebrate the relationship Sheikh Zayed had with Europe.
The premium French perfume brand was established in 1975, and this year it opened its first branch in the UAE, at Dubai Mall.
The founder of the brand, Henry Jacques himself, spoke to Emirates news Agency, WAM, about his story with Sheikh Zayed, including his favorite ingredients, and the perfumes his family business, currently run by his daughter, Anne-Lise, has specially produced in memory of the Founding Father.
"We were very impressed with how passionate and knowledgeable he was about perfume; the diversity of his requests proves it," he said.
"Sheikh Zayed used our perfumes a lot and loved to gift them as well. One of his favourite ingredients was Safran, it certainly had an emotional and cultural resonance for him. We also worked with him on the most beautiful traditional Oud perfumes, with of course, our French touch. These creations were beautiful encounters of Emirati and French cultures, and it was a real honour for me to be involved in such works."
But when did the relationship start, and when did it intensify? Henry Jacques answers, "As often with important personalities, it is often difficult to tell when the relationship started, because we do not always know exactly whom we are making our perfumes for. In such situations, we never ask questions. Those close to the person in question contact us, and we guess, but do not know for sure whom we are serving."
He continues, "Because of protocol restraints, collections were always sent to the palace and it is in four last years of Sheikh Zayed’s life that the relationship intensified. The years afterwards, my daughter Anne-Lise had a more regular and personal relationship with the family.
"Up until very recently, we had never mentioned this beautiful story to the public, as discretion is part of our culture. Now that it has been revealed to the world, we do so with great honour and pleasure."
The French perfumer says that as his company opened its first UAE-based branch, it wanted to remember Sheikh Zayed by producing a dedicated collection named after him, 'Sheikh Zayed Homage'.
"There is not only one, but five perfumes: White Safran, Dar Zayed, Princess of the Night, Abu Dhabi and An Evening in Taif. They are part of our Sheikh Zayed Homage collection, that we present exclusively in our newly opened boutique at Dubai Mall," he said.
"I think that each of these delicate and noble fragrances represent a part of Sheikh Zayed’s personality and it truly delights me that a lucky few will be able to remember him through them."
