widian
Luxurious perfumes that celebrate the meeting of East and West
We are proud to present Widian - one of the world's most exclusive Arabian perfume houses, whose ambition is to combine the modern perfume language of the West with traditional oriental culture and olfactory craftsmanship rooted in Abu Dhabi. Join the journey.
Abu Dhabi symbolises the cultural centre of the UAE, where the traditional culture and crafts of the Arab world live in symbiosis with the modern international trends of the West. It is a metropolis where East meets West, present meets past. This crossover is also reflected in the philosophy that characterises the local perfume house Widian (formerly AJ Arabia), founded by perfume creator and entrepreneur Ali Aljaberi in collaboration with French perfumer Jean-Claude Astier and with the help of fragrance designers such as Jordi Fernandéz. Ali Aljiberi began experimenting early on with creating fragrances for his own use, until after four years of hard work and research he decided to launch his own brand - AJ Arabia - with the aim of creating perfumes based on his own personal experiences, manifested in different ways in thematically organised fragrance series.
The first fragrance was launched in 2014, but a couple of years later it was decided to change the name, as Aljiberi wanted a more commercially appealing name that still kept its roots in the local language tradition, and Widian was born. The result is a fragrance brand where French and international influences are clearly visible as an important ingredient, but never without losing the unique Arabian flavour. The oriental is there as a common thread through all the collections, which in various forms take us on journeys along the Silk Road - the ancient trade route leading from the exotic Orient and its mystery to the urban modern culture of the West.
Widian may be a Franco-Oriental eclectic creation, but for Aljiberi, the oriental base of the brand's character is a central component and the house's design and presentations are definitely rooted in the East, borrowing its decorative language from the beautiful architecture and aesthetics of Arabia - the elegant bottles, for example, are inspired by the iconic Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. But Widian's creations are not just a geographical walk, but also an olfactory journey through time and space, between old and new, and an ambition to transcend barriers between people, whether cultural or gender. "If you like it, wear it" is the motto. In other words - if you like a scent, it's yours, whether you're a man or a woman.
THE VARIOUS COLLECTIONS
Widian's Franco-Oriental perfumes thus blend the exotic scents and traditional culture of the Arab region with floral and fruity aromas from around the world, and are divided into different collections.
The Black Collection - numbered I-V - is the series that summarises the whole idea of Widian's journey between East and West along the Silk Road, travelling westwards by following the sun. Each fragrance symbolises the aromatic equivalent of encounters, moments and memories along the journey.
The original Black I, like the majority of the Black Collection, differs from the rest of the house's range by playing on a more fresh and gentle - let's say pared-down - register, with discreet soft scents that can be worn by most people. The higher the number in the range, the generally warmer and fuller the personality of the perfumes. Among the more characterful but still fresh and summery is Black IV which takes us to the market in a southern French village, where we are greeted by baskets filled with fresh, ripe fruit and fragrant floral bouquets along with accents of leather, vanilla, musk and wood notes.
The Gold Collection's scents have much more intensity than the Black Collection with its hints of oud and amber and there is a spicier, rougher tone. The two fragrances in the series were originally numbered as in the Black Collection but changes have occurred since then; Widian Gold I was launched in 2016 but discontinued in 2018 and has now appeared in a special limited edition release under the name Al Wasl specially designed for the 2020 Expo international event in a beautiful golden glass bottle. The fragrance is a powerful oud-based composition with oriental, animalic elements. Gold II is now called more Gold II Sahara and has saffron, the precious exotic spice, as its main theme.
The Velvet Collection is a velvety and fruity floral aromatic range with distinct unisex tones. Named after the oasis of the same name, surrounded in the desert by date palms and Bedouin villages, Liwa brings together saffron, fruity sweetness and white flowers in a fresh but expressive compote. Named after Abu Dhabi's mysterious Bronze Age archaeological site, also known for its flower gardens, Hili's notes include bergamot, pink peppercorn and cinnamon, as well as jasmine, tuberose and white flowers. Sweetness comes from vanilla and coconut, but there are also woody notes and tobacco in the base.
With the Sapphire collection, an olfactory tribute to our most famous international cities, we have reached the West and the end of the journey. The beautiful blue bottles are a reference to the precious stone sapphire, alluding to exclusivity and luxury, and the bottles are also engraved in gold with the city in question. The Sapphire collection consists of two intense and characterful evening perfumes made for parties and special occasions; the London fragrance is dedicated to the English capital, which today is a bustling metropolis and a multicultural centre. The main impression of the perfume is smoky leather, reminiscent of the smoking rooms of English gentlemen's clubs with their Chesterfield sofas - the oriental element comes in the form of incense and tobacco with a certain lingering sweetness.
The world metropolis of New York is the theme of the next fragrance in the series, dedicated to its multicultural urban melting pot. Here, too, we find incense and tobacco in the blend but mixed with complex green notes from juniper, iris and lavender as well as sweetness from caramel and oriental chords from a sensual musk. There are references to the greenery of Central Park as well as to the world's collective aromatic influences and the decadent, neon-lit nightlife.
ROSE ARABIA BY WIDIAN
- A PERFUME RANGE WITH THE FOCUS ON THE ROSE
Widian's sister brand Rose Arabia is a range of cool, floral unisex perfumes that feature the rose as the main character in various forms and combinations. The collection - which actually counts as a separate brand - is presented in decorative exclusive glass bottles and the contents are characterised by summery floral elegance. In Rose Arabia Almond, the rose has been represented by the tuberose, what we often call night hyacinth, but here the focus is on the exotic almond, which with its woody dry sweetness and fresh top also makes it perfect for men to wear. Rose Arabia Taifi is a variation of the intensely fragrant Damascus rose, here supported by Bulgarian rose, orange and oud. Fresh as a garden in the summer shade is Arabia Rose Lily, where the rose is partnered with lily of the valley.
All in all, the fragrances in the Rose Arabia series are fresh but at the same time unexpectedly complex and, thanks to their well-balanced unique compositions, have an ability to appeal even to those who are otherwise not overly fond of floral notes - men and women alike. And thus, one might argue, good representatives of Widian's endeavour to challenge boundaries and break down cultural preconceptions.
