The aroma of scented candles and oils from Guli-designed ‘Collection of Wellbeing for Soul & Body’ that wafted through the air was soon taken over by the brand new fragrances ‘Victorious’ for men and ‘Mysterieuse’ for women that have been presented to the public for the first time. The Guli perfume is a truly oriental product, both in terms of content – bouquet – and shape.

The original design of the bottle features ornaments inspired by ancient traditional patterns that oriental applied art masters rely on while decorating their creations and that adorn architectural landmarks. Those gathered at Tashkent’s Ichan-Qala Hotel had the opportunity to see and to “hear” the new fragrance right after its presentation.

“Through ‘Mysterieuse’ fragrance I tried to convey the image of Gulnara, her femininity and sensuality,” said French perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour, the mastermind behind fragrances for brands such as Amouage, Comme des Garcons, Givenchy, and Christian Dior. “The women’s fragrance has notes of every flower that can be found in the orient. The primary flowers that went into it include the Moroccan and Turkish roses, notes of jasmine, ylang-ylang and other flower aromas. The men’s fragrance, Victorious, speaks for itself; it represents the image of a triumphant man. It’s filled with a harmony of contrasts. I am perhaps the first man in the history of perfumery who has tried to link France and Uzbekistan through perfume.”

Guli’s new jewelry collection went on display on the second floor, where the event continued and the brand’s Autumn-Winter 2012-2013 clothing collection was presented. The collection offered bold and unconventional design solutions, shapes and colors. The show included 23 women’s and 6 men’s looks created from natural fabrics.

In what came as a pleasant surprise, those gathered were treated to a premiere of the video ‘How Dare’, a single from Gulnara Karimova’s album ‘Googoosha’. The video was created last summer in various parts of Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan, and directed by Avi Cohen. “The song tells the story of two sides of one tormented person,” said Cohen, presenting the video. “Gulnara’s involvement in the video was key. She stepped in and performed with natural talent and elegance… The landscape of Uzbekistan provided us with an incredible canvas to paint,” he added.