Notes on Accords: Liberty LBTY. Fragrance’s Liberty Maze
Step into the botanical maze and discover the craft behind this dreamy, print-inspired fragrance
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Notes on Accords: Liberty LBTY. Fragrance’s Liberty Maze
Step into the botanical maze and discover the craft behind this dreamy, print-inspired fragrance
Imagine you’re in an enormous garden. One that’s elegantly designed, but not austere (here, creativity trumps order). It’s the kind of garden you could get lost in, spending an entire day exploring pockets of foliage and discovering different plants. The sound of running water burbles in the background as you wander through the bushes and trees, and the sky is bright and blue overhead.
This is the feeling of Liberty LBTY.’s Liberty Maze fragrance (£225 for 100ml), a crisp and tranquil citrus scent inspired by the archival Liberty print of the same name. Designed in 1976, the Liberty Maze print features an upward trail of leafy branches, upon which hang clusters of blossom and citrus fruits. Look closely and you’ll see butterflies flitting amongst the leaves.
As with any great design, the translation from print to perfume seems effortless. It’s easy to assume you just distil the essence of these natural ingredients, and mix them into a formula. In fact, getting the balance right relies on craft, expertise, and meticulous attention to detail. That’s the mastery of perfumers like Gabriela Chelariu, whose expert nose is responsible for the Liberty Maze scent. They take the complex science of perfume, and create something that seems like it was born from Mother Nature herself.
Here we learn more about the notes Gabriela used to transform this archival Liberty print from fabric to fragrance.
“I have always been fascinated by the imperfect beauty of English gardens, and so I wanted to evoke this with wild blooms like Primrose and Hawthorn along with woods for a bit of an edge."
The Foundation
Like in a garden, the design of this fragrance is grounded by trees. In Liberty Maze, we encounter imaginary Dreamwood (similar to sandalwood), a creamy, dry scent, silver birch, with its oaky, vanilla notes, and finally hawthorn, whose fragrant blossom explodes across its branches in spring, attracting a horde of birds and bugs.
The Heart
At the centre of the maze, we meet three different floral notes. First, primrose, a flower associated with youth, beauty and renewal. Next, the woody jasmine flower, renowned for its delicate, powdery scent and star-shaped blooms. Finally the warm, unctuous scent of honeysuckle, which completes this hypnotic trio.
The Flourish
The perfect way to relax after a day in the garden? A cup of aromatic tea, sipped from a porcelain cup as you look out over the maze of plants. “This fragrance was inspired by English traditions and features a note of Earl Grey Tea, which is surrounded by contrasting notes of florals and citrus – making the scent crisp and clean, yet with warmth from the tea,” explains Gabriela.
You’ll also encounter neroli, which is the scent of the flowers from the bitter orange tree. Imagine their smell wafting across the garden as you sip your steaming cup of tea.
Visit The Fragrance Lounge on the Lower Ground Floor at Liberty London to learn more about the Liberty LBTY. collection. You can also book an appointment with our Fragrance Concierge to discover your perfect scent.
