A Peek Inside a Mecca Fragrance Buyer’s Collection

There are two types of people in the fragrance world: those who commit to the single signature scent, and those who believe in the freedom of the fragrance wardrobe. Both have their merits, but it’s the latter that Sharon Neale, MECCA’s Head of Fragrance, Hair and Body, firmly identifies with – favouring a curation of scents that serve to elevate different occasions, moods, seasons, or times of the day (and night).

Having worked alongside some of the biggest fragrance houses in the world – immersing herself in their rich history and learning first-hand about the granular considerations that go into developing scents – it was only to be expected that Neale became a self-professed ‘fragrance fanatic’.

All that considered, it comes as no surprise to hear her wax poetic about the transportive power of scent: “One of the things I love most about fragrance is how it’s so transformative and can take you to a place, a memory or a feeling,” she tells us.

It makes sense, then, that she won’t limit herself to a solo scent; sure, she has her staples – “My usual scent is generally a fresh and bright fragrance – I love scents that lift my mood as soon as I spritz” – but she doesn’t get into the habit of playing favourites.

“Francis Kurkdjian embodies the connection between fragrance and fashion – he originally trained as a [fashion] couturier before moving into some of the world’s biggest fragrances houses as a nose. This scent has a ‘sister’ fragrance too, Gentle Fluidity Gold EDP; both have the same notes and ingredients, but slightly different formulations, which lead to two totally different scent profiles. We often recommend this pairing to couples as they complement each other perfectly!”

“D.S. & DURGA epitomises the modern immersive approach to fragrance, combining incredible scent profiles and musical inspiration. Absolute perfection! Debaser is an endlessly optimistic combination of green leaves, fig and white musk. This fragrance always makes me smile when I wear it.”

“Molecule 01 is the ultimate beauty experiment. This fragrance – founded by the genius that is Geza Schon – has just one ingredient: the aroma molecule Iso E Super. This fragrance responds to your own skin scent, meaning that you yourself cannot smell it – but to others, it’s irresistible! It also acts as the perfect layering fragrance [with other scents], meaning you can mix up your style by using this as a base.”