The Orient has been seen in the West throughout history as a place of mystery, shrewdness, sensuality, barbarity and in general, the unknown and inscrutable.
Inspired by the early 20th century artistic figures of Serge Diaghilev and Paul Poiret, with her story-telling, State of Mind creator Catherine Laskine- Balandina has aimed to write a new page in the vision of the Orient and highlight the nobility of this mindset with the new Oriental Opulence fragrance.
She has cast her mind back to the lavish ballet production staged by Serge Diaghilev at the Châtelet Theatre in Paris of Sheherazade with music composed by Rimsky-Korsakov, choreography by Michel Fokine, sets and costumes designed by Léon Bakst and starring the dancers Ida Rubinstein and Vaclav Nijinsky. The Parisian audience discovered there, in May 1909, with the first season of the Ballets Russes in France, the Orient that its painters and poets had never dreamed of.
The revolution was underway with bursts of bright colours, jerky movements and the rehabilitation of male dance. Fabrics were intricate and richly embroidered and music was both languid and frenetic, In Diaghilev’s vision, his creation was a “painting in motion” and “an orgy of shapes and colours”, where the pictorial work played a crucial role in relation to music and the actors. Luxurious oriental opulence met Eastern sensuality in this production, with these features now reflected in the Oriental Opulence fragrance by State of Mind.
The Oriental way of life is based on sweetening existence, whether it is tea with sugar, words with compliments, a narrative with a myth and a fragrance with a rose – even though the rose is not enough and a unique and rare rose never before used in a perfume must be added: the Rose of Jericho. It is this rose that will make Oriental Opulence legendary. Also called the Tree of Miriam or the Rose of Mary, it is a desert plant that indicates water and symbolizes life and fertility.
The long-lasting woody amber fragrance reveals the Rose of Taif, the Rose of Jericho, the Rose of Damas and Saffron. The fragrance is enhanced by the top notes of Prickly Pear, Bergamot Davana and Ceylon Tea. Akigalawood, Oud and Patchouli as the base notes emphasize its intoxicating side and add a touch of mystery.
Accompanying the fragrance, there is also the scented tea, a Luxurious version of Earl Grey tea with Saffron and Bergamot. The most popular tea in the Middle East is Ceylon Tea with big leaves, offering a round and highly floral infusion that stands out as one of the finest teas from the Nuwara Eliya district in Sri Lanka. What makes it unique is its infusion with Saffron and Bergamot, adding a distinctive touch to this exceptional tea.
The illustration for Oriental Opulence was created by Korean illustrator Kasiq Jungwoo Lee, who has accurately conveyed the richness of the costumes and decors, the intensity of passion and the fragrance itself. The elegant triangular 100 ml bottle with a refined Art Deco pattern is screwable and refillable, making it ultra-modern in its attention to sustainability.
Article published at EXPORT Magazine Fall 2025 by Claudia Stagno
