Scent And Sensibility
Top fashion designer Georgio Armani has fallen foul of the authorities in the Spanish city of Granada.
He’s named a new perfume Alhambra without authorisation to use the trademarked name of Granada’s world famous Moorish palace and fortress.
Once the residence of the Muslim rulers of Granada and their court, the Alhambra is now one of Spain’s most popular tourist attractions. It’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site and, since 2001, commercial use of the world Alhambra has been restricted.
The trustees of the monument have approached the Armani fashion house for an explanation and could pursue legal action if a deal’s not reached.
Armani has called his fragrance ‘Oranger Alhambra’ and says it’s a homage to the gardens of the palace in Granada. The Armani blurb waxes lyrical: “White arrow-shaped blooms of jasmine and tender garlands of roses find shelter in the shade of the sweet-smelling foliage of orange trees, only spindly-leaved rosemary and the hardy stems of marjoram turn and face the baking sun.”
The top people in Granada have no problems with such approbation – they just wished he’d asked first.
It’s not all pain in Spain for Armani, however. He’s designed an outfit for one of the country’s top bullfighters, Cayetano Rivera. It’s a dazzling satin creation in grey and beige with a full-length scarlet velvet cape and silver thread and some Swarovski crystals here and there.
Rivera will wear it at Spain’s fiesta, the Corrida Goyesca, at Ronda in the south of the country, on September 6.
by Andy Moreton
Luxique can offer an unrivalled selection of luxury and boutique hotels in Spain, including the faux-Moorish Alhambra Palace in Granada and three distinctive hotels in beautiful surroundings around Ronda.
