To me, the rose is almost not a Cartier flower. It’s too classic, too romantic, too mawkish, too much of a cliché or too commonplace. The flower has always been a symbol of femininity and that bores me. It makes me sad because there are countries where men wear roses, and it represents masculinity and virility. In the end, I said to myself that I could twist it to really show off its beauty.
— Perfumer Mathilde Laurent talks to Prestige about Cartier's new rose trio. Read more in Perfumer Mathilde Laurent on Cartier’s new “I Only Love Wild Roses” range of haute parfumerie.
I initially resisted the idea of having roses in my garden for reasons similar to those expressed here. I thought they were overrated. Then I caved a planted a couple of roses, then a few more, then more, and so on. I rather like that roses are considered a symbol of femininity, because I have learned that despite their fragile, delicate image in many people’s minds, they are actually quite tough and resilient, at least if you get the right types of roses. After all, we are talking about a plant that is covered in thorns–how delicate and fragile can that be? I avoid Hybrid Teas, which I refer to as diva roses. Antique roses are tough as nails, and able to survive even total neglect. They are frequently found growing happily at abandoned home sites, often in situations where the house itself has long since fallen down and rotted away, while the rose continues to grow and bloom without any human intervention whatsoever, a hundred years or more since it was first planted. So the symbol of femininity is a flower that is beautiful and elegant, but also tough as nails and able to endure, and even thrive, in the face of hardship? Yes please.
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Robin, the link to the article actually goes to the NST announcement of the Cartier rose trio. Sorry to point it out days later, but I’m almost always behind on this kind of reading.
Ack, so sorry! Fixed.
Thanks!