Monravel, and its healing powers, debuts at Bon Marché

No one loves creating a clever and classy new brand more than the French, and a fresh marque that seems destined to attract attention is Monravel.

 
Created by a French duo named Constance and Marguerite Monravel, this novel brand is all about the olfactive universe of plants and how scents can evoke memories and emotions to holistically make us all feel better.
 
If that sounds far-fetched, then you haven’t smelled one of Monravel’s six scents which debut commercially this weekend on the ground floor of Paris’ toniest department store, Au Bon Marché.

Their first inspirations have been crafted into six all-black glass candles with names like Citrus Maxima, which riffs on the lush Mediterranean gardens at Cap Martin; or Ode au Cyprès, which evokes sun drenched Etruscan cypress gardens.
 
Each carries a tag line that reads: “Parfums et Remèdes” meaning perfumes and remedies, suggesting the healing power of nature.

 
Turns out that the family have deep roots in that area, seeing as a venerable relative, Louis de Monravel, was a famous 19th century botanist. Copies of his original manuscripts with gently pressed and preserved leaves, sit proudly beside a display of the candles in their 6th arrondissement apartment: a home that dates from before Louis XIV.
 
“We want to build a fragrance house inspired by the power of nature, and rooted in my ancestor’s botanical heritage,” explains Constance, a graduate of Bocconi and Harvard University, with a long career in international hospitality.

Marguerite, a pharmacist who enjoys cultivating her own garden in Brittany, adds: “From my botanical journeys and study of herbal medicines and botany I am convinced plants have a certain restorative power.”
 
Each candle- with other names like Sancta Myrrha, formulated from myrrh to sooth the nerves, and Eclat du Kerla, which plays on the harmony of Ayurvedic rituals- is priced at €95, including a glass top.
 
The initial offering also includes a very unusual white chalk-rock set, with both stone and scent, costing €70. The gradual use of weeks of scent imparts a hyper lasting fragrance into the rock.
 
The next step in their plan is to create a fully-fledged perfume for the body. For now, as of October 15 one can buy a Monravel candle online or pick one up this weekend at Au Bon Marché.
 
When it comes to luxury, the French never stop coming up with smart ideas.