How

How
would you describe the fragrance of Greece? To our mind,
it’s notes of sweet honey, jasmine-scented sea breezes and wild
herbs, all laced with fresh fig and zesty citrus. A Greek island
that has always moved to its own sensory beat, Hydra has long lured
artists and musicians with its intoxicating blend of salty air,
floral excess and the reassuring clip-clop of donkeys’ hooves and
the gentle rhythm of lapping waves. Among them is French perfumer
Emilie Bouge, who was drawn to the island’s wild beauty as the
inspiration for her latest fragrance with couture British fragrance
house Miller Harris.

Photo credit: Louis AW Sheridan

An ode to the island’s enchanting nature and free spirit,
Hydra Figue by
Miller Harris combines fig, sea salt, Greek saffron and upcycled
oakwood to encapsulate Hydriot slow living at its finest. Opening
with fresh citrus notes of cedrat and lemon, the fragrance is
intended to transport you straight to the island, glass of ouzo in
hand. Just breathe in its scent and you’ll be lifted across to the
fresh fig trees of Hydra, before an afternoon breeze lands you
gently into the salty azure waves of the Aegean.

Ready to be whisked away? Apply a liberal spritz of Miller
Harris’ Hydra Figue and plan a summer escape to the bohemian island
paradise with our tips on what not to miss.

Three reasons why we love Hydra

Bountiful natural beauty

Framing natural botanical ingredients with bold colour has
always been part of Miller Harris’ creative process, so it’s no
surprise that Hydra’s natural splendour and rainbow-like palette
was the perfect canvas for the perfumer’s latest fragrance.

To experience the island’s multi-hued beauty up close, begin by
meandering between the centuries-old whitewashed houses that line
its cobbled streets, pausing to appreciate the shocking pink
bougainvillaeas that bloom above blue-painted doorways as you
go.

After a restorative night’s sleep, wake at sunrise and watch as
the waves shimmer like azure sequins in the morning light. Whether
you visit in April or October, you’ll find the waters that lap
Hydra’s shores sparkle in a particular Pantone shade of blue that’s
only ever seen on the Greek isles. Grab a warm pastry from a
seafront bakery, then scramble down to a rocky cove for a
refreshing dip.

Photo credit: Louis AW Sheridan

Artistic inspiration

Creativity is the bedrock of all Miller Harris formulations, and
is also evident in the perfumer’s forward-looking approach to
sustainability. Through its use of upcycled materials (such as
oakwood harvested from pre-used wine barrels) and ingredients
(including hydrolat sage, a byproduct of sage oil extraction), the
house makes every effort to minimise its impact on the planet.

Yet long before the perfumers of Miller Harris ever set eyes on
Hydra, there was another Miller finding quiet inspiration on the
island. American novelist Henry Miller, who described Hydra’s
beauty as “wild and naked perfection”, lived on the Greek isle in
the 30s, alongside many other writers who flocked here in search of
creative refuge.

Since then, artists including Allen Ginsberg, Leonard Cohen and
John Lennon have all retreated to Hydra’s timeless shores for
inspiration. Fancy walking in Cohen’s footsteps? To visit his
former home, climb the steep steps that lead away from the centre
of town until you reach the Four Corners grocery shop, then turn
right. Look ahead and you’ll find the musician’s former front door,
replete with a fittingly artistic door-knocker in the shape of a
hand.

Photo credit: Louise AW Sheridan

The slow life

Hydra is a car-free island – a move that seems to have suspended
the pocket of land in time and sees it standing in beautiful
defiance against the frenetic pace of our modern world. As a
result, slow living is what it’s all about. There’s no rush hour;
only the call of church bells and the gentle daily chorus of
fishing boats as they chug their way into the harbour after a day
at sea.

Just like the perfumers of Miller Harris, who seek beauty in the
everyday, the people of Hydra find inspiration in the leisurely
rhythm of daily ritual. Join them in the slow lane by taking a long
lazy walk along the seafront, before dropping into a taverna to
savour a well-oiled lunch. Come sunset, amble through the island’s
rugged hills, stopping to pick saffron, mountain thyme and oregano
to enhance a home-cooked Hydriot dinner.