I would like this fragrance to be a humble tribute to Chittagong in summer not a literal reconstruction but a memory of how the city feels when heat, humidity, greenery and the sea somehow exist together.
It begins with the feeling of warm air meeting a breeze from the Bay of Bengal. Hathkora brings that unmistakable regional citrus character bright, slightly bitter and full of life softened by juicy melon and pear. I don’t want the opening to feel conventionally “fresh.” There should be moisture in it almost the sensation of freshly cut fruit eaten outdoors while the salty air keeps moving around you.
A very delicate marine accord of beach, rather than smelling overtly aquatic. Beneath it, imagine a soft, clean, almost laundered quality the familiarity of a freshly washed linen shirt slowly warming against the skin.
As the fragrance settles, the city begins to appear. Crushed lavender, green aromatic notes, pear and gentle white flowers bring the feeling of vegetation flourishing in the humid climate. A restrained touch of oud gives it roots and quietly places the composition in South Asia. It should never dominate; it is there almost like a shadow, giving character and soul to the freshness.
The base becomes warmer and more human. Earthy vetiver, soft musk and frankincense mingle with a subtle salty amber. The frankincense should feel distant and slightly smoky—almost like catching the faint aroma of something burning or being grilled somewhere down the street as evening approaches.
Ultimately, I don't want Chittagong Summer to smell like an idealised tropical holiday. I want it to feel lived in.
Humid skin. Fresh fruit being chopped. Green leaves under a fierce sun. A linen shirt clinging slightly to the body. The distant sea. Smoke somewhere in the air. And then, unexpectedly, a warm breeze arriving from the water.
It is fresh, but not sterile. Fruity but not gourmand. Marine but not conventionally blue. A little salty, a little earthy, a little sweaty and very much alive.
More than anything, I would be grateful if the fragrance could carry a small piece of that feeling the imperfect beauty of a Chittagong summer, remembered through scent.
