Philosophy

  Hathi is the Hindi word for elephant and Lord Ganesha is elephant headed god in the Hindu pantheon, considered the Lord of Hosts and master of all manifested beings. He is also considered to be the remover of obstacles, master of kundalini, bringer of luck and the lord of new beginnings. Ganesha is one of the most important deities in Hinduism.

 Ancient Sanskrit texts laid down the concept of sola singar, the sixteen items with which every woman should adorn herself. Perfumes are considered to be one of the sixteen, along with the bindi, sandal paste, henna, and toe rings. In Hinduism perfumes engage the sense of smell in pursuit of a higher pleasure and are particularly useful in invoking a particular mood.

 The Arabic perfume tradition also goes back thousands of years. The Arabs were master alchemists and invented the process of steam distillation. Islam forbids the use of alcohol, so Arab fragrances are traditionally oil based, or Attars. Hathi perfumes contain many traditional Arabic ingredients like Agar wood (oud), and wood resins.  Attars are made in all parts of the Islamic world, including North Africa, India, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. You can find these in just about every Bazaar in the Muslim world. Most attars are unisex.


  Hathi Perfumes combine ancient Hindu and Arabic traditions with modern French perfumery. All our fragrances are made in small batches. Our essential oils are from from small suppliers in Northern India, who supply hard to source ingredients like Indian sandalwood, saffron, and oud oils. We also create our own tinctures from rare resins and woods to use in our fragrances. These eastern ingredients are combined with materials more common to the modern French style of perfumery.

 There is no greater luxury in perfumery than a bespoke scent. Tailor made by perfumer David Valdez, your bespoke fragrance will be your most treasured accessory. Make an appointment to visit the Hathi fragrance lab and create your own signature fragrance. The creative process begins with a personal consultation and you will leave with your own one of a kind personal fragrance.