Roja Dove talks personal taste Part Two
The master perfumer ties up his list of likes with the Brighton Lanes, David Beckham and the Côte d’Azur
My style icon is David Beckham, not so much for the way he looks but because he has done more to free men from the shackles of stereotypical masculinity than almost anyone. He has made wearing fragrance not only acceptable but fashionable, something I didn’t think was possible when I was growing up.
Roja Dove’s emerald ring | Image: Brijesh Patel
The best gift I’ve given recently was a pair of gold cufflinks with a simple diamond in the centre of each side – a representation of Peter’s understated elegance. My friend, the jeweller Shaun Leane, designed and created them as part of his bespoke service, so they couldn’t be more personal. www.shaunleane.com.
And the best one I’ve received is a fantastic, classically cut emerald ring that my friend and colleague Dominic Venton tracked down for me in Colombia. He was so excited about it, he gave it to me mid-air on our way to New York.
David Beckham | Image: WireImage
An indulgence I would never forego is my Vispring bed because it makes me feel like a fledgling settling into a down-lined nest. When I travel, I always take two pillows, as the ones in hotels are never as I like them. www.vispring.co.uk.
La Colombe d’Or restaurant, Saint-Paul-de-Vence
The grooming staples I’m never without are my Roja Dove My Perfume, which I make myself and is the olfactory expression of everything I love, and Chanel skincare – I am currently using the Le Jour, La Nuit and Le Weekend collection. Chanel Le Jour/La Nuit, both £60 for 50ml, and Le Weekend, £72 for 50ml; www.chanel.com. Roja Dove My Perfume, £2,500 for 100ml; www.rojaparfums.com.
From left: Chanel Le Jour, £60 for 50ml; La Nuit, £60 for 50ml; Le Weekend, £72 for 50ml
My favourite room in my house is my bathroom in Brighton. I always shower when I am away, so I know I am truly home when I get into my own bath.
If I had to limit my shopping to one neighbourhood in one city, I’d choose The Lanes in Brighton. We are lucky to have so many privately owned shops in such a small area. My favourite food shop is a co-operative called Infinity, and Dockerills is the most wonderful locksmith and ironmonger’s of the type that is now almost extinct; the staff have the patience of saints. On Sundays, after the perfect vegetarian breakfast at Mange Tout Bistro, I like to slip into the South Lanes and while away a couple of hours looking at antique jewellery in Selby’s and Doyle’s. Dockerills, 3 Church Street (01273-607 434; www.dockerills.co.uk). Doyle’s Jewellers, 22 Meeting House Lane (01273-220 641; www.doylesinternationaljewellers.co.uk). Infinity Foods Co-operative, 25 North Road (01273-603 563; www.infinityfoodsretail.co.uk). Mange Tout Bistro, 81 Trafalgar Street (01273-607 270; www.mangetoutbrighton.co.uk). Selby the Jewellers, 25 Meeting House Lane (01273-778 737; www.selby-jewellers.co.uk).
The site that inspires me is King’s College, Cambridge, as seen from The Meadows. It sits in a rural idyll that has not changed for centuries and unites the present with the past – there’s an analogy to be drawn with perfumery. www.kings.cam.ac.uk.
If I didn’t live in Brighton and London, the town I would live in is Théoule sur Mer on the Côte d’Azur. I love the antiques market opposite the Palais des Festivals and the boulangerie Envie de Pains, where I always leave with delicious pastries and a big smile on my face, thanks to the boulangère Dominique, who dyes her hair the most astonishing colours. For dining, Cave de Mes Terres has a great selection of locally sourced wines and cheeses and Marco Polo restaurant is right by the water and serves simple yet wonderful food with views of the Esterel Massif mountain range rising from the sea. Théoule sur Mer is also wonderfully located for La Colombe d’Or restaurant in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, where you eat amid the works of Sonia Delaunay, Picasso and Alexander Calder. Cave de Mes Terres, 1 Boulevard de la Corniche d’Or (+334-9347 7043). Envie de Pains, 42 Avenue de Lérins (+334-9390 3188; www.enviedepains.fr). La Colombe d’Or, Saint-Paul-de-Vence (+334-9332 8002; www.la-colombe-dor.com). Le Marco Polo, 47 Avenue de Lérins (+334-9349 9659).
If I weren’t doing what I do, I would be a jewellery designer. I adore jewellery, which I think comes from being taken shopping for it by my mother as a child; I find jewellery hypnotic.