Media: AD Magazine
Title: El jardín donde todo empieza
Author: Patricia Moreno
Photography: Marina de Luis
Date: July-August 2024
The garden where it all begins
If we were to ask a perfumer how he imagines his own private paradise, it would probably be very similar to the Todolí Citrus Fundació’s orchard, with up to 500 varieties of citrus fruits for study, preservation and experimentation. Now, Nuria Cruelles, LOEWE Perfumes’ nose, doesn’t have to dream about it. It’s a reality. The Spanish house of origin is joining the foundation’s mission to promote this natural heritage. To announce this union, AD España organised a meeting last June in this Valencian paradise. Friends of the brand and talents from the world of art and design accompanied the evening’s great hosts: Juan Pedro Abeniacar, president and CEO of LOEWE Perfumes; Maite Sebastiá, head of editorial content for LOEWE Perfumes; and Vicente Todolí, creator of the unprecedented agricultural initiative located in the municipality of Palmera. The Safor region is home to the most fertile land in the area. An ecosystem of its own, which condenses the highest rainfall in the region, makes it possible. It is precisely here that Todolí, who divides his time between the Pirelli Foundation and the Botín Foundation, among others, and this project, was born. On 6 June, thanks to AD España and LOEWE Perfumes, a group of chosen people had the chance to visit all its secrets. ‘I just wrote about lemons. I think you should always have some on hand, they make you feel good,’ shared poet Leti Sala.
The experience was an invitation to explore the five senses: the sound of the water in the irrigation ditches and the singing of birds, privileged views, unexpected textures among the bushes and a pairing of aromas and flavours with citrus fruits as the common thread. One of the stops that caused most admiration was the aviary, conceived to recover species that have disappeared from the territory, which was designed based on a work by the German artist Carsten Höller. This was followed by an aromatic tasting by chef Carles Tarrassó, a regular collaborator of the Fundació, and the nose of LOEWE Perfumes, who demonstrated the diversity of this universe. The gastronomic olfactory workshop was the perfect prelude to LOEWE’s candlelit dinner, which concluded the evening. Amidst orange trees, with local cuisine and a selection of profiles from the sector, it was a magical night in this garden-museum, as defined by its ideologist, Todolí. LOEWEPERFUMES.COM / TODOLICITRUSFUNDACIO.ORG
