Nostalgia x Orange Verte

A short story of nostalgia. Featuring the relationship between my friends roots that lead to and stem from Aleppo and the perfume he wears, Orange Verte by Hermes.

Using a vignete form of storytelling, that mixes images and writing, I tell a snippet of the story of Murad, a really good friend of mine. He was born in Saudi Arabia to Syrian parents from Aleppo and moved to Italy when he was five years old. We played with the significance of his perfume and with his identity within Italy. We wanted the emotions of the scent of the crisp green orange to linger in all of the images. The parallel between his roots and Hermes perfume he wears exist in the decades of cultural heritage, the languages and geographical locations that appear in the use and creation of a blend of aromas. Just like Hermes roots itself in its heritage, Murad roots himself down to his own roots within the Middle East. As a migrant, he stands out, just as much as he stands out when he wears his perfume. A connection and parallel that to me is worthy of celebration and awe.

It was imperative for Murad to bring forth the history of migration that preceded the humanitarian crisis in Syria, which he and his family were part of. He wanted to emphasize qualities other than being portrayed or represented as refugees and minorities in Europe. “I had to talk, process and address the [humanitarian crisis] in my life. It became a part of my identity in some sense, as the world continuously reminds me/us that we are lost, without a home. Left only with the hope to get back home someday, whatever the term home may refer to. So take these words as processes and thoughts and not statements.”

Therefore, perfume in this story is about love, identity, memory and migration, as he swims in nostalgia and finds comfort within his family through the scent of oranges.

Italiano / عربي with English Translation