Float

Nawoja arrived in August with one suitcase and no plan for how long she would stay.

The villa stood somewhere along the Mediterranean coast, surrounded by orange trees and wild herbs. In the mornings, the air smelled of crushed basil, lemongrass and the bitter brightness of bergamot from the kitchen. Orange blossoms drifted over the outdoor pool surface and danced in the corners.

She had told everyone she needed time away.

What she meant was that she had forgotten how to be alone with herself.

Every afternoon, Nawoja put a classical record onto the old turntable. Debussy mostly. Sometimes Ravel. She sat beside the open doors with a glass of red wine, sheets of manuscript paper spread messy across the table, writing fragments of a piece she couldn't yet name or finish.

Three notes sounded in her head.

A pause.

A drum.

Then she would cross everything out and lean back to contemplate.

In the evenings, jasmine and gardenia became warmer in the afternoon heat. Violet leaves opened, closed and grew dark beneath the trees. She would swim until the last light disappeared, watching the fragrant orange blossoms floating around her, sticking to skin and long dark strands.

That was when she first heard the guitar.

Nikita was sitting beneath the trees at the edge of the garden, of the neighbouring house.

He played the same unfinished phrase again and again, he was also mentally writing.

“You always stop there,” Nawoja said.

He looked up.

“So do you.”

He was a musician who had left the city after cancelling a summer of performances. He carried his guitar everywhere but rarely played for anyone, except for now.

They began spending the days together without deciding too, talking about the great composers, music history and methods of composing.

She wrote, stroked things out..

He played.

Sometimes they talked beside the pool until they were so tired, forcing themselves to retreat.

Sometimes neither spoke and there was just silent thoughts.

At night, the villa changed. The air became warm with amber and white musk, and tobacco lingered faintly on Nikita's fingers from his cigar, when he turned the pages of her music.

One evening, Nawoja placed her unfinished composition in front of him.

“I think I know what it needs.”

“What?”

She listened to the garden, the small insects starting a nature soundscape.

Jasmine.

Orange blossom.

The moon.

The distant sound of crashing waves.

Then she picked up her pencil.

“Something I haven't found yet, something almost lost.”

Nikita smiled.

“Then keep looking.”

She smiled and nodded her head, the pool reflecting in her already Saphire like eyes.

Spray Gabar 04 Rise eau de parfume onto your skin, into your clothing or in the environment around you, day or night, for a long lasting scent. Traditionally fragrance is focused on pulse points such as the neck, decolletage or wrists, but these notes can be sprayed anywhere that suits. This is a fragrance to calm and center you.

Top: Lemongrass, Basil and Bergamot.
Heart: Jasmine, Violet Leaf, Gardenia, Orange Blossom.
Base: Amber, White Musk, Tobacco Absolute.

Gabar is built on the very belief that much of the change we want to see in the world can come from ourselves first. From living more consciously, to being more present and attune with our feelings, to fully expressing exploring the various, dynamic selves in us, Gabar's mission is to encourage ideas of self-expansion, self-awareness self-discovery through scent and everyday rituals.

At Gabar, we clash old world values with fresh, contemporary aesthetics to build a scent brand for the future. One that cares just as much about internal over external beauty, and that is fully committed to slowly undoing unconscious values that no longer serve us. Gabar (meaning "world" in the Myanmar language, our mother tongue) is both a brand and movement.

A London brand, rooted in Southeast Asia but made for the world.

While our roots are in Myanmar (Southeast Asia) and we call London our current home, our mindset and inspiration will always remain global. We love the idea of bringing together our Buddhist heritage and deep diverse cultural experiences to create a brand unlike any other -- one with a globalist spirit that can resonate with those in different corners of the world.

Our philosophy will always remain: to do least harm. From box to bottle, every Gabar product is 98% recyclable, using cork, wood, glass, or paper in place of plastic and other non-recyclables. The result is a natural one -- and may result in a beautifully bent or out of shape package. We appreciate your partnership, as our practice for a sustainable future is ever-evolving and constantly in motion. And of course, we are vegan-friendly and never test on animals.

Article about Gabar World in Dazed Magazine:

https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/68732/1/gabar-is-the-perfume-brand-turning-myanmar-folklore-into-scent