Henry Jacques launches a fragrance collection with Rafael Nadal and his wife Maria Perello

In a heartwarming sequel to welcoming their first child last October, tennis legend Rafael Nadal and his wife Maria Perello team up with Henry Jacques to create a highly personal collection.

Anyone who follows tennis knows that Rafael Nadal is not just one of the greatest athletes of all time, but also a family man. His longtime coach is his uncle Toni Nadal, while his parents Sebastian Nadal and Ana Maria Parera are prominent supporters at his matches. Another familiar face in the stands is, of course, his wife Maria “Xisca” Perello.

Nadal’s first love whom he started dating in 2005, Perello as his girlfriend was a steadfast presence at his matches. The couple wed in Oct 2019, and to the sporting world’s delight, became parents to a baby boy exactly two years on.

The pair has always been extremely low-key about their personal lives, but in a first with French haute parfumerie Henry Jacques, they reveal more about themselves ­– through three evocative scents entirely reflective of their personalities. Named In All Intimacy, this special collection features three fragrances: Rafael Nadal No 1, Rafael Nadal No 2, and Maria Perello.

Beyond the couple’s partnership with the maison, this is also the first time the bespoke perfumery is working with an icon to create a scent, and significantly, Nadal’s debut fragrance project. The King of Clay is famous for his on-court rituals, yet what’s little-known is that wearing perfumes is also part of his personal daily routine. Fans who have always wondered about his private life, family time and love of yachting in his home island of Mallorca, Spain, can finally enter his elusive world.

Bringing both public and private facets of the tennis champ to the fore, Henry Jacques created two scents: a lighter concoction that accompanies him to the court, and a deeper one that reflects his soul – staying true to the maison’s spirit of creating a perfume wardrobe with a fragrance for every occasion. Inspiration was taken from his strong connection with the Mediterranean Sea.

Says the tennis champ, “It is difficult to imagine my life without the Mediterranean Sea. I love its scent, the citrus, the freshness. To me, there is nothing like the scent of the earth after the rain, when the sun sets.”

The essence of Rafael Nadal No 1 is one of perfect balance and finesse, showcasing coriander, thyme, violet, lavender, lemon and artemisia, which is a plant from the Mediterranean basin honouring the Spaniard’s roots. The freshness and florals are complemented by a sophisticated alliance of cedar wood, leather and sandalwood. Poetically linked with the scent of his wife, No 2 is a seductive potion of bergamot, jasmine flower, lilac, rose and white musk, with notes of citrus, freesia and sandalwood.

As for the ever-elegant Perello, the fragrance created in her name is subtle with light, fresh yet assertive notes – expressing a femininity that is refined, joyful and as discrete as it is determined. On the character of her olfactory embodiment, she elaborates, “For me, it is important for my perfume to become part of my identity, to be recognisable and to perfectly match my personality. I envisioned this fragrance as a sense of security, self-confidence, uniqueness, strength and completeness. I really wanted it to smell like elegance, and more importantly, happiness.”

And she got her wish, in an extravagant elixir that showcases notes of violet and orange blossom highlighted by bergamot and jasmine, and enhanced by sandalwood and white musk.

Of course, these masterpieces would not have been possible without the vision and involvement of CEO of Henry Jacques, Anne-Lise Cremona. “Meeting and spending time with Maria and Rafael to create their perfumes was a true pleasure and the beginning of a new chapter that the three of us wish to last. Our encounter was about sharing emotions with great mutual trust, and above all, a desire to share a beautiful story and reflection of life that could be inspiring for many. And that is what perfume is all about,” she says.

Main and featured image: Rafael Nadal N°1 in Les Brumes and Rafael Nadal N°2 in Les Brumes