Jo Malone My Wanderlust

I’ve got very mixed feelings about this collection by Charlotte Stockdale, Jo Malone London Style Editor. Now that Jo Malone no longer actually has Jo Malone as the figurehead of the brand, it’s lost its soul a little. So, by using a Style Editor to affix collections to, the direction has a name and a face, which is exactly what it needs. A human hand, if you like.

However, in order for that to be meaningful, you have to care in the first place what that person thinks and feels so you can be guided by their inspirations. And, I can’t relate to Charlotte Stockdale at all.

The Wanderlust collection is beautiful – there is no doubt about that. The candle I have in the picture here is inspired by Charlotte’s memory of the Atlas Mountains. The candle is Cardamom and Morocaan Rose and it’s exactly the right side of sweet for me – just delicious; like rosewater in a delicate marzipan sweet – exotic and familiar at the same time. I could burn this all day long and not tire of it.

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The collection also includes Box Hedge, which I’d love to smell – all things British, clipped and green and presented as a square fragrance, Night Jasmine and Organo as a linen spray (sounds divine), Acacia & Honey soaps inspired by Australia, and then for no particular reason there is Lime, Basil & Mandarin as a diffuser. With the collection inspired by Charlotte’s travels, this fragrance is older than Charlotte’s residency at Jo Malone so it just can’t be anything to do with her travels, it’s just kind of there, throwing the whole ‘inspired by’ message into confusion.

However, I’m not sure it really matters what I or anyone else thinks of the inspiration – the end products are sumptuous and enticing. I have one candle, but I want to experience everything (bar LB&M) from the Jo Malone My Wanderlust range. The collection is limited edition, from January, and the Cardamom and Moroccan Rose Candle is £42.