The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Floraïku, founded in France in 2017 by Clara and John Molloy, builds its olfactory vocabulary around Japanese ceremonial traditions. The brand takes its name from the Japanese word for flower, borrowing both the aesthetic restraint and the narrative depth of tea ceremonies, flower arrangements, and incense rituals. Levitating arrived in 2022 as part of the brand's ongoing exploration of atmosphere and weight, exploring how scent can suggest upward motion rather than grounding warmth. The perfumer worked with angelica, mandarin, bergamot, clove, black tea, mate, guaiac wood, vanilla and cedarwood to build a fragrance that feels neither heavy nor transient, drawing on the meditative quality of tea ceremonies to shape its slow evolution.
The choice of clove, black tea and mate in the heart reflects a philosophy of controlled warmth rather than dramatic projection. These materials carry the quiet confidence of a shared ritual, suggesting depth without demanding attention. Guaiac wood and vanilla in the base add a warm finish that feels intimate rather than overpowering, while cedarwood keeps the drydown airy enough to sustain the levitating quality the fragrance seeks. The result is a scent that feels like a slow exhale, built for moments of calm focus rather than ambient presence.
The evolution
Levitating begins with angelica anchoring mandarin and bergamot, creating a citrus opening that feels both bright and grounded in herbal nuance. As the fragrance moves into its heart, clove introduces warmth and spice, balanced by black tea's tannic depth and mate's slight bitterness. This middle section feels like a quiet moment of reflection, sustained by the interplay of spice and astringency. The drydown introduces guaiac wood's smoky resinousness, softened by vanilla's warmth and resolved by cedarwood's dry, clean woodiness. The overall arc moves from brisk citrus to contemplative spice to quiet wood, each phase lingering long enough to be fully experienced.
Cultural impact
Levitating, launched in 2022, reflects a growing fascination with tea‑inspired fragrances that bridge Eastern ceremonial practices and Western perfumery. The scent’s use of Angelica seed and Italian mandarin evokes the ritual of Japanese tea ceremonies, where precision and mindfulness are prized. By integrating clove‑spiced black tea notes, the fragrance nods to the historic trade routes that brought tea and spices tog ether, symbolizing cultural exchange between Europe and Asia. Its popularity among younger consumers signals a shift toward scents that tell a story of global connectivity, encouraging wearers to contemplate the origins of each ingredient.
