The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Moving Times arrived in 2020 as part of Galleria Parfums' debut collection of seven fragrances. The brief, as the brand framed it, was clear: classical influences in perfumery combined with modern touches, a fragrance that transports you into the past while keeping the new world frame intact. Francis Kurkdjian and Jérôme di Marino, two perfumers trained in the classical tradition, were tasked with making that paradox work. The result is an extrait that references the structure of classical perfumery without becoming a museum piece. It moves.
The structure is deliberate. Mint and citrus at the top, green, bright, assertive, that establish the modern register. The heart layers lavender, geranium, and iris: these are the classical materials, the ones that have anchored perfumes for over a century. Iris in particular adds a powdery dimension that signals refinement rather than nostalgia. The base then does the work of reconciliation: vanilla and tonka bring warmth, but the Indonesian patchouli and Spanish labdanum keep everything grounded. The result is a fragrance that feels neither dated nor trend-driven. It occupies a middle ground that most modern fragrances avoid, because it's harder to execute than simply leaning into one register.
The evolution
The mint hits first and it hits immediately. No easing in, no courtesy introduction, just cool, bright, almost medicinal freshness that announces itself to anyone nearby. Give it twenty minutes. The citrus follows, the mint cools further, and a green quality emerges from the geranium that makes the top feel more botanical than synthetic. By the hour mark, the lavender and iris arrive. The mint doesn't disappear, it softens, becomes part of the air rather than the foreground. The iris does what iris does: it adds powder, a slightly dusty refinement that takes the edge off everything that came before. This is the phase that defines Moving Times. Not the opening, that's just the hook. The heart is the actual fragrance. The drydown is vanilla and tonka, warm and close. Patchouli lingers underneath, keeping the sweetness from becoming syrupy. On fabric, the vanilla holds for hours. On skin, plan for six to eight hours of something that stays intimate, that doesn't project loudly but refuses to disappear.
Cultural impact
Moving Times has earned a place in conversations about classically-minded niche fragrances from the Gulf region, compositions that reference European perfumery tradition while bringing their own perspective on structure and restraint. The mint-and-powder combination attracts wearers who want something recognizable but not familiar.
