A truly great scent is created by finding a perfect harmony of different essences — much like a great relationship. And just as no two fragrances are alike, no two couples have the same story, either.
Perhaps that’s the secret to staying together forever: balance. Or does it take something more? We put the question to four style-savvy couples, joining them in Dubai, Paris and Los Angeles for the launch of new fragrance couple K&Q by Dolce&Gabbana, which share a common base of Sicilian lemon and cedarwood. Furthermore, fig milk forms the soft heart of K, while the essence of Q is enhanced by red, scarlet and passionate cherry for an alluring scent as complex and mysterious as the question we pose to our couples.
Click on the names below to discover their stories
Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl
They’re one of the most notable power couples of the 21st century, but their initial meeting was textbook: locking eyes at a friend’s party. Today, after 15 years together and with their careers on the rise, Olivia Palermo and Johannes Huebl are not only husband and wife, but also business partners working side by side as entrepreneurs and designers.
Olivia and Johannes, you’ve been partners in business and love for 15 years — how do you make that work?
Olivia: "We’ve learned to appreciate each other, to respect each other, and to tell each other when things go wrong. It’s a constant process and it works because we both know that we’re here for the whole of it."
How do you complement each other?
Johannes: "Olivia’s curiosity and my attention to detail. We’ve learned to see things from each other’s points of view. That’s how we support each other. When you find the right person, of course you still have to work at finding a balance, but if they’re the right one, it becomes easier somehow."
What makes you a strong couple?
Olivia: "We’ve been together for 15 years, and we’re not just husband and wife, we’re best friends too. And that’s what makes us strong, knowing we can always count on the other person – in life as well as in our work, whether it’s creative, business or both. It’s such a strong connection, and it’s been there so long that you just know it’s going to last forever."
Théo Aïto Sanchez and Rémy-Sennah Dossou
Théo Aïto Sanchez and Rémy-Sennah Dossou are content creators known on Instagram and TikTok for their matching looks. They live together in Paris and are the undisputed champions of street style, which is quite an accomplishment when even the city's post workers look on trend.
How would you describe your style?
Théo: "I would say simple, elegant and with a keen eye for detail. Clean lines and shapes, with dark or neutral tones."
Rémy: "I agree. I’d also say a little sexy, but without being over the top."
How much of your own personal style goes into what you do? And which parts?
Théo: "I definitely bring a love of structure to the table."
Rémy: "While I bring that little unexpected twist in every detail."
How do you keep your bond strong?
Théo: "When we first met, six years ago, I never imagined I’d end up sharing everything with Rémy, and for so long. When we put on one of our matching looks, I feel invincible."
Rémy: "It’s our bond that makes us strong. Being a young, gay couple in an industry like this gives us the power to use our voices to tell our vision and pave the way for others like us too."
Jenny Shimizu and Michelle Harper
Recognise Jenny Shimizu from somewhere? Not surprising, as she was the face of Calvin Klein in the Nineties. A monumental feat, but true fulfilment came when she married entrepreneur Michelle Harper in 2014. Jenny won Michelle over by challenging her to an arm wrestle at a party in New York: 'It was the easiest and fastest way in,' she explains. Today, the couple are perfectly in sync, not just in life, but in business too.
Jenny and Michelle, the first thing that comes to mind when we see you is that opposites really do attract…
Jenny: "When we first saw each other, we instantly assumed we were polar opposites. It was only after talking and spending time together that we realised we’re both actually very similar, funny people. We never imagined we’d fall in love with someone as crazy as us! But then, you never know, when you meet a person for the first time, that they’ll be the one you spend the rest of your life with."
To what extent does your style represent you?
Michelle: "My style, as you can see, is 'more, more, with some more'. While Jenny feels 100 per cent herself even in the simplest outfit."
What’s your superpower as a couple?
Jenny: "Knowing we’re both different and surprising each other. In that way, our life is never boring."
Alexandra Pereira and Ghassan Fallaha
Alexandra 'Alex' Pereira and Ghassan 'Gus' Fallaha live in Dubai and are the proud new parents of Sasha — or Sashito as he’s known by the couple’s millions of followers on Instagram and YouTube. Alexandra was actually one of the first fashion bloggers (“I started 10 months before Chiara Ferragni,” she states proudly), having been active on social media since 2009.
Alexandra and Ghassan, you’re a couple in love and in work: what’s your secret?
Alex: "We have a very strong connection and we complement each other in a lot of different ways. And becoming parents has been the challenge, and the goal, that’s tested us most — and the one we’re so happy to have achieved."
How exactly do you complement one another?
Alex: "I'm very impulsive, I tend not to think too much about things and their consequences. Always with one eye on the next big thing. Meanwhile, Gus is much more thoughtful, with his mind in the now, he always thinks long and hard on each decision. We act as a springboard for one another, as well as a safety net."
What makes you a strong couple?
Gus: "We truly believe that we complement one another. We each have our own role to play, but we’re different. And knowing you have someone reliable, honest and generous that you can count on so much is what makes us strong as a couple and gives us confidence as individuals."
K&Q by Dolce&Gabbana
Another couple that finds its complementing elements create uniqueness and strength is K&Q by Dolce&Gabbana. These two sensual fragrances, from the creative genius of perfumer Daphné Bugey, are produced with the highest-quality Italian ingredients. The citric head notes and cedarwood base form the common thread between the two perfumes, each drawing their individual essence from their respective heart notes — cherry for Q and fig milk for K. The duo, each with an intense, refined flourish, are poised to become the fashion house's most distinctive signature pairing.
The two fragrances are designed for couples, so that when worn together, they accentuate each other’s personalities, just as each perfume’s essence enhances the other. Perhaps that is the secret to staying together forever?
Bring out your strength with K&Q by Dolce&Gabbana
