If this year's Wimbledon Championships taught us anything, it's that tennis tournaments are an opportunity to dress up. Whether you're in the stands or on the court, looking the part adds to the magic of a high-stakes match — but what about smelling the part?
Just in time for the US Open, fragrance brand D.S. & Durga is serving a new scent inspired by the trappings of the sport. Part of the brand's limited-edition "Studio Juice" collection, the fragrance is pure fun, from its cheeky name — Crush Balls — to its unexpected notes.
Crush Balls takes a more abstract approach than other tennis-inspired scents on the market. Instead of mimicking the smell of, say, tennis balls, D.S. & Durga co-founder and perfumer David Seth Moltz set out to capture "the vibe of tennis."
Hints of rubber and glue immediately recall a new can of Wilsons, yes, but the fragrance ventures beyond the immediately recognizable. Newly mown grass, rosemary, and a whisper of white florals create a crisp, citrusy effect, while a woody, ambery note Moltz dubs "hard court" softens the fragrance's sharp opening.
A self-described "very bad aspiring tennis player," Moltz got into the sport through with his wife and business partner, Kavi. "[She] grew up playing more or less... I played only one week for a camp in summer," he said. "We raised our kids playing and then caught the bug."
As "tenniscore" continues to take over luxury fashion and fragrance, it's safe to say that Crush Balls isn't the last court-inspired fragrance we'll see hit the market. In fact, Moltz hopes to collaborate with one particular player on a future fragrance: "Nick Kyrgios, let's make a perfume together!"
Crush Balls is available at D.S. & Durga's website.
