You are a Greek, traveling across continents and living between Athens and New York. As a photographer and writer studying humanity and discovering common threads among nations, do you still feel predominantly Greek or rather a citizen of the world? Assouline is delighted to introduce a collection of scented candles inspired by its best-selling Travel Series titles. Created exclusively for Assouline by renowned perfumer Jérôme Epinette, it will bring spirit and dreams to your most precious life moments. Your genre or specialization seems to be travel photography from the point of view of tradition, religion, and culture. Was “Mykonos Muse” somehow an exception to the rule? You are lately working on projects that are mostly focusing on worship and religion. Is that coming from an increased interest in spirituality, or are these areas clear indicators of authentic culture and make for great documentary photography themes?

a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-essays/2018-05-25/a-local-s-guide-to-the-best-of-mykonos-in-12-photos" target="_blank">A Local’s Guide to the Best of Mykonos, in 12 Photos, Bloomberg.com, May 2018 To complete this array of scents, the Assouline team worked on creating playful branding with vibrant colors and foil stamping. Each box is inspired by the series’ book covers, matching the palettes and individualized symbols specific to the series. The candles, featuring the motif of each destination, are housed in a ceramic beige-tinted vessel. All pieces in this collection seamlessly blend with any style of interior and act as a perfect addition to one’s library, pairing elegantly with Assouline titles.Sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens by Nikolaos Kaltsas (J. Paul Getty Museum). This catalog contains all the sculptures on display in the National Archaeological Museum of Athens, undoubtedly the most important collection of ancient Greek sculptures in the world. Each entry is supplemented by a full bibliography and is written not only for experts but also for the general reading public. A useful short introduction offers readers an overview of ancient Greek sculpture from the Archaic Period to the end of antiquity. Included in this lavishly illustrated volume — 28 color and 670 duotone illustrations — are the Poseidon of Artemision, a statue of the god brandishing his trident; a marble group of Aphrodite, Pan, and Eros found on Delos; the Sounion Kouros, a colossal votive statue found in the sanctuary of Poseidon at Sounion; and the Roman statue of a young athlete, Diadoumenos. Archeologist Nikolaos Kaltsas was director of the National Archaeological Museum in Athens from 2002 to 2012. Best-Kept Secrets of the Greek Islands by Diana Farr Louis, simonandschuster.com p>A Local’s Guide to the Best of Mykonos, in 12 Photos, Bloomberg.com, May 2018

Close your eyes, take a breath, and be transported. Where? To a warm sandy beach of Tulum, a bustling bar in the old town of Mykonos or an après-ski moment in front of a roaring fireplace in Gstaad. The pandemic effects in everybody’s lives are an undeniable fact, and Mykonians could not be an exception. On the other hand, they have proved their ability to adapt and deal successfully with all circumstances through the years. Thus while respecting, as much as possible, the new rules, Mykonos managed to offer great holidays to its visitors. By all times, the inland’s beauty remains untouchable. Mykonos Muse book, Assouline Publishing, Assouline.com p>What makes a Mykonos muse? Here’s how the Aegean isle got hot, Marie Claire UK, May 2018

Image: Sculpture in the National Archaeological Museum, Athens by Nikolaos Kaltsas, kaponeditions.gr a href="https://www.beyondgreeksalad.com/2021/04/12/lizy-manola-the-author-of-assoulines-mykonos-muse-book-and-documentary-photographer-travels-the-world-paying-tribute-to-spirituality-and-tradition/" target="_blank">Lizy Manola: The Author of Assouline’s Mykonos Muse Book and Documentary Photographer Travels the World Paying Tribute to Spirituality and Tradition, Beyond Greek Salad (Greece), April 2021

p> Assouline: dopo i libri sui viaggi più belli del mondo, le candele che ti portano a Tulum, Marrakech… | Vogue Italia; By Francesca Faccani, Vogue Online (Italy), May 2023

p> Alexandre Assouline: Über die neuen Duftkerzen für Ihre ganz persönliche Weltreise | Vogue Germany; By Beatrice Graf, Vogue Online (Germany), May 2023

In all your three books ( Certain Realities, Mykonos Muse, Ethiopian Highlands), and some you contributed to (including Athens Riviera), you have worked with Assouline. These collaborations feel smooth and flawless, judging from the outcome. Which qualities do you appreciate in the work done by publishers Martine and Prosper Assouline?

You have been a Mykonos insider for the last 40 years. What kind of additional research did you have to do for “Mykonos Muse” (you wrote the text as well), and why haven’t you approached these aspects of the island before? a href="http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/entertainment/books/mykonos-muse-598179" target="_blank">What makes a Mykonos muse? Here’s how the Aegean isle got hot, Marie Claire UK, May 2018 p> Assouline Launches “Travel From Home” Candles, and Other News; By The Editors, Surface Online (USA), May 2023

p> Luxury Publisher Assouline Launches a Travel-Inspired Candle Collection; By Kristin Limoges, Harper's Bazaar Online (USA), May 2023

Mykonos offers a wide range of experiences, from absolute tranquility to party-central situations. Which is your favorite aspect of Mykonos?

Can you describe Mykonos the first time you set foot on the island in 1978 regarding visitors, infrastructure, and entertainment? The candles were created with the intention of going deeper into telling the story of six destinations: Mykonos, Tulum, Marrakech, Ibiza, Gstaad and the Moon. For each getaway, the Assouline family reflected on memories and personal associations that resulted in unique yet coordinated fragrances. You have traveled around Greece, as well as to Ethiopia, Sudan, Armenia, Sri Lanka, Iran, India, Cuba, Nepal, Colombia, Tunisia, Morocco, Japan, Australia, and the list goes on. Is traveling for you a form of escape or a means to conducting further research?p>Lizy Manola: The Author of Assouline’s Mykonos Muse Book and Documentary Photographer Travels the World Paying Tribute to Spirituality and Tradition, Beyond Greek Salad (Greece), April 2021

p>‘MYKONOS MUSE’ PHOTO BOOK TRANSPORTS YOU TO GREECE’S FABLED PARTY ISLAND; By: Jared Paul Stern, Villa88 (Middle East), October 2021

Located in the Cyclades and surrounded by the blue-green water of the Aegean sits whitewashed, windmill-strewn Mykonos, the island of the winds. This ancient island and those surrounding it, mythologized as the bodies of gods felled by Hercules in the time of antiquity, are older than legend and have played host to countless cultures for more than millennia. At forty-square-miles and boasting a population of only ten-thousand, the ‘Ibiza of Greece’ has become prized for gorgeous architecture, welcoming and open-minded locals, and fantastic beaches. With such names as ‘Paradise’ and ‘Super Paradise,’ the sands of these shores have captured the imaginations and hearts of industry titans, artists, and party-goers alike from all around the globe, marking it as a stable cosmopolitan destination and as a paramount it haven on the jet-set circuit. Do you have in your mind an ideal Mykonos weekend itinerary? Which places, beaches, clubs, restaurants, shops, etc., would you recommend to first-timers?