The inaugural Aesop fragrance, Marrakech, was first spritzed 20 years ago, setting our eye (or should that be ‘nose’?) on new aromatic frontiers. Our offering of Eaux de Parfum has since expanded significantly, though gradually, with a new fragrance only meeting the expectant nasal cavities of the public after a lengthy process involving much thinking, dreaming and—of course—sniffing.
And now, a new chapter in our olfactory story begins, fusing our unique approach to fragrance creation and longstanding reverence for literature, as we also introduce a new addition to the range.
A new chapter
Introducing the Fragrant Fables, an artful evolution of our fragrance collection. Inspired by our namesake—Aesop, the ancient Greek fabulist—the concepts behind the existing fragrance range are elaborated into fable-like poems which take us to storm-buffeted cliffs, serene forests and rewilded concrete landscapes. Each fable carries with it a question, inviting the reader to pause and ponder. As part of this, the name of each Eau de Parfum has been adapted to a fable-like title which nods to the value it embodies, from Tacit Truths which explores trust as a source of connection, to Eternal Karst which highlights the importance of resilience during times of change.
The Radical Ingredient, the Fabulist Accord
The unique olfactory signatures of the range follow our poetic approach to blending, which harnesses unexpected botanicals to potent effect: each fragrance comprises a ‘Radical Ingredient’ and a ‘Fabulist Accord’. The Radical Ingredient is a singular botanical extract that reveals often surprising facets across the top, heart and base notes of the Eau de Parfum due to its radically unfiltered presence. Meanwhile, the Fabulist Accord conjures the imagined aroma of something which is unscented in nature—an aromatic narrative woven by three key ingredients.
The amber bottle, enhanced
While no story should be judged by its cover, the Fragrant Fables have pronounced aesthetic—as well as olfactive—qualities. Housed in new, pleasingly tactile bottles with a domed base and taller, more slender form, they are presented in boxes which include a fable and image that evoke the story of each scent. The amber glass bottle stays characteristically minimalist, yet with enhanced elements such as a new textured cap (inspired by the basalt rock on which our home city of Melbourne was quite literally built), the fragrance name displayed in metallic text, and an embossed insignia on the glass and debossed cap.
A novel addition: Unforeseen Aer Eau de Parfum
How might change enrich us? It is this question which sits at the heart of Unforeseen Aer—our latest Eau de Parfum. The fable that narrates its creation—which draws on a protagonist from nature, like most fables past—follows the story of a gentle wind, fearing the disruptions it might cause, which soon learns to revel in the sublime chaos its gusts and wild breezes bring about. It is a fable that urges us to rethink what we might view as ‘flaws’, instead seeing the potential that lies beyond moments of seeming failure or imperfection.
A characteristically nonconformist take on a classic fougère scent, Unforeseen Aer features a Fabulist Accord of Geranium, Lavandin and Rosemary that together conjure the scent of Pure Air flowing across rugged heights. This crisp medley of aromas is contrasted with the Radical Ingredient of Nutmeg, which reveals the merits of the imperfect with its complex, textured warmth.
The Aesop story is one that holds a fable-like quality in itself—one filled with curiosity, experimentation, and an inimitable blend of the cerebral and the sensorial. The Fragrant Fables extend this narrative, weaving together our long-held reverence for literature and our time-honed expertise in the blending of aromatic essential oils, to craft an aromatic odyssey for adventurous noses and curious minds.
‘The scent is the shape which the universal joy takes in the flower.’
Rabindranath Tagore
