A history of fragrance

From the earliest in-house experiments to our newest formulations: a tale of essential oils, patience and the science of perfumery. On encountering our formulations, customers often remark on their aromas, derived from a range of botanical oils.

In-house, however, these aromas considered little more than a particularly agreeable by-product: we’ve always used essential oils primarily for the benefits they can deliver to the hair and skin.

The creation of our original personal fragrances, Mystra and Marrakech, was the first time that we had developed products whose entire raison d’être was olfactory pleasure.

Since that time, some fifteen years ago, we’ve farewelled Mystra, redeveloped Marrakech, and introduced a further six fragrances to our range—each distinctive in inspiration and composition.

2001

The new millennium coincided with our first in-house attempts to produce personal fragrances. These early experiments were prompted by customers who, over the years, had expressed a desire for perfumes or colognes to ‘extend’ the notes of existing Aesop Body Care formulations.

The perfume industry is saturated by products manufactured under tight deadlines, destined for the mass market, and often driven by outdated preconceptions of demographics. Our product development process has always been methodical and scientific, and we carried this into our exploration of personal fragrances—an exercise driven by passion, not the market.

We initially sought to produce fragrances composed of pure essential oils, systematically adjusting their concentrations and compositions.

2005

The original Marrakech Eau de Toilette—sample 64.1 in a painstaking series of prototypes—contained oils of Sandalwood, Rose, Jasmine and Neroli in high concentrations. At the time, Aesop was often described by media as a ‘cult favourite’—due to our relatively small presence and lack of advertising, we hoped, rather than any Heaven’s Gate-esque ‘associatons’. Marrakech, in its original incarnation, expressed this niche more than most realised: the first batches were manufactured, macerated and hand-filled in our Carlton laboratory.

2006

Byzantium-inspired Mystra was launched the following year, with notes of Labdanum, Frankincense and Mastic. It was a resinous, heady fragrance, both abrasive and appealing. Like Marrakech, it was a departure from the clean, floral, cheerful perfumes fashionable at the time, and, like Marrakech, it eschewed tedious gender binaries to be widely enjoyed.

The difficulty in working with concentrated essential oils, however, is that they are volatile. This meant that despite having a potent aromatic presence when first applied, both of the fragrances evaporated too soon. Realising we needed to draw on established perfumery science, we began working towards formulations that would offer greater longevity on the skin.

2012

In our quest to learn more about contemporary perfumery techniques, we were introduced to French nose Barnabé Fillion, with whom we formed an enduring working relationship. Barnabé, whose background includes studies in botany and phytotherapy, embraced the challenge to deconstruct and rebuild our first fragrance.

2014

The reimagined Marrakech Intense Eau de Toilette was launched to wide acclaim. With key notes of Clove, Sandalwood and Cardamom, it retained the spicy, floral warmth of its predecessor, but offered greater permanence on the skin.

2015

A year later, Tacit Eau de Parfum was born of another collaboration—this time with perfumer Céline Barel. Tacit appeared to arrive soon after the redeveloped Marrakech Intense, but its development had, in fact, spanned some seven years. The brief for the fragrance included a triad of ingredients (Yuzu, Vetiver and Basil); a film (Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love); an artist (Giorgio de Chirico); a few Serge Gainsbourg songs; and a specific shade of green (Pantone no. 363).

2017

Our ongoing friendship with Barnabé Fillion resulted in the third addition to our Fragrance range: Hwyl Eau de Parfum with its earthy, resinous profile. It takes its name from a Welsh word meaning ‘a stirring sense of emotional motivation and energy’, but the fragrance itself was inspired by the silence and stillness of Japan’s ancient Hinoki forests. Its woody, smoky appeal is derived from notes of Cypress, Frankincense and Vetiver.

2020

We again reconceived Marrakech Intense, taking it from an Eau de Toilette to Eau de Parfum, and in this new, more concentrated form expressed the fragrance with stronger potency and increased longevity. Marrakech Intense is available in both Eau de Parfum and Parfum formats.

Pioneering Modernist designer Charlotte Perriand was the muse for Rōzu Eau de Parfum—our first floral fragrance. Much like its inspiration, it subverts expectations: far from a cloying rose scent, Rōzu is unexpectedly green and lightly smoky, expressing the full life cycle of its namesake flower.

The Paris-born Perriand, who studied under Corbusier and later worked alongside him, was an enthusiastic alpinist and outdoors woman, who also spent many years in Japan. This fragrance, with its notes of Rose, Shiso and Guaiacwood, embodies her passions and intrepid spirit.

© Adagp, Paris, 2020; © Archives Charlotte Perriand

2021

This year marks the launch of a trio of fragrances, collectively titled Othertopias—Miraceti, Karst and Erémia.

Miraceti—the boat—is intended to recall a perilous voyage at sea. Warm and earthy, with balsamic accords and a hint of the briny ocean, it is distinguished by key notes of Labdanum, Ambrette and Styrax.

Karst conjures the shore, at once fresh and mineral. Top notes of Juniper and Bergamot descend into deep green base notes of Vetiver and Cedar, lent a resinous depth by Sandalwood.

Erémia’s invocation of the wasteland is a hint of wilderness in an unexpected place; nature reclaiming urban spaces. Notes of Galbanum, Iris and Yuzu lend the fragrance a vibrant, green character—think of earth, moss, musky florals, rain-soaked asphalt, and tenacious wildflowers.

2022

Inspired by the myth of Narcissus, Eidesis is provocative yet comforting, seductive yet distinctly unconventional—a woody, spicy, ambery fragrance that lingers on the body and mind.

Eidesis Eau de Parfum is a medley of piquant Black Pepper, resinous Frankincense and beguiling Sandalwood that beckons to curious minds.