In a world of flashy fragrances with gaudy packaging tricks, it’s safe to say the Aesop approach stands out from the crowd.
Their scents are beautifully considered, elevated in inspiration and presented in amber glass bottles that never fail to sit restfully within their surroundings. A few months ago I was lucky enough to wander into the Sydney location of one of their growing number of Fragrance Armoires, which allow visitors the opportunity to explore the full range of Aesop eaux de parfum and imbue a piece of clothing with their chosen aroma.
It’s a sensorial wonderland and then some, and well worth a visit if you’re near one.
But back to matters as hand, which is the latest scent to join three very special fragrances that Aesop launched just over a year ago.
The trio of scents, part of a collection titled Othertopias, are made up of scent triggers that help to paint a picture of another world. Named Miraceti, Karst and Erémia, they represent the worlds of the boat, the shore and the wasteland. And when you smell them, you can truly begin to build a picture of each place. Now joining them is Eidesis, a rich, woody scent, echoing the story of Narcissus. Luring the senses into a landscape of wooded depths, iridescent florals and liquid stillness, it was also created with the brand’s long-term fragrance partner Barnabé Fillion.
For Eidesis, the space – or world – that it speaks of is that of the self, and the struggle between the interior and exterior worlds. Borrowing symbolism from the myth of Narcissus, Eidesis honours the imaginary worlds beyond the surface of the mirror—fusing floral notes redolent of the pool or looking glass, with an earthy, woody base of Vetiver, Sandalwood and Cedar.
Fillion says of the fragrance: “A smell, whether in the air, on our skin, or on our clothes, creates a world within our world that is both physical and imagined—a phenomenon that blurs the boundaries of past and present, real and unreal, here and there. A window into nature, so to speak, one that invites a dialogue with surroundings that we inhabit but often overlook.”
Wooded depths, hypnotic spices and liquid stillness are the mesmeric blend of intriguing notes that gives Eidesis Eau de Parfum its deeply captivating character. The next chapter in the Othertopias fragrance collection takes the wearer to the edge of a pond, peering into its reflective surface. Drawing on the myth of Narcissus and Echo, and the struggle between the inner and outer selves, the aroma is provocative yet comforting, seductive yet distinctly unconventional.
As with all of Aesop’s fragrances, Eidesis knows no gender boundaries, and Fillion says it could be seen as “the most sensual of our fragrances—it works so well with people’s skin that somehow you feel it is a layer that was already there”. I am absolutely in love with it, and found it a beautifully grounding scent during the seasonal change in particular. It is earthy but as Fillion said, also sensual and warm, and the perfect new addition to the collection.
Like the collection’s existing fragrances, Eidesis Eau de Parfum is packaged in a 50mL amber glass bottle and encased in a carton featuring artwork by Belfast-based painter Jack Coulter. Perfect for gifting or as a gift to self, this fluid and beautiful creation comes highly recommended. (HELENE RAVLICH)
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