EXCLUSIVE: Aesop President Talks New Perfume, Fragrance Category

PARIS — Aesop is readying the launch of a new fragrance, Aurner, on Feb. 10.

The niche fragrance brand, owned by L’Oréal, is also this year celebrating its 20th anniversary in perfumes, having introduced its first, Marrakech, in 2005.

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“The brand is all about scents,” said Garance Delaye, global brand president at Aesop, during her first interview since starting in the role seven months ago. “Scent has been the heart of the expertise of the brand.”

Aesop, born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1987, is known for its use of essential oils and unconventional blends. Each of the brand’s fragrances are made of aromatic botanical and herbaceous ingredients, plus a signature woody note.

Aurner was created by Céline Barel, an International Flavors and Fragrances perfumer who has collaborated with Aesop for a decade.

“There was this challenge of creating a new floral fragrance for the brand that would push the envelope of floralcy in order recruit new consumers and to broaden the olfactive horizon of the brand,” said Barel, who called Aesop “nonconformist.”

“It was really a challenge to create a true floral fragrance that would be genderless and appealing to different cultures across the globe,” she continued. “We had to come up with a proposition that would be very bold.”

“Here, we haven’t decided to go for magnolia, we went for magnolia leaf, which makes this tension between tenderness and strength,” said Delaye.

“There is this very strong, herbaceous, green leafy nearly also tea-like aspect — very complex,” said Barel. “Because there is always with Aesop this tension between simplicity in the appearance and complexity in the engineering of the formulation.”

A note of chamomile, a rather forgotten flower of perfumery, was added, too. At its heart, Aurner has a cedar note.

“This was really possible only due to the unique creative process of Aesop,” said Barel, referring to the formulation. “Which is really…from creative to creative with no filters. It was a very tiny team, which was like a creative cocoon. And working like this allows the perfumer to push the boundary and to propose things that are very unexpected.”

Aesop’s overarching aim is to have people go back to the essentials of life, the executive said. She reminded that the brand’s name nods to the Greek philosopher Aesop, who shared life lessons and wisdom on how to live better.

This seeps into the retail experience. Venture into an Aesop store, and one might be given recommendations on literature, poetry or local gastronomy alongside beauty and fragrance advice.

Aurner is the brand’s 12th unisex perfume. A 50-ml. eau de parfum sells for 145 pounds or $200.

Aesop executives would not discuss projections, but industry sources estimate the scent will generate 30 million euros at wholesale during its first year.

The brand has accelerated its fragrance rollout, tripling the size of its portfolio since 2020. Another new perfume is due out by year-end 2025.

“Olfaction being so much a part of the brand — it’s really one of the categories we want to expand and invest in,” said Delaye, calling perfume a best-kept secret of Aesop.

Fragrance is sold in its almost 470 stores worldwide. Expansion plans for the next few years include a focus on China and travel retail.

On Dec. 24, 2024, Aesop opened its largest store — at practically 2,150 square feet — on the Chinese duty-free island of Hainan.

“What’s very important for us is to preserve the culture and identity of Aesop, but as well to support its growth for the future,” said Delaye.

Today, body and hand care comprise the brand’s biggest product segment, followed closely by face care and fragrances, including home products.

“Our dream at Aesop is to be in every room of every house of what we call our curious minds,” said Delaye. “That’s really our target — people who are living in urban cities, at a fast pace.”

In Aesop stores, people’s five senses are engaged, according to Delaye, who said they are places and moments of reconnection and recharging. “We host customers as if we were inviting them at home,” she said. “So the hosting ceremony is essential.”

That includes specific lighting and a curated music playlist, incense, a room spray and tea. Each Aesop store design and architecture is unique.

“Why? Because we really want to not only provide an elevated design gesture, but, as well, to be culturally relevant to the place we are in,” said Delaye.

It’s all helped fuel Aesop’s strong growth, which was faster than the booming perfume category.

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