Aurner Eau de Parfum
Aesop’s Aurner Eau de Parfum draws on the poetic tensions between tenderness and strength to subvert the expectations of a floral fragrance. In an arrangement of unexpected contrasts, rousing spice and metallic notes converge with herbaceous depths, while a resonant floral heart finds roots in sumptuous woods.
Created with Aesop’s long-term collaborator Céline Barel, the fragrance combines key ingredients of Magnolia Leaf, Roman Chamomile and Cedar Heart for a resolutely unorthodox aroma. Central to the fragrance’s unconventional character is the use of Magnolia Leaf, rather than the flower petal, which brings a deeply nuanced luminosity to the scent, described by Céline as ‘complex, bright, somehow tea-like’.
Coinciding with the launch, multisensory evocations of the Eau de Parfum will allow its defiant nature to bloom—including Aesop’s first ever jewellery collaboration.
A tale of tensions
‘Aurner has been envisioned as a nonconformist, floral fragrance,’ explains Céline Barel, ‘embodying tensions like the fragility of the flowers versus the strength of the woods; the transparency of the bloom versus the solidity of the woods; fresh versus warm; vegetal versus metallic; feminine versus masculine; simple versus complex.’
Aurner opens with lustrous brightness. Radiant citrus notes are underscored by green, fresh spices of Cardamom and Pink Pepper, enriched by Roman Chamomile—a prelude to its floral intensity, with an unexpected metallic edge. ‘Roman Chamomile plays a key role in the fragrance, to intensify the bloom,’ says Céline, ‘Due to its olfactive complexity, it bridges the floral, spicy, aromatic facets together, going from top to heart of the fragrance’.
The initial freshness finds form in a resolutely nuanced floral heart. Magnolia Leaf's luminous aromatic quality is embellished with notes of Geranium while the developing warmth of Cardamom hints at wooded depths yet to unfold. Aurner’s floriferous force resounds with a richly textured, woody base. Sandalwood, Cypriol Heart and Cedar Heart ground the fragrance, anchoring its intensity.
An aroma made material
The name Aurner comes from an Old Norse verb meaning ‘to be adorned, to be embellished with flowers’, echoing how the fragrance enrobes the skin—and in so doing, emboldens the wearer. This notion manifested itself in a collaboration with Patcharavipa Bodiratnangkura, a Bangkok-based fine jewellery designer whose pieces have been worn by world-renowned actors, singers and other cultural icons yet remain distinctly personal. Her practice melds traditional Thai craftsmanship with the Japanese concept of wabi-sabi, which centres on ideas of transience and imperfection, for pieces that balance aesthetic audacity and the delicate handling of materiality and texture.
For Aurner, Patcharavipa materialised the emotive tensions within the aroma with a jewellery piece that is delicate in form, yet unyielding in materiality. This striking floral form takes a key role in the visual expression of Aurner Eau de Parfum, its sheening lustre also echoing the metallic facets of Roman Chamomile in the scent. In addition to the one-off necklace featured in the campaign, Aesop commissioned Patcharavipa to create a limited-edition ear cuff inspired by the defiant bloom. For the first time, jewellery will be sold at Aesop stores, with just 200 Aurner Ear Cuffs available in selected locations across the globe. Handcrafted from Rhodium-plated 925 Sterling Silver by a team of artisans who have learnt their skills through generational guidance—a rarity even in the world of fine jewellery—the pride of exceptional Thai workmanship found at the studio shines through in every piece. Patcharavipa says of the design: ‘I have always seen the magnolia as a symbol of power and purity. When one thinks about designs derived from florals, one might often think of something feminine or overtly sweet. I see florals differently. I see them as something very sculptural, very strong, and naturally perfect.’
Evoking Aurner: the campaign
In a striking unravelling of Aurner’s points of inspiration and olfactive contrasts, the Aesop creative team devised a narrative that will play out across still and motion footage. It begins in a florist’s shop—a familiar space abundant in blooms—yet one visitor seeks something different. Something that subverts expectations. A figure leads this curious customer through a secret door, to a world beyond. Here, in a room filled with amber jars and olfactive apparatus, the visitor witnesses the creation of Aurner—or rather, a piece that embodies it. The necklace by Patcharavipa is heated by the mysterious figure, before being submerged in water. It sizzles with insubordination. Finally, the necklace is worn by the visitor: much like the fragrance, it sits against the pulse points—a floral provocation.
As befits any Aesop Eau de Parfum, Aurner exemplifies an unconventional approach to fragrance creation that defies simple categorisation and points of inspiration—it is as nuanced and many-sided as every curious individual who enters the intriguing surrounds of an Aesop store. Aurner Eau de Parfum will launch on 24 February 2025; the limited-edition Aurner Ear Cuff by Patcharavipa will be available from the same date at selected stores globally, priced at 3,000 HKD.
The ear cuff will be available in-store only at the following locations: Hong Kong Aesop ifc Mall and Aesop Harbour City.
‘Poetry must have something in it that is barbaric, vast and wild.’ Denis Diderot
RRP:
Aurner Eau de Parfum 50 mL HKD / MOP 1,500
Aurner Ear Cuff HKD 3,000
Aurner Ear Cuff HKD 3,000
