Exultation. For the 2024 edition of Esxence for its revelation of new perfume destinations. What an exhilarating experience when discovering unknown universes, full of exotism and magnetism! Defining new fragrance frontiers and first-time borders, Frassaï takes us to the land made of ‘silver,’ Argentina; Hima Jomo elevates us to one of the highest and largest mountains range, the Himalayas; and ĖDIT(h) decodes the complexity of a country full of history and modernity, Japan. Three brand founders and adventurers of new sensorial experiences. Their intention is to reveal the beauty of their home country with their own creative expression. Let us follow their exploration...

ĖDIT(h), Frassaï and Hima Jomo, New Horizons of Olfactory Creativity.

Why not start the discovery journey with Japan? The country is an unsolved mystery when it comes to mastering the art of mixing modernity with history. Ancient traditions mingle with modern inventions, in every moment and at such an extreme level generating an utter sense of puzzlement. On the perfume planet, there is a ‘comet’ named ĖDIT(h), the invention of Japanese Kentaro Kuzuwa. He mixes the art of perfumery with Japanese identity and personal history.

ĖDIT(h). Modern Sensibility and Classic Industry.

‘ĖDIT(h) is not a Western copy. It is stamped with Japanese authenticity as an ongoing autobiography of my family history.’ Kentaro Kuzuwa, Founder of ĖDIT(h).

Given his utmost respect for European perfumery, he knew that imitation was not the right approach for his brand creation. He gave his Japanese perfumer a creative brief based on his experience as a music director. In that time, Kentaro became acquainted with breaking down waveforms and mixing them creatively into a new sound composition. He therefore removed the traditional perfume pyramid of base, middle, and top notes and replaced it with an overall ‘sound’ effect. He also got rid of ingredients’ price constraints. Instead, he focused his creative work on the originality and quality of every smallest detail, which to him defines luxury. His family history contributed significantly to the construction of his brand details. Kentaro is the sixth generation to run Japan's traditional inkpad stamp industry, called SHUNIKU. His brand sub-title is ‘Nikko Jirushi Products since 1905’.

Like a Japanese stamp, a perfume from ĖDIT(h) becomes a person’s unique signature. ĖDIT(h) means editing or printing your own identity. The brand name uses French references and ‘edits’ design variances: the female name ‘Édith’ loses its accent and is replaced by a dot ‘Ė’ while the letter ‘h’ with no sound is enclosed in parentheses.

History and modernity mix in the manufacturing methods as well: the zinc cap and the glass bottle are produced in an industrial process but are finalized by hand in an old traditional model. The perfume box is made of Paulownia wood, traditionally used in Japan in home interiors, incredibly light and minimalistic modern. Kentaro tells me that his intention is to mix the Japanese stamp tradition and a modern artistic creation with a collection of fragrances that can be blended to create a unique personal identity.

ĖDIT(h) first collection was an invitation to layer fragrances as different expressions of our emotions. Now, At Esxence, the brand celebrates its six years of existence with a definitive vibrant perfume collection. ‘La Collection Remixes’ is a musical creative remix of the first one. Each of the five ‘Remixes’ is a change in tone and rhythm from the original perfume; ‘Jardin des Mots’ is a transformation of ‘Jardin Tokyo,’ ‘Kagamigoshi’ which means ‘through the mirror’ is a reflection of ‘Reminisce’…. Kagamigoshi is Kentaro’s favourite for its special balance of sweetness and leathery bitterness, an illusion between heaviness and lightness. On my skin, the scent seemed first to be of a fleeting essence but had a surprising persistence. I was definitely impressed by Kagamigoshi’s beautiful ‘confusion.’ The ‘Remix’ musical idea stems from a recollection of his time in the US during the 1990s. The song ‘Got ’til It’s Gone,’ by Janet Jackson, originally by Joni Mitchell is a perfect illustration of ĖDIT(h) new perfume collection.

Stepping inside ĖDIT(h) is a mesmerizing experience, like listening for the first time, and all at once, to the songs of a magnetic album. ĖDIT(h) definitely ‘leaves its stamp’ and marks a ‘sign of the times.’

A video illustrating the Japanese stamping: https://nikkojirushi.com/

The Brand web site: https://edithtokyo.com/en/products/

ĖDIT(h) has a selective distribution in Japan and worldwide. ISETAN Shinjuku is one of its stores in Tokyo.

Frassaï. The Quiet Beauty Of A Different Country.

From modern Japan, let us travel to a new land; to Frassaï, the first artistic house of ‘Haute Parfumerie’ from Buenos Aires. I have never been to Argentina, so I was thrilled to discover a new perfume destination and experience a new olfactory dimension. One early morning at Esxence, Natalia Outeda, the Argentinian brand founder, took me through her story, slowly yet passionately, delicately yet decisively. I was curious to explore the impact of her personality into the style of her brand...

There was no improvisation from Natalia when she decided to launch her brand. She had the perfume knowledge as she had worked a considerable number of years as a talented olfactive evaluator at Quest (now Givaudan) in NYC. Her longing for Argentina and marvelling at the life of Victoria Ocampo, an iconic Argentinian female independent artist, forged her decision in 2013 to move back home and become an entrepreneur herself.

‘With Frassaï, I want to celebrate the beauty of my native country, capture the diversity of Latin America and reveal my olfactive discoveries, slowly yet passionately’ Natalia Outeda, the founder of Frassaï.

Frassaï is a play on the words ‘fragrances’ and ‘assai’ as she first launched perfume pendants. In 2017, she launched her first perfume collection with three inspiring destinations and added two more in 2018; I picked Verano Porteño for its sparkling summer inspiration of Buenos Aires. In 2020 she was inspired by ‘El Sur’ and created a new collection with three fragrances; Rosa Sacra won me over with its journey to the Yunga jungles where a magical rose grows around a palo santo. In 2022, she added Victoria to the collection, a tribute to Victoria Ocampo, founder of the Sur magazine, a unique literary journal, and the first woman to enter the Argentinian Academy of Letters. As you can imagine, the perfume is bold, built on a powerful contrast between tuberose and oud. In 2024, at Esxence, she presented Dormir Al Sol, her new scent.

Natalia perfectly applies her concept of slow perfumery when offering her time generously. I had the splendid gift of experiencing all the perfumes of the brand, slowly yet intensely. I realised there is a common signature in all of them and Natalia kindly provided me with the answer; not only has she defined a clear olfactive style, but all her fragrances contain Yerba Mate, an iconic and authentic ingredient from Latin America.

Frassaï is made of quiet luxury, full of sensitivity to the beauty and inner harmony of the world. There is a sense of inner peace and outer bliss in all the brand elements, in each fragrance, and in every chapter of the story. Natalia’s vision of modern perfumery embraces high-quality, transparency and sustainability. She discloses the list of all the noble ingredients she has carefully selected and the name of the perfumer with whom she has intensely worked. She communicates on her commitment to a minimalistic and sustainable packaging; from the wooden cap ethically sourced, to the Italian quality glass, the upcycled paper, the absence of colourants and the high quality of natural ingredients purchased from Mane and Givaudan...It is an illustration of her respect for nature and for the beautiful lands she cherishes. The green colour of the brand shopping bags represents the forests while the suede beige colour of the perfume boxes stands for the earth.

Frassaï is a personal expression of Natalia’s emotions. Her fragrances are like a biography where she discloses her philosophy of life; made of intuition, a deep passion for nature, and a slow vision of the world. Fluidity and harmony define her reality, like a smooth tango dance with a slow yet passionate embrace. To no surprise, Natalia is a great ambassador of her own brand.

Her ‘quiet’ luxury is making ‘noise.’ Frassaï is talked about in many exclusive magazines (Allure, Vogue, Elle, L'Officiel, Glass, Harper's Bazaar) and Tian Di has been featured in the top 10 of ‘Perfumes: the Guide’ by Luca Turin.

Frassaï has a list of high-end retail stockists in the world as well as a robust proprietary online business in the USA.

https://www.frassai.com/

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Leaving the beauty of South America creates a nostalgic feeling that quickly evaporates in front of the majestic immensity of the Himalaya landscapes, one of the highest and largest mountain ranges on earth. Geographically, four countries in Asia, India, Nepal, China, and Bhutan share the Himalayas. Spiritually, the remote mountains are wildly free; occupied by vast spaces and sacred peaks in the Buddhist and Hinduist religions. Esxence offered a blessed access to the grand mountain reaches thanks to the brand ‘Hima Jomo;’ ‘Hima’ stands for Himalaya and ‘Jomo’ is ‘Holy Mother’ in Tibetan and means ‘the joy of missing out.’ My olfactory journey to an authentic and enigmatic land begins...

Hima Jomo. Feel The Spirit of Infinite Mountains.

The Hima Jomo fragrances prompt an elevation experience. A pure moment of contemplation of the Himalayas infinite beauty and of the Earth complete harmony. A yearning feeling of rising above the day-to-day life fills the imagination and is an inspiration for spiritual wisdom. The question is what do those magnificent landscapes smell like? How is it possible to bottle vast spiritual spaces into fragrances? The first logical approach taken by the brand is to have a high level of naturals in the fragrance’s composition. The other principle is to use ingredients indigenous to the Himalaya region. The surprising component is to pick only perfumers who know the ‘element;’ they have all been to the Himalayas and continue to visit as they have embraced the land philosophy. Bertrand Duchaufour and Barnabé Fillion practice the meditation experience of the Himalaya mountains.

Hima Jomo first launched the ‘Collection - Seasons,’ a captivating composition of four fragrances encapsulating the variations of the seasons. The second collection is called ‘Treasures’ as it focuses on three iconic cultural elements; ‘Tchai’ – the Darjeeling tea, ‘Khullu’- the pashmina, and ‘Loon’ - Himalayan pink salt. I was particularly drawn to ‘Winter in Manaslu’ for its interpretation of snow slopes and icy winds blowing through the cedar trees growing at an altitude of 8163 meters. A feeling of stillness, both cold and cosy, got hold of me. A quiet balance between the freshness of the pine needles, of the cedarwood and the warmth of ambrette seeds, and sandalwood. An embrace between smelling a fragrance and reading a poem takes place:

‘As winter’s veil gently fades away, Manaslu awakens in the morning dew’s sway...’

Hima Jomo gives the coordinates and the map position of each perfume, the ones of Manaslu are 28°32'59.0"N 84°33'34.8"E. It is extremely high.

Another detail is the writing of the perfume name; it is like a ‘sacred text,’ vertical from bottom to top, like a mantra.

It is time to present Vittoria, the brand instigator and creative director. She comes from the Chinese side of the Himalaya and has settled down in Paris. Her previous work had nothing to do with perfumes, but life circumstances pushed for the creation of Hima Jomo. First, a group of friends all passionate about the Himalayas came together during the pandemic. She explains to me that 90% of the brand’s stunning pictures are done by Hima Jomo friends. You will see no picture of her, only her landscapes, her precious universe. Then, she had the idea to create the olfactory experience of her beloved Himalayas, but she completely lacked the perfume knowledge. In a conversation with her orthodontist, she was told ‘my son is a perfumer, he just returned from Bhutan;’ Barnabé Fillion gave Vittoria his generous guidance and his precious contacts. In 2022, all the details of the brand were finalized, she was ready to launch quietly but surely.

Hima Jomo was inspired by the shape of stupas, sacred places where the Himalayan people perform their ritual of incense offering, when creating the brand perfume ‘bells’ . There is a clear illustration of the brand’s overarching intention to contribute to the preservation of nature and cultural heritage of the region; it has established an Hima Jomo association, with a mission to contribute to charitable organizations in the Himalaya region. The work has already begun, and rest assured that Vittoria has plenty of ideas.

Hima Jomo is rich in poetry; it offers an illusion of serenity that turns into reality...

Hima Jomo has already gained a substantial world distribution and has opened a flagship boutique in the Marais in Paris.

https://himajomo.com/

https://himajomo.com/the-hima-jomo-association/

A Triple Exploration Game at Esxence.

Three artistic brands and their exotic lands. Three perfume destinations and brand revelations. An authentic perfume adventure that provides a unique sensorial experience. The game has no end...