Aedes De Venustas, meaning ‘Temple of Beauty’, is one of the finest perfumeries in America. Based in Manhattan, New York, Aedes de Venustas introduced the world’s best luxury fragrances into the US market and is an A-lister-frequented store. Now, AdV is making a move on the UK market with it’s range of own-brand fragrances and Prime Planet was given a special preview of their ranges.
Last week I was invited for a special sit down with one of Aedes de Venustas’ founders, Karl Bradl, and one of the world’s finest perfumers, Bertrand Duchaufour (recently named Basenotes Perfumer of the Year). We were introduced to Aedes’ fragrances in the gorgeous setting that is Hazlitt’s hotel in the heart of Soho and given a preview of a new range of scented candles being released as well as, a personal favourite, a new product coming for Christmas.
The evening was a remarkable experience; I have always been a fragrance lover but will hold my hand up to having a novice’s knowledge of the processes and making of fragrances – queue talk of base notes and textures and a glazed look across my eyes in confusion, thinking I may have sat down in a sommeliers office by accident. It was truly eye opening as I discovered Bertrand’s methods and madness when it comes to creating a new fragrances. Karl and Bertrand clearly shared a bonding passion for fragrances and discussed their working relationships with beaming smiles. Karl would create the most beautiful mood boards of images and words, which would describe his idea, and Bertrand would interpret it, he said he could smell the fragrance straight off the board.
Karl showed us both of the label’s fragrances, the namesake Aedes de Venustas for women and the unisex Iris Nazarena edp. The first thing noted was the incredible nature the fragrances had – the ability to denote temperature. The namesake fragrance, designed by Bertrand himself, felt warm to the smell with contrasting rhubarb and vetiver notes, while the latter was cold with its intoxicating iris and juniper notes.
AdV’s namesake fragrance
AdV’s Iris Nazarena
As a newly converted lover to scented candles, I was excited to get to experience their luxury candle range. The fragrance from the honey-based Mel Mellis candle was a knockout; you smelt it across the room without it having been lit. But it was Karl’s description of the Indica candle, a homage to Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, as a “sophisticated version of pot” that definitely took the prize of the evening. Lamarck is noted for discovering the intoxication of Hindu Kush grass and the substances mysterious and sensual fragrance is mirrored in the candles notes and incense.
For the final part of the evening we where given a sneak preview of a new travel size bottle which can be refilled with special vials of your favourite fragrances and fits neatly in your luggage. Available at the end of the year, this little accessory is definitely making my Christmas gift list.
– Neil Thornton
AdV products are available on their website www.aedes.com.
