Style Edit: We headed to Tokyo for the launch of Aesop’s latest scent Virēre, inspired by the summer memories of nose Barnabé Fillion

Few luxury brands have mastered the art of branding better than Aesop, the Australian skin, hair and body care company which may be just as well-known for its physical retail presence as its products. Walk into any of the brand’s stores around the world and you’ll see, instantly, what it’s all about. The products, more concerned with being effective than pretty, have pharmaceutical-style labels and unfussy packaging, their simplicity reflected in the interior design of their surroundings, which tends to be minimalist in nature but subtly evocative of their location, be it New York, Hong Kong or Tokyo.

This idea of localised uniformity applies to Aesop product launches as well. Its latest fragrance, Virēre, just made its debut across various cities through multisensory experiences tailored towards each market, from an installation done in collaboration with the Singapore Night Festival “Scents of Being” to an intimate gathering held in the heart of Hong Kong Park’s tropical foliage. Yet Tokyo, with its widespread tea-drinking culture and Zen gardens, was surely the most fitting location to experience the official launch of Virēre, which bottles up those last fleeting moments of summer in a scent as we transition into a fresh season.

As its name might suggest, Virēre – which loosely translates “to be green” in Latin – was inspired by the verdant summer memories of nose and long-time Aesop collaborator Barnabé Fillion, who sought to capture the grounding sensations of those memories in a single scented snapshot: the taste of green tea, the smell of fig trees and the feeling of a cool Mediterranean summer breeze. “Virēre reminds me of the idea of time and transformation,” he says. “Going back to the idea of sophistication – time to stop, to do, and to taste – but also the idea of reminiscing on memories of summer.”

Devoted fans of Aesop already know that smelling one of the brand’s scents is akin to stepping inside one of its stores. Both evoke a sense of time and place in their simplicity and sophistication, two key values which remain the heart and soul of the brand. Like the 10 existing perfumes in Aesop’s arsenal, Virēre comes in a clear, unassuming bottle and appears to be a straightforward scent, belying its sophisticated ingredients, which only gradually reveal themselves over time.

“Because of this, we have always chosen specific ingredients,” said Fillion, citing the delicately-balanced notes of fresh fig, green tea and bergamot found in Virēre. “We haven’t tried to make long and complex formula[s], but instead, shifted the focus to the quality of the ingredients, and how they come one after the other – not just [an] overtechnical, or overwhelming type of fragrance. To me, this is a holistic approach to capturing details of nature.”

This method of formulating fragrances dates back to the brand’s earliest days, when founder Dennis Paphitis was just a hair salon owner who began blending essential oils into his hair products. It’s a story which continues to inform Aesop’s commitment to creating natural, botanical products not only with environmental sustainability in mind, but also a consumer mentality which inspires a higher purpose, inviting you to reflect on what the brand’s philosophy really means. Beyond enjoying a simpler lifestyle and slower pace of life, Aesop espouses the idea that good products speak for themselves.

Stopping by the Tokyo flagship ahead of Virēre’s official launch, I got a sneak peek of the new eau de parfum in the brand’s signature welcoming surroundings, a case study in how Aesop’s visual and olfactory identities work seamlessly together. Adjacent to the Meguro River, the space blends a contemporary vibe with a vintage edge, just like the fragrance itself.