Celine Barel Takes Us Through the Latest Chapter in Aesop’s Fragrance Fables

From the core DNA of an Aesop fragrance to the process that goes into its creation, perfumer Celine Barel tells all in our exclusive.

It was just two decades ago that Aesop launched its first personal fragrance, Marrakech, an aromatic composition harnessing botanical extracts in a strong, unique accord. Since then, the beauty brand’s fragrance collection has grown to span 12 Eaux de Parfum, each imbued with the long-standing expertise and refinement that the label has become renowned for.

Each of the scents in the fragrance range has also been reimagined as its own fable inspired by Aesop’s namesake, the ancient Greek fabulist—an invitation for contemplation and conversation. Among the roster are Above Us, Steorra, Tacit Truths and Entirely Aurner, three of 12 chapters in the ever-evolving collection, all of which share one nose: Celine Barel.

The perfumer has been a trusted collaborator of the House for years and now ushers in a new era of Aesop fragrance with a fresh new look and a new composition: Unforeseen Aer. Ahead, we speak to the perfumer about what makes an Aesop fragrance, the process behind the new scent, and how literature and perfumery collide with the revamped collection:

What are the key tenets or principles that make an Aesop fragrance, in your opinion?

“An Aesop fragrance is fundamentally raw, simple, yet deeply complex, and there is always an unconventional, non-conformist take—even on the most familiar accords. When collaborating with Aesop, I work with an extraordinary volume of natural ingredients. These compositions possess an olfactive writing style that is rich, textural, and dimensional, always structured around a deliberate tension between nature and poetry.”

This new chapter in Aesop’s Fragrance Fables Collection also welcomes a brand new scent into the mix: the Unforeseen Aer Eau de Parfum. Could you delve into the inspiration behind the scent? How did each raw material come together in this fragrance, and what do you hope to evoke with the new scent?


“The very first presentation of the brief was simply a photograph of a fern—fougère in French. The central inspiration came from the unfurling fern frond. It took me straight back to my time studying art history, where the golden ratio is visible across so many masterworks. In nature and architecture, the golden ratio creates visual balance, proportion, and aesthetic harmony, bringing a feeling of peace and serenity. It shows that true harmony isn’t about rigid, stiff perfection; it is about movement, life, and the beauty found in moments of imperfection. That connected directly to our fable’s question: ‘How can change enrich us?’

“We wanted the wearer to literally smell that harmony, purity, and beauty. In parallel, I was inspired by the ancient concept of Aether—the pure, pristine air breathed on Mount Olympus, which was imagined not as cold and biting, but warm. It was this ethereal element bridging the gap between sky and earth, mortal and immortal.

“That mythological idea of Aether directly inspired the creation of our Fabulist Accord: the Pure Air Accord. Since you cannot bottle air, we had to act like illusionists to conjure its aroma through botanical leaves rather than traditional marine or synthetic shortcuts. Drawing from Aesop’s heritage and products like the Geranium Leaf Body Cleanser, I built this weightless, highly diffusive accord around geranium as the star ingredient, paired with rosemary and a refined lavandin distilled solely from flower blossoms to eliminate any harsh, camphoraceous edges.

“Then, to echo the warm, radiant quality of Aether and ground that airy lift, we deliberately disrupted the pure air accord with a radical dose of nutmeg. It acts like a warm, tactile grain in polished wood, creating an intentional friction on the skin. Above all, I wanted to evoke an authentic, radiant vegetal freshness that elevates the mind—leaving the wearer surrounded by a sophisticated, charismatic halo of aer.”

Each fragrance in the collection boasts an olfactory makeup guided by a clear narrative. Would you be able to walk us through the concept of the Radical Ingredient and Fabulist Accord?

“In Aesop fragrances, the compositions are masterfully balanced through the interplay of the Radical Ingredient and the Fabulist Accord. The Fabulist Accord is the poetic, imaginary element of the fragrance. In Unforeseen Aer, the Fabulist Accord is Pure Air. Since we cannot bottle Pure Air, we must conjure its aroma in the mind of the wearer through a precise blend of Geranium, Rosemary and Lavandin to create a weightless, transparent sensation. 

“The Radical Ingredient represents a deliberate, highly calculated exaggeration of a single material within the formula. I prefer the term ‘radical use’ over ‘overdose’, because an overdose implies a mistake or something unmastered. A radical amount, by contrast, is an exercise in extreme precision and restraint—it is highly controlled to create a striking contrast against the rest of the composition.

“The significance of these two concepts within Unforeseen Aer lies in their tension: we build a pristine, Fabulist Accord, and then we intentionally, radically break its perfection with the fiery, textured contrast of Nutmeg as the Radical Ingredient. This dualistic friction is what gives the fragrance its movement, its character, and its modern, non-conformist soul.”

Creating the Entirely Aurner fragrance was a long process for you—what did the process look like for Unforeseen Aer? 

“The process unfolded across three distinct phases. The first was the classic, unhurried dialogue between the brand and me. Having direct, intimate access to the creative director gave us total freedom and allowed for tremendous boldness right from the start. 

“The second phase was very focused: a core team spent an entire week together fine-tuning the balance, working meticulously on the diffusion and projection of our botanical leaves and modern amber molecules to ensure the scent had expansive presence while remaining transparent.

“The third phase came many months later. We resmelled the formula and felt that, while it was beautiful, there was still room to give it more edge and make it truly Aesopian. That was the turning point where we decided to introduce nutmeg as our Radical Ingredient—pushing it in a generous, deliberate proportion to break the pristine perfection of the pure air accord with a fiery, tactile warmth. That unexpected friction is what gave Unforeseen Aer its final soul.”

What is your favourite read right now? What literary work do you associate with the new Unforeseen Aer scent?

“Right now, my favourite read is Gala by Dominique Bona, about the life of Gala Dalí. She was such an enigmatic, Russian-born muse and a central figure of the 20th-century surrealist movement—lifelong muse, wife, and business manager of Salvador Dalí, but she also influenced poets, writers, painters, and fashion designers. I love the book so much that I don’t want to read the last chapter and feel empty after completing it!

 “As for a literary work, a quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry from his book Wind, Sand and Stars has been a continuous red thread throughout my creations for Aesop: ‘Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing else to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.’ A reminder of the power of minimalism, which is emblematic of my Aesop creations.”

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