Men's

Hermès’ iconic masculine fragrance gets an olfactory revamp

18.10.2018

By Wei Yeen Loh

Hermès’ iconic masculine fragrance gets an olfactory revamp

When it comes to creating the most beguiling of fragrances, Hermès has a tried-and-tested formula down pat—from the unique Hermèssence collection that is infused with fragrance oils, to the stylish Twilly d’Hermès that is spicy yet sensual. The latest reiteration to its range of men’s fragrances is no exception. The award-winning Terre d’Hermès fragrance is lauded for good reason—first created in 2006 by then-master perfumer Jean-Claude Ellena, this woody scent gets an earthy reinterpretation by current in-house perfumer Christine Nagel.

“I wanted to understand the masculinity of Hermès, so naturally I chose Terre,” Nagel explains. “I must be one of the only perfumers in the world that can do the craft completely free. Hermès puts all of its trust in creators, [so the house] didn’t demand that I recreate it…I wanted to do it because it is such a huge monument of the brand.”

Nagel deconstructed the fragrance by rearranging the composition of the Terre d’Hermès. Inspired by “terre“, which is French for “earth”, Nagel wanted to draw attention to the greener notes this time around while letting vetiver take centre stage in the fragrance. Rounded, warm, and sensual, the vetiver note lends a woody, earthy hint to it, while black pepper is replaced with sichuan pepper. The spicy, green note has a hint of citrus, invigorating the formula while keeping it clean. Lastly, Queen of Hesperidia bergamot orange (picked right before maturity) offer an edgy quality to the composition. The bottle itself takes on an energy of its own, with a brown cap inspired by the rich hue of leather tanned by the sun.

 

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