Tomato leaves, luscious pea, coriander, juniper berry and oregano … these are some of the tempting plant-inspired scents in the new Loewe Home Scents collection, which has just landed at Brown Thomas. “The selection of scents follows a very personal trail,” explains Jonathan Anderson, Loewe’s Creative Director. “These are olfactory sketches that remind me of my childhood, of different journeys I have taken … the mix is both scientific and sentimental.”
Anderson collaborated closely with Loewe’s in-house perfumer Nuria Cruelles – responsible for capturing the mysticism and allure of the Balearics in Paula’s Ibiza fragrance, and for the bestselling and distinctive Solo Ella. Of the brand she says, “Art, craft and nature has always been a part of Loewe’s DNA. I believe this can be appreciated in every garment, collection and perfume. Since my arrival at Loewe back in 2018, I have tried to pay homage to the history of the brand, proposing new perfume structures and rethinking the ingredients of the fragrances in perfumery.”
Cruelles says the inspiration for the new Home Scents collection – to bring the fresh scents of the outdoors to homes – can be backdated to 2016. “Jonathan always wanted to create a Home fragrances collection, so as soon as I arrived at Loewe we started working on it. The concept is in between a Victorian garden and an apothecary, combined with memories of Jonathan’s travels and youth. With all that in mind we started working on the scents before we finally selected the eleven essences that make up the collection.”
Those essences are honeysuckle, beetroot, juniper berry, tomato leaves, coriander, liquorice, scent of marihuana, luscious pea, oregano, cypress balls and ivy. “Some of the scents are ones Jonathan wanted to include from the beginning, while others were proposed after research and briefing meetings. Most importantly we wanted to recreate the smell of the plants as faithfully as possible and to propose scents that would transport you instantly to a garden or a greenhouse,” says Cruelles.
Attention to detail (and a nod to craft) is reflected in the aesthetics of the collection. The natural vegetable wax candles with cotton wicks, are housed in ceramic containers that evoke the simplicity of ancient Greek drinking vessels; they come in a variety of colours from black to powder pink. The diffusers sprout rustic rattan rods, while the room spray fragrances are presented in glass flacons with a glazed ceramic stopper and cotton label. As for the packaging, it’s an artwork in itself, featuring still-life photographs of plants from Franco-Swiss photographer Erwan Frotin.
Are there any bestsellers? “The Tomato Leaves and Ivy home scents are proving to be very popular,” says Cruelles, who likes to light a candle while reading or when alone. “All of the scents mix well together and it’s good to have fun with that. I recommend mixing a stronger scent with a lighter or sweeter scent for balance, for instance Beetroot and Honeysuckle or Tomato Leaves and Luscious Pea. As for my own preference – I’m attached to all the scents but at the moment I’m using Scent of Marihuana and Ivy.”
To maximise impact she advises using the three wick candles in bigger rooms, or when you want a splash of freshness in a room, opt for a home spray.
Need To Know: Loewe Home Scents collection comprises fragrances, candles and rattan diffusers from €75 – €320, available at Brown Thomas and online; www.brownthomas.com.
