Words Aesop Philippines
Editing The Kanto Team
Images Patrick Kasingsing and Gabrielle de la Cruz
Gloam Eau de Parfum is the fifth installment of Othertopias, a collection of fragrances inspired by spaces both real and imagined. Centered on the Divan—a horizontal portal for self-observation—Gloam conjures the dreamscape, where imagination enters, and the waking world recedes. Here the familiar collides with the uncanny, in a fragrance that blends the tangible and the illusive: rich florals, warm spice and a bed of wooded depths combine to invoke reverie, rousing the senses and enchanting the mind.
Aesop Philippines launched Gloam on March 29, 2023, at the boutique theater and restored 1948 house Sine Pop in Cubao, Quezon City.
An arresting first impression of spice characterizes the opening accords of Gloam, one composed of Pink Pepper and Cardamom and softened by the fresh florals of Neroli and its sweeter counterpart, Orange Flower. This is followed by aromatic spice notes of Saffron and Clove that unfurl alongside herbal Maté, heady Narcissus, and pollen-like Mimosa. Warmth from Rose and Jasmine Sambac lend roundness to the spicy floral heart. At its base, Gloam is a sumptuous and powdery blend of Iris, Patchouli, Copaiba, and Sandalwood that delivers unexpected tactility and comfort.
The launch provided invited guests with a sensory experience by maximizing the chosen venue and introducing each note of Gloam. A Divan (daybed) surrounded by Mimosa was displayed to physically demonstrate the comfort that Gloam aims to provide.
Gloam has been created in partnership with Aesop’s long-term fragrance collaborator Barnabé Fillion. As with all fragrances, individual body chemistry contributes to the overall impression, allowing for the creation of a ‘personal’ variation for each wearer.
Fillion shared that Gloam “is inspired by the act of lying down: when we are vertical, we feel the force of gravity on the body, but somehow too, the lightness of the spirit. This gives the mind a freedom to observe nothing but itself.”
Fillion is the creative mind behind the Othertopias collection, whose inspiration he describes thus: “A smell, whether in the air, on our skin, or on our clothes, creates a world within our world that is both physical and imagined—a phenomenon that blurs the boundaries of past and present, real and unreal, here and there. A window into nature, so to speak, one that invites a dialogue with surroundings that we inhabit but often overlook.”
“The cotton-like aroma provides the most memorable and distinctive of Gloam Eau de Parfum’s many varied moments, its unmistakable presence conspiring with the other notes to form a scent that is unorthodox even by Aesop’s standards,” Aesop Philippines said.
The first Othertopias Eaux de Parfum—Miraceti, Karst, and Erémia—were launched in 2021. Eidesis was released in 2022, with one last act to follow after Gloam in 2023. Gloam is the ninth Eau De Parfum in Aesop’s Fragrance range, which also includes Rōzu Eau de Parfum as well as Aesop’s Classic Fragrances: Marrakech Intense, Tacit, and Hwyl Eaux de Parfum. Gloam Eau de Parfum is packaged in a 50mL amber glass bottle and encased in a carton featuring artwork by Belfast-based painter Jack Coulter. The scent will be available in-store by April 10. •
Aesop’s Gloam packaging and the artwork by Belfast-based painter Jack Coulter. The recommended retail price is PHP 9,300.00. Product images courtesy of Aesop.
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