2024 saw luxury fragrances “bottle” the spirit of travel and wanderlust to diverse and captivating landscapes. As the year winds down and consumers prepare for the festive retreats, these fragrances offer a different kind of escape. From the sun-kissed plains of Morocco to the serene forests of Japan, these scents evoke nature’s raw beauty and its power to inspire the senses. LUXUO breaks down how each of these fragrances tells their unique geographical story alongside their corresponding campaign images to blend culture and craftsmanship to create new olfactory experiences. Beyond mere perfumes, these creations are an invitation to explore the world through the senses, merging the beauty of nature with the artistry of perfumery. This year’s releases offer not just a fragrance, but a journey — one that lingers long after the final notes fade.
Jo Malone London’s Hinoki & Cedarwood
For 2024, Jo Malone London unveils a striking addition to its Cologne Intense collection: Hinoki & Cedarwood. Crafted by master perfumer Anne Flipo, this fragrance draws inspiration from the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing — a meditative ritual of immersing oneself in the serene beauty of a forest to reconnect with nature. This captivating scent evokes the tranquil majesty of hinoki trees, blending an aromatic clean accord as the top note with hinoki wood at its heart and grounding cedarwood at its base. Céline Roux, global head of fragrance at Jo Malone London, describes it as a fragrance that transports: “Hinoki & Cedarwood takes you to nature, to a serene escape. The hinoki note reminds me of a dry, clean sauna — absolutely beautiful.”
The Cologne Intense line is celebrated for its depth and intensity, and this new addition is no exception. Whether you’re drawn to the fresh, uplifting opening or the rich, woody trail, this scent offers a sensory escape into the wilderness.
Gucci Flora
The Gucci Flora collection unveils a new chapter with Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid Eau de Parfum, a scent that captures the luminous allure of Los Angeles. Encased in a vibrant yellow bottle adorned with Gucci’s iconic Flora pattern, this fragrance blends ozonic floral gourmand notes with creamy vanilla orchid, evoking the golden glow of California’s sunsets and the city’s boundless creative energy.
The campaign, starring Miley Cyrus, brings the fragrance to life amidst a dreamy garden set against Hollywood’s iconic backdrop. As she runs through a tunnel of flowers, Miley embodies the scent’s spirit of transformation and empowerment, reflecting the city’s essence — a place where dreams take root and flourish. Her Grammy-winning hit Flowers underscores the narrative, mirroring the fragrance’s themes of self-love and bold individuality. However, the scent is so much more than just a marketing gimmick to those enamored by the magic of Hollywood’s glamour — Gucci Flora Gorgeous Orchid Eau de Parfum is an invitation to live life on your own terms.
Guerlain Patchouli Paris
Guerlain’s Patchouli Paris captures the magnetic allure of Paris after dark, where the City of Light transforms into a stage of vibrant contrasts. From the Seine’s cool evening breeze to the sultry warmth of theatres and cabarets, this fragrance evokes the essence of a night in Paris — electric, sensual, and full of possibility.
Inspired by the glamour of Parisian stages and the storied neighbourhoods of Montmartre and Pigalle, Patchouli Paris is a bold and intoxicating tribute to the city’s creative energy. Its patchouli heart is layered with powdery iris and warm amber, conjuring the red velvet of theatre seats and the glow of neon lights. The scent unfolds like a journey through the capital, from the effervescent excitement of a first encounter to the lingering sensuality of a night’s final embrace. A new chapter in Guerlain’s L’Art & La Matière collection, Patchouli Paris pays homage to the city’s legendary connection with art, performance, and endless inspiration.
Tom Ford Soleil Neige Parfum
Soleil Neige Parfum embodies the “radiant majesty of an alpine peak bathed in golden sunlight”. This elevated interpretation of a citrus floral musk channels the crisp brilliance of high altitudes, where exhilarating freshness meets warming depth. The fragrance opens with an intensified burst of bergamot and mandarin, their zesty vibrancy captured through meticulous extraction techniques that reveal the fruit’s sunlit nuances. This radiant introduction mirrors the pure, dazzling light of a mountain summit in winter. As the scent unfolds, a bouquet of white florals and orange blossom emerges, enriched by a duet of rose absolutes that evoke the ethereal beauty of an alpine dusk — the moment when the sun dips behind towering peaks.
Anchoring this luminous profile is orange flower absolute, lending a velvety richness to the composition that contrasts the cool, floral brightness with a warm, seductive depth. Soleil Neige Parfum is a rarefied expression of nature’s splendour, offering an olfactory escape to a realm of breathtaking elevation and beauty.
Bottega Veneta
Under Matthieu Blazy’s creative vision, Bottega Veneta unveils its inaugural fragrance collection, weaving together the brand’s Venetian roots and its signature Intrecciato leather craftsmanship. Drawing from Venice’s legacy as a crossroads of cultures, the five fragrances unite natural ingredients from across the globe, forming a sensory Intrecciato that bridges continents and traditions.
Each fragrance tells a unique story of encounter: Colpo di Sole glows with French angelica oil and Moroccan orange blossom, evoking the warmth of the Mediterranean. Come with Me offers a fresh elegance with Italian bergamot and French orris butter. Acqua Sale recalls salt-kissed skin with Spanish labdanum and Macedonian juniper. Déjà Minuit seduces with the spice of Guatemalan cardamom and Madagascar geranium, while Alchemie dazzles with Brazilian pink pepper and Somali myrrh in a symphony of opulence.
True to Blazy’s emphasis on touch, the fragrances come alive on the skin, blending with the wearer’s natural essence to create an intimate, evolving experience. This tactile philosophy extends to the design of the bottles, which are masterpieces of craft and innovation.
The undulating glass bottles, inspired by the Venetian lagoon and the fluidity of Bottega Veneta’s leather forms, feature distinctive air bubbles — a nod to Murano’s glassblowing tradition. Paired with Verde Saint Denis marble bases and sculptural wooden caps reminiscent of Venetian palazzo foundations, each bottle is a tactile and visual homage to Venice’s artistry and architecture.
Henry Jacques’ Ulysse Men
Henry Jacques’ regional exclusive Ulysse Men captures the essence of a gentle sea breeze, taking users on a sensory journey that blends nostalgia with the promise of new memories to treasure. Renowned for its pure scents, Henry Jacques creates its perfumes using rare, exclusive natural ingredients sourced from all corners of the globe. With nearly five decades of expertise, Henry Jacques has mastered the art of perfume-making. At the core of their craft lies the purity of rare, natural essences, reawakening the timeless ritual of applying perfume directly to the skin. Ulysse Men evokes the spirit of summer by the sea by combining refreshing aquatic notes with the zesty brightness of grapefruit. A balance of youthful energy, sophisticated depth, and sporty character, this fragrance transports you to the invigorating freshness of coastal moments, regardless of where the wearer might be.
Acqua di Parma’s Luce di Rosa
Luce di Rosa is the latest addition to Acqua di Parma’s Signatures of the Sun collection. This gender-neutral fragrance combines the contemporary allure of rose with a “mineral sharpness”, creating a sophisticated chiaroscuro effect. The result is a multifaceted scent, much like a symphony that alternates between soft and intense, slow and fast, evoking a dynamic, ever-evolving experience. Inspired by the rich and varied beauty of Bulgaria’s Kazanlak region, where the Bulgarian rose is cultivated, Luce di Rosa transports the wearer to a place where nature’s raw, organic beauty meets the art of perfumery. At its heart, the Luce di Rosa blooms with Bulgarian Rose, renowned for its intense freshness. This rose, combined with verdant geranium, forms a core that is both floral and deeply rich, capturing the raw beauty of nature through vibrant, clean, and luminous notes.
The fragrance opens with a bright burst of bergamot and mandarin, invigorated by the spicy notes of black pepper and pink pepper CO2 extract, with a hint of cardamom. The base reveals a grounding combination of vetiver, guaiac wood, and cedarwood, wrapped in the sensual warmth of musk, offering a finale that evolves over time, revealing ever-changing sensations. The Bulgarian Rose used in Luce di Rosa is harvested from the Kazanlak region and distilled through a steam-water process, preserving its vibrant essence with floral, spicy, and honeyed notes, making it a prized ingredient in perfumery.
L’Artisan Parfumeur
L’Artisan Parfumeur brings its vibrant chromatic fragrances and luxurious gift sets to life, capturing the essence of nature through a kaleidoscope of bold and soft tones. Each fragrance is represented by a colour palette and a corresponding olfactory language that ties in to a sensory narrative. The Histoire d’Orangers is a fragrance by Marie Salamagne that encapsulates the essence of an orange tree, evoking the warmth of a Moroccan sunset in Taroudant. The brand describes the fragrance as capturing the essence of nature’s purity, stating “…as the sun sets, its golden light warms the weathered stone walls, while the cool evening breeze brings the sweet, heady fragrance of orange blossoms. This scent offers a sensory journey through Morocco’s vibrant, sunlit landscapes.
Byredo’s Desert Dawn
Byredo’s latest fragrance, Desert Dawn, is inspired by the desert as both a physical and mental landscape. This fragrance invites an exploration of new terrains, whether they be literal or metaphorical. Desert Dawn encapsulates the fleeting yet powerful nature of this moment of transformation, blending rich, spicy notes with wood and earth for an intensely evocative scent experience.
Opening with the warmth of cardamom and the delicate sweetness of rose petals, the fragrance evolves with the dry, woody essence of sandalwood and cedarwood. These notes conjure the arid heat of the desert landscape, creating a soft, powdery heart. The fragrance deepens with a base of smoky vetiver and silk musk, while papyrus adds a clean, crisp finish that lingers long after the scent fades. The fragrance reflects the intersection of humanity and nature, where self-expression is rooted in the land. The accompanying campaign, created by a team grounded in the natural beauty of their surroundings, brings this connection to life.
Brazilian photographer Rafael Pavarotti, who grew up in the Amazon rainforest, captures Indigenous model Cherokee Jack in a series of poignant portraits. Raised along the Mississippi River, Cherokee’s deep love for nature and dedication to environmental advocacy shine through in his work, as he continues to campaign for food sovereignty and mutual aid.
For more on the latest in beauty and wellness reads, click here.
