Driven by her desire to conquer her inherent fear of horses, Hermès in-house perfumer Christine Nagel visited the stables several years ago at the Saut Hermès show-jumping event. Upon reaching the final stall, a chestnut horse came up and nudged its head against her face. In that moment, her fear dissipated. It was the first time Nagel had encountered the raw scent of muscles heated from exertion, the soft exhalations of the horse and the subtle whiff of sawdust.
An anomalous impression took root in Nagel’s memory. The warm and beguiling tang of this animal left a gripping mark, lingering in her mind. Years later, this dormant imprint resurfaced, becoming the catalyst for a new creative endeavour—the launch of the new Hermessence Oud Alezan Eau De Parfum. With its overt and uncomplicated formulation, this fragrance echoes the spirit of Nagel’s inceptive sensation, melding oud with a natural, petal-like rose hydrosol and rose oxide. These two components retain high sensory attributes, forging a mutual companionship that is both reciprocal and compatible.
The plum-brown-lacquered bottle reflects the consonance between the chestnut hue of the horse’s coat and the nuanced extracts of oud and rose. Its cap is encased in a soft chalk-coloured leather, embroidered with saddle-stitch thread, and bears the ‘Hermès Paris’ signature engraved on the saddle nail. The Hermessence Oud Alezan Eau De Parfum is now available in 100ml and 200ml refillable bottles.
