Perfumes and Fragrances

The UERMI project is an olfactory wardrobe. But not in the sense that fashionable perfume stylists understand. Creators Aurora Carrara and Palmiro Picquin sought to combine scents with the tactile and visual sensations of textures and fabrics, conveying through perfume the touch of silk, the roughness of denim, or the creak of vinyl. It's a challenging task, but UERMI never stops exploring new combinations.

I've been saying for a long time that Robert Piguet's Bandit is unlike anything else. Germaine Cellier "painted" the great leather chypre with sweeping, broad brushstrokes. Greenery, bitterness, a velvety southern night with its intoxicating floral scent, and then, all at once, tough black leather and an unfiltered cigarette.

Alessandro Brun, creator of the renowned Masque Milano collection, dedicated his new perfume project to his beloved city and called it simply Milano Fragranze. Through scents, Alessandro sought to remind us, deprived of travel, of Milan's most famous landmarks and traditions.

The difference between genuine niche perfumery and the stylized versions of the "big" perfume houses is immediately apparent. Yes, the focus is on raw materials, all those tired "precious ingredients" in press releases. Yes, all the bottles are identical, and maybe even feature mother-of-pearl and rhinestones for customers in countries where oil gushes right out of the window. But brands like Guerlain don't, and never have, attempted to appeal to the sophisticated consumer.

I bought Tonka Imperiale as gifts twice, but I never added it to my collection. It turns out that spending half an hour with someone wearing it is enough to leave me satiated for a month.

The Huacaya fragrance from British manufacturer Graham & Pott is dedicated to the scent of the wool of the small, round-bottomed huacaya alpaca, which lives on the high-altitude Altiplano plateau in the heart of the Andes.

Admit it, you've been waiting for something new from Estée Lauder for a long time, too. Lately, it felt like all the creative energy was being focused on Tom Ford or By Kilian, or anywhere but the main, foundational brand that started it all. But Estée Lauder hasn't been forgotten. Eight new fragrances in elegant bottles are already hitting stores and making waves.

Isabelle Doyen and Camille Goutal could easily earn an "exceeds expectations" rating for potion-making. In their new project, Voyages Imaginaires, all five compositions are not perfumes, but magical and strange concoctions, with a slightly artisanal, casual style.

Every final text begins with a lament about how difficult it is to choose the best from a good selection. In 2025, there were even more good perfumes than usual, although the overall number of launches was 20 percent lower due to logistical issues and the general economic downturn.

I tried the new rose cosmetics line from Siberian Wellness, and I insist it's a must-have for all rose lovers. I'll be stocking up and giving them away like crazy. It's a limited edition, which means if the general public doesn't appreciate the scarlet, green, berry, and honey roses, there won't be a reissue. And they won't, as we all know roses are viewed with suspicion in our country.