Aesop’s Global Creative Director On Her Favourite Places In Tokyo, And The Brand’s Latest Perfume, Virere
Tokyo-born Ai Kato shares more on the story behind Aesop's indelible installation at this year's Singapore Night Festival and how it ties in with their new green scent, Virere.
Aesop global creative director Ai Kato
One of the most striking works of this year's Singapore Night Festival (on now till September 7) is undoubtedly Scents of Being - a large-scale installation by Aesop that's staged at the atrium of the National Design Centre.
Conceptualised as an arboreal forest of sorts, Scents of Being explores the role of scent with our sense of self - how it has a hand in influencing our emotions, linking the present with the past, and shaping our identity.
There are some 11 illuminated structures within this forest, each representing a different Aesop perfume, - including the brand's newest olfactory addition, Virere.
Virere, the brand's eleventh perfume, is a fresh verdant creation by longtime Aesop collaborator Barnabe Fillion that blends green citrus and herbaceous accords, grounded by a base of earthy wood notes.
Named after the Latin term for "to be green" or "full of life," Virere is a gender-neutral fig-inspired perfume, with key notes of galbanum, petitgrain, bergamot, green tea, cedar, and hay, representing a resolutely green moment in the brand's aromatic universe.
READ MORE: Aesop Othertopias Is A Trio Of Perfumes Inspired By The Mysteries Of The Outdoors
The intention for Virere, according to a statement by the brand, is to elicit images of "moments spent beneath a sunlit canopy with leaves swaying in a fragrant breeze".
One could say they've thoughtfully evoked Virere's green imagery through the woodland-esque Scents of Being installation – here, Aesop's global creative director, Tokyo-born Ai Kato, shares more on this mystical forest they've created for Singapore Night Festival 2024, as well as her favourite spots in the Japanese city.
Hello Ai, what can you tell us about the story behind Aesop's Scents of Being installation at National Design Centre?
"Scents of Being is an olfactory encounter that delves into the intricate relationship between scent and self. Within a mystical forest, each of Aesop’s eleven perfumes - whether inspired by myth, poetry, art or nature — acts much like a guiding light in the darkness, sparking curiosity and illuminating paths into uncharted realms.
This sensory journey offers moments of introspection, each aroma echoing past experiences and resonating with the multifaceted layers of human complexity. Among these fragrances lies the newest addition to Aesop’s range - Virere Eau de Parfum - an unconventional blend that transports the senses back to a verdant memory.
A look at Aesop's atmospheric Scents of Being installation, which encouraged visitors to wander through a "forest" of the brand's fragrances.
Why the arboreal theme for this installation?
"The forest setting was conceptualised in relation to the theme for this year's Singapore Night Festival theme, which is the ‘Art of Play’. Forests, in general, are significant in Southeast Asian culture. Besides the rich collection of flora and fauna the region possesses, forests have historically held both spiritual and nostalgic significance – inspiring many local folklore, myths, rituals and art.
As part of Singapore Night Festival, we have created a setting in a metaphorical forest where the unknown invokes intrigue – inviting exploration into the unknown, and encouraging visitors to reconnect with their sense of wonder and curiosity, discovering the self."
Before you joined Aesop, what was your perception of their fragrances?
"My perception of Aesop fragrances is closely linked to encounters with two confidantes of great taste, one based in Tokyo, the other in New York. This first experience with Aesop was back in 2010, around the time when the brand opened stores in these cities. Both friends were devotees to the original Marrakech Eau de Toilette (now reformulated as Marrakech Intense Eau de Parfum), and that (perfume) made you want to walk just a little bit closer; the possibilities of personal fragrance took on a new dimension for me. I personally wear Hwyl Eau de Parfum."
Speaking of Tokyo, what are some of your favourite spots in your birth city?
"Asada, a kaiseki restaurant in the Nihonbashi neighbourhood that's been family-run for more than eight generations, is the first place I go whenever I land in Tokyo. My parents had their dates here from before they were married, so as a family, we have been eating their soba for over 50 years now.
Not only is the soba of excellent quality but every detail at Aasda is a sign of what I would call real luxury; the service is impeccable, the menus are bound by hand in kimono fabric, and even the small vessel that holds the shichimi pepper is a beautiful, lacquered wood. Every detail is painstakingly attended to, yet the energy is relaxed, the price matches its value and beyond, and you leave feeling slightly euphoric. So much offered in a plate of noodles and a crisp cold beer.
Down the street from Asada, there's a tsukudani shop (traditional Japanese preserved food) called Funasa. They sell delicious preserved small fishes, and it is said that the shop owners have stayed true to their recipes for 150 years. The scent of the wood-framed store and the sauce of the tsukudani takes me to childhood days, and you sense a deep sense of craft with every detail in the space, from the shelves, display to packaging and the uniforms.
Lastly, Bar Non Non in the Hilltop Hotel is where my father took me for my first cocktail thirty years ago. I do not remember the cocktail itself but what I will never forget is the lighting. A small circular light softly illuminates the bar counter in front of you as the master delicately places a fine glass in its spotlight. This is a real experience of consideration and drama. Unforgettable."