gucci alchemist garden
gucci alchemist garden

A Fragrant Reverie:The Alchemist Garden by Gucci

04 Feb 2019 | Updated on: 27 Sep 2022 |By Mhairi Mann

Alessandro Michele’s memories are bottled by master perfumer Albergo Morillas, for the prettiest perfume collection of the year

Alessandro Michele’s newest olfactory offering has been created in collaboration with legendary nose Alberto Morillas – although you could be forgiven for assuming it had been dusted off a shelf circa 1850.

Known as The Alchemist Garden, the apothecary-style fragrance collection is made up of seven perfumes; four scented oils, three perfumed waters and a Harrods-exclusive candle. “When I started working with Alberto, our reference points were the archaeology of scents and perfumes,” comments Michele. “It was fun to work like old perfumery experts, with scents and essences.”

Each evocative fine fragrance is anchored by a key ingredient – oud, amber, violet, iris, mimosa, rose and woods – and wrapped up in a vivid narrative inspired by Michele’s own memories.

The Last Day Of Summer sends you crunching through autumn leaves, peppered with earthy patchouli, vetiver and sweet nutmeg, while A Song for the Rose is an ultra-feminine floral scent, artfully balanced by strong woody notes.

For those seeking a scent for now, mimosa marks the end of the winter, and ushers in spring with an energetic blend of bright pepper and sweet musk.

Precious perfume oils are applied with a glass pipette-style applicator and, along with floral waters, are designed to be layered for a unique, deeply personal aroma. “Play with the scent to find your favourite, as an alchemist would work to find the gold formula,” advises Alberto Morillas.

Each scent is beautifully housed in a keepsake lacquered bottle, adorned with gold-gilded floral motifs and decorative lettering, inspired by Michele’s memories of his mother’s bathroom. While vintage in aesthetic, each one is thoroughly modern, and undoubtedly a collector’s item in the making.

From £180, net-a-porter.com

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