Astronomy and perfume are the oldest and most prized forms of art. They both go back thousands of years and, in my opinion, they represent the backbone of beauty in the history of humanity. Ancient people and their quest of becoming enlightened was a journey inside their spirituality. This journey of gazing into the stars often needed a more physical support and that is how perfumes came into regular use.
Trying to establish the relationship between astronomy and perfume is like describing the color of the wind: an elusive endeavor that consumes your imagination in endless trials and errors which never seem to …”get it right”…
You all know my obsession with scents, my tireless efforts to discover new houses and new brands. When I met Fabiola and Sofia Bardelli I had the distinct impression that I stroke gold. These two beautiful ladies decided “to combine their passion for the art of perfumery and for the science of astronomy” and founded, in 2020, the Italian niche perfume brand “In Astra”.
I have to say, I am constantly amazed by the young generation of entrepreneurs, who are bravely un-impressed by the current turmoil and insecurities in the world of business. Just like dedicated crusaders, they charge through and soldier on, starting new brands.
The two fearless and talented sisters produced a collection of three unisex fragrances, poetically described by them as “a unique olfactory interpretation of the magnificence of the universe and the stars that illuminate the sky every night”.
Now, you might wonder (and rightfully so) what exactly do they mean, how do we know which celestial fragrance can be associated with the mighty constellations? Who can say, for sure, that one star is ambery and the other is woody-smokey-incensy…
But, you see, that is exactly the point of this exercise in imagination. Perfume – just like our inner world – is what we make it to be. We can pick and choose in our mind any kind of infinite combination and make it our own.
The starting point for developing the fragrances of this collection was storytelling. This whole brand presents a unique kind of modern decadence because it incorporates the ancient science of astronomy into the modern art of perfumery. Concocting the “sillage”, the olfactory signature and the notes became the fundamental process of creation.
In Astra presents us with a challenge. Choose your star and make it yours, hug it with your favorite ingredients and kiss it goodbye every night, then feel it kissing you back…You, thus, create your personal game with the starry night.
The three fragrances, ANTARES, MISMAR and BETELGEUSE share a common thread: power. They are all powerful and empowering at the same time. They create a complex feeling of sensual elegance, an overt veneration to the spirit of the ancient times, with a strangely unexpected modern twist. They are fragrances for a woman of airy elegance, who knows how to balance her inner sensibilities, outside and far beyond the standard present trends.
All you have to do is pick up the sleek, black bottle adorned with a heavy golden cap (which I was told represents the surface of a star and was inspired by an ESA simulation of the Betelgeuse surface), close your eyes and take a sniff.
Feel the magic happen as you get engulfed in the mesmerizing smells of precious ingredients: iris, juniper and ginger, amber and frankincense, add a touch of joy and star powder, seal it with your smile and bless it with your love.
Then watch yourself as you become the star of your own constellation…"In Astra" is part of our Notorious Stories Exclusive Membership Card where they offer a 15% discount for their products.
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