They say that smell is the sense linked strongest with memory. One evening during my teenage years, Mum was leaving the house and I caught the fragrance of her perfume. I instantly remembered her wearing it to a wedding; at least ten years earlier. I was a flower-girl at the time and she hadn’t worn it since.
Aesop products also have a distinct fragrance with the same effect, one I associate with Australia and home. Their skin care products are largely plant-based and I love using them. During my years in Melbourne I would walk past their warehouse style laboratory every day on Smith Street, before passing one of their stores on Gertrude Street. Even when the stores are closed, the aroma outside is unmistakable.
In the years since then, I’ve visited many of their stores around the world and always feel like I’m back home. I used to frequent their space in Nolita and now Aoyama is my local. The interiors are all unique, yet somehow adhere to the same sensibility. I took these photos in their Cape Town location, part of the beautiful cafe and store Loading Bay. A little piece of home; on the other side of the world.
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