WE LOVE THIS STORE: Aedes Perfumery + Temple of Beauty on 16A Orchard Street Draw

May 10, 2021May 10, 2021

Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner Owners of Aedes Perfumery and Creative Directors of Aedes de Venustas Perfumes

On a crisp Spring afternoon in mid-April, I visited Aedes Perfumeryand sat outdoors with co-owners Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner to discuss the current state of fragrance, mutual fragrant friends, and the history and future of the bijoux boutique in New York City. During the two-hour-plus conversation, I observed a number of customers, some new and some regulars stopping in to shop. I asked them how is the state of their business. Smiling, they exclaimed “excellent.” Has the Spring weather and more access to Covid vaccinations made a difference in foot traffic? “Most certainly!” Last year Aedes Perfumery celebrated its 25th anniversary. That’s a quarter of a century. Congratulations on year 26! (I admit I was late to Aedes Perfumery. My first visit to the West Village boutique was on a Sunday afternoon at the close of Sniffapalooza’s 2010 Fall Ball).

Display at Aedes Perfumery on16A Orchard Street

In July of 2018, Karl and Robert packed up their prior location and left the West Village, and headed to Chinatown. The timing could not have been better. The new location has that kind of intimate vibe as the first two stores. The boutique’s decor like the previous three has a similar visual appeal best described as a Victorian-style jewel box.

Display in the 16A Orchard Street shoppe

“The new location was a needed relief from the prior location (more on that later). Customers must ring a bell to enter. It’s counter service, direct conversation with customers, and very focused. This is where a conversation takes place with a customer and selected fragrances are brought out based on that conversation.” Robert said. How do you approach someone not sure what they are looking for? “As a starting point, we usually will bring one scent in each family to gauge their style and personality a work from there.” Pandemic precautions are strictly enforced. Only two customers permitted at any given time with masks up of course as of this writing.

The elegant chandelier

The majority of their customer base are very loyal and continue to shop at their new location. Prior to the move, they were carrying about 80-90 brands. The move to the new location gave them a chance to clean house with a number of brands that were no longer serving them. Many of those being overexposed. Now the number is closer to 30-40 brands. And, everything on the website is available at the boutique. What percentage of business is from the boutique vs online? “Our brick-and-mortar pre-Covid was 60% to 40% online and now it 20% brick-and-mortar and 80% online,” Karl said.

InStyle Magazine November 1996 press (photo courtesy of Aedes Perfumery

So, let’s go back to where it all started. The first Aedes Perfumery was located at 15 Christopher Street (downstairs) and opened in 1995. “That was very brave of us to do!” Karl states. “We sold bathing suits, bath and body products, and some fragrance at the start.” Their first press came in Vogue and InStyle magazines in 1996. It put them on the map. And, it did not take long for high-profile celebrities to discover Aedes Perfumery. With Karl’s background in fashion, flowers were a part of the DNA of the store from the beginning. It was never promoted as such. Purchases were gift wrap with flowers on top. It soon became the store’s signature creation. Karl handles a flower business on the side that he operates out of his studio in Bushwick. Dior is one of his major accounts.

Events throughout the years attended by Hernando: Eau D’Italie Acqua Decima Cocktail Party launch, Founders and Creative Directors of Eau D’Italie Marina Sersale and Sebastián Alvarez Murena with Kark Bradl, Valentine’s at Aedes Perfumery BAD GIRLS PERFUME Book Signing with Sarah Colton, Perfume Plume Co-Founders Mary Ellen Lapsansky and Lyn Leigh with author Sarah Colton, Cocktails celebrating EX NIHILO’s first year anniversary in the USA and its arrival at Aedes Perfumery, Robert Gerstner Co-Founder of Aedes Perfumery and Ex Nihilo Co-founder Benoît Verdier– (photos by Hernando© Collage by Michelyn)

In 2002 Aedes Perfumery moved next door to 9 Christopher Street. With many stores closing in the neighborhood after 9/11, Robert and Karl were able to negotiate favorable terms on the rent and were now on the street level. Their specialty was working with celebrities, private clients and giving personalized service to all. Having attended a number of events before I inquired how many were typically held in a year (pre-Covid)? Robert figures three to four (mostly to celebrating a fragrance launch or introducing a new line). Aedes Perfumery moved to its third location in 2016, around the corner at 7 Greenwich Avenue. Grand in presence it appeared to be a huge success. The reality was that it was horrible for them. Too much of everything. In the prior locations, one had to ring a bell to enter. Here it was an open storefront. A huge difference. It began to lose the cache of exclusivity. There was shoplifting and many tourists spent hours with the staff only to purchase a sample or two. “We lost the conversation. There was no intimacy. Many of their high ends clients did not want to come by. The village was changing, and our clientele changed. We had to restructure. It was a rough time.” It was time for them to get back to their roots.

Brands on display. I spy Aedes De Venustas, Memo, and Nomenclature. Guess the rest!

Any discussion regarding Aedes Perfumery must include a discussion on their two brands, Aedes de Venustas and Nomenclature.

What was the genesis of launching these lines? “It goes back to 2005 when we created a limited edition room spray called Aedes de Venustas Parfum d’Ambiance for our ten-year anniversary in partnership with L’Artisan Parfumer. Other Limited Editions followed with 2006 with Molinard in 2006 and Cire Trudon (candle) in 2007.” Their first fragrance was developed in 2008 based on the room spray that had developed a cult following, titled, Aedes de Venustas Eau de Parfum by L’Artisan Parfumeur. Bertrand Duchaufour was the perfumer to develop that scent. “Working with Bertrand Duchafour was natural. A connection was made. it was a given to start with him for our line which launched in 2012. While a number of the fragrances in the line were created with Bertrand Duchaufour, others include Fabrice Pellegrin, Alberto Morillas, Ralf Schwieger (whose Iris Nazarena won the 2014 “Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year” at the Fragrance Foundation Awards and became a CaFleureBon Modern Masterpiece), Rodrigo Flores-Roux, and Nathalie Feisthauer“.

So, what is the current status of Aedes De Venustas, (whose name comes from Latin for ”temple of beauty”) I asked? “We have been locked in a protracted lawsuit since 2018 that just resolved in our favor last October. We will be relaunching the line sometimes in the third or fourth quarter this year.” Any resentment? Robert stated, ‘‘In German, there is a saying that you use if you don’t like someone which translates as ‘I can’t smell that person.’ ” How appropriate, I will most certainly use that. “Everything is on hold now and is being reproduced with new packaging. The line will stand at ten. There will be three new fragrances and two being discontinued. The fragrances will be the same. There are no reformulations. The relaunch is set for either the third or fourth quarter of this year. The uncertainty being attributed to how long France will be shut down.“

Nomenclature display at Esxence 2016© Michelyn

Karl Bradl is also co-founder of the fragrance brand Nomenclature with Carlos Quintero. The line of ten fragrances focuses on synthetic ingredients. Launched in 2015, Nomenclature is a celebration of design in perfume chemistry that showcases exclusive molecules. The scents are a collaboration with perfumers Frank Voelkl, Nathalie Feisthauer, Patricia Choux and Bertrand Duchaufour.

Etat Libre d’Orange display 16A Orchard Street

A sample of the curated fragrance brands available: Amouage, Eau d’Italie, Escentric Molecules, Etat Libre d’Orange, Ex Nihilo, Jovoy, Shalini, Ormonde Jayne, Santa Maria Novella, and Ulrich Lang New York.

Home Fragrances diffusers and candle display

In addition to perfume collections, Aedes Perfumery carries Bath & Body (moisturizers, shower gels, soaps, hair care), Skin Care (cleaners, toners, masks), and Home Fragrances (candles, diffusers, incense).

Aedes Perfumery’s Current Top-Sellers:

AEDES DE VENUSTAS Cierge de Lune – Eau de Parfum

ASTIER DE VILLATTE Eau Chic – Astier de Villatte

ESCENTRIC MOLECULES Molecule 01 – Eau de Toilette

L’ARTISAN PARFUMEUR La Chasse aux Papillons – Eau de Toilette

MEMO PARIS African Leather – Eau de Parfum

MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN Aqua Universalis – Eau de Toilette

NASOMATTO Black Afgano – Extrait de Parfum

NOMENCLATURE Adr_ett – Eau de Parfum

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA Melograno – Acqua di Colonia

SERGE LUTENS Nuit de Cellophane – Noire Collection – Eau de Parfum

I has one last question before we part, any thought of having a second boutique? “Definitely not!” they both exclaimed in unison.

Thanks, for the years of hospitality; I had a great time and will return soon to shop.

~Hernando Courtright, Senior Events Contributor and Brand Ambassador

Aedes Perfumery

Address: 16A Orchard Street, New York, NY 10002

Phone: (212) 206-8674/ 1-888-233-3715

E-mail: aedes@aedes.com

Website: https://www.aedes.com/

Hours: Monday-Saturday 12–7 PM, Sunday 12-6 pm, Aedes Perfumery offers curbside pickup

Thanks to the generosity of Aedes Perfumery’s co-owners Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner, we have a $75 Gift certificate that can be used online for a registered US reader RESIDING IN THE US ONLY. To be eligible please leave a comment on what you enjoyed about Hernando’s visit to Aedes Perfumery, have you been a customer, What is your favorite Aedes de Venustas perfume, If you won what would you use to purchase from Aedes (samples not prefereable). Draw closes 5/13/21.

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