Karl Bradl and Carlos Quintero of Nomenclature

 Karl Bradl is best known as the co founder of Aedes Venustas on Christopher Street where many a NY perfume lover began their journey 20 years ago (1995) before the explosion of niche and artistic fragrances. He is also the creative director for  the Aedes de Venustas  brand which over the past seven years continues to  create fragrances of great beauty composed by master perfumers, Pallisandre  D’Or (Alberto Morillas) Ouillet Bengale (Rodrigo Flores-Roux) Iris Nazrena (Ralph Schwieger), Copal Azur (Bertrand Duchaufour)and the original Aedes (Bertrand Duchaufour) 2008.

Frank Voelkl of Firmenich and Patricia Choux of Takasago

 In a completely different venture, Karl Bradl and Carlos Quintero have launched Nomenclature a new brand of four fragrances signed by Frank Voelkl of Firmenich and Patricia Choux of Takasago that explores the multi facets of synthetic molecules that do more than mimic nature… they reinvent fragrance technology.

“Natural essences bask in the limelight, synthetics are the clandestine infiltrators that spark off fragrant revolutions. It was the discovery of coumarin that yielded the first modern perfume, Fougère Royale, in 1881. Aldehydes lent their abstract sheen to Chanel N°5. Ethyl-vanillin enhanced Shalimar’s plush cleavage. Hedione® breathed its radiance into Dior Eau Sauvage. And no contemporary scent could do without synthetic musk or the ubiquitous Iso E Super. Whether they imitate nature, tease out its innermost secrets or veer off into botanically impossible smells, synthetics are the true building blocks of perfumery. Elegant solutions discovered by scientists, wafting from labs onto skin and into your nose”.

Each Nomenclature fragrance builds upon a complex proprietary modern synthetic molecule.

Nomenclature Perfumes

 Paradisone® a Firmenich molecule  is “the angelic aroma of one million flowers… a storm of delicacy and diffusion,” in the poetic words of the perfumer Arcadi Boix-Camps. In the radiant efflor_esce, Frank Voelkl uses it as the centerpiece in a luminous narcotic floral. Notes: NEROLI, TUBEROSE, BERGAMOT, BIGARADE and OSMANTHUS

 Orbitone has the sheer amber woody qualities of a  modern Iso E Super but brings the much used synthetic to another level of sophistication. It is the focal point of  orb_ital, and Patricia Choux composes a modern wood fragrance with facets of amber, spice and  Takasago’s Hindinol®, with its creamy sandalwood qualities that anchors the  olibanum base. Notes: ORBITONE®, WOOD-AMBER,CO2, PEPPER, RHUBARB, VIOLET, SANDALWOOD, OLIBANIUM

 In iri_del, Patricia Choux gives iris a contemporary twist, streamlined and tailored by using a iris-aldehyde, bolstered by iris concrete and irone alpha (the main molecule of the natural ingredient).  This is iris gone urban: spare, fierce and sexy. Notes: IRIS ALDEHYDE, WOOD, AMBRETTE, BERGAMOT,  AMBER

Helvetolide® is a new wave synthetic musk with a distinct pear note patented  in  1991 by Fimenich  (thu the nod to Helvetia, Latin for Switzerland).  Frank Voelkl uses it  differently than perfumers in the past where it took a backstage.  adr_ett swirls with metallic iris, a punch of pepper juxtaposed with the sensual  warmth ambergris of vanilla and tonka. Notes: HELVETOLIDE® MUSK,  PINK PEPPER,  IRIS,  AMBERGRIS,  VANILLA,  TONKA BEAN

The packaging takes its cue from the lab designed molecules that inspired the fragrances, spare and functional.  The flacon has the sleek simple shape of the classic Erlenmeyer flask used in chemistry laboratories and as the bottle turns it seems like holographic atoms splitting and combining into new and ever changing patterns.

Made in New York.

Launching September 1 100 ml /$165

 Via Nomenclature and Karl Bradl

Coming soon www.nomenclature.nyc and online at AedesdeVenustas.com here

Michelyn Camen, Editor in Chief