THE GREAT COMEBACK

Hermès returns to the world of men’s fragrances after a 15-year absence with the innovative H24.

While most fashion houses are eager to introduce new olfactory offerings of their signature scents every other year or so, Hermès has been pretty chilled in that respect. It has been 15 years since the launch of their previous men’s fragrance, Terre d’Hermès, a can’t-do-no-wrong spicy-woody scent that perfectly represents the classic Hermès man. But we as a society of people change, so after more than a decade, the idea of masculinity has certainly evolved.Terre d’Hermès is still a great fragrance but it’s not necessarily representative of contemporary times.

Enter the new H24, launched earlier this year to usher in a new concept for not just men’s fragrances but all fragrances. As Hermès perfumer Christine Nagel enlightens us,“To create this new Hermès signature fragrance, I had to open up other, less predictable paths, to move away from the conventional woodiness of men’s scents.”

So how is it different? Its start may seem straightforward enough— that of an aromatic, botanical note—but to chart her own path, Nagel begins with dominant clary sage (Salvia sclarea), for its in ections of hay and cut grass, in tandem with a rather distinctive, slightly animal amber base. “This variety is far more enveloping and more sensual than garden sage ( ) with its medicinal, camphor-infused accents,” offers Nagel.The clary sage is commanding—a combination of both essence and absolute—that asser ts its presence from beginning to end.

This botanical backbone forming the structure of the fragrance, Nagel adds an accompanying oral note into the mix, though derived from a botanical wildcat, the narcissus absolute, an untamed scent with a green, crisp, edgy side that recalls a certain memory of nocturnal tobacco. “I have softened it without stripping it of its lively, electric character, by having it co-distilled with another material,” Nagel laughs.

And this is where the perfumer begins to innovate: introducing biotechnology into botanicals, she cultivates the production of new molecules based on natural and environmentally-friendly enzyme reactions.“I like to go towards natural, very classic raw materials, and work them using technologies that give them other renderings, other textures.” The result? This newly stylised narcissus with its wonderful implicit bitterness, brings about both an elegance and the hint of something classic.

Next, enter rosewood essence, in the form of a rare ingredient sustainably sourced from a wild South American tree. “I chose it for its simple and natural botanical freshness. We were lucky enough to be able to source it from producers in Peru whose eco-responsible initiative, supported by the house, involves harvesting it and replanting the species in a way that respects the environment.”

As this olfactory odyssey nears its end, another futuristic element grounds the H24 into the here and now: sclarene, a man-made molecule that presents a green and earthy aromatic body at the start before developing a sensation reminiscent of hot iron.Thus the multi-layer fragrance is complete: vibrant, sensual, luminous. Much like a bespoke suit, each ingredient has been meticulously interwoven to collectively dress the Hermès man of the now with deceptively casual ease. H24 feels timeless, and timely.A worthy successor to lead Hermès’ men’s fragrance line for the next 15 years to come.

H24 Eau des toilette is priced at RM410 for 50ml; RM585 for 100ml.