Hermès Unveils Barénia: A Decade-Long Perfume Masterpiece by Christine Nagel
- Nada Armanious
French luxury house Hermès has finally unveiled its new perfume, Barénia, a fragrance that took ten years to perfect. Hermès’s in-house Swiss perfumer, Christine Nagel, had been captivated by a long-lingering scent that stayed with her ever since she first encountered it. For a decade, Nagel worked meticulously to craft this addictive perfume, fulfilling a personal desire.
Source: Hermes.com
Barénia is named after a rare, supple calf leather and was designed to embody the same aura as one of Hermès’s most beloved masculine fragrances, Terre d’Hermès. This time, however, the perfume has been created with a feminine touch, marking a first for Hermès in the Chypre category. Chypre fragrances are known for their sophistication, evoking a blend of floral, mossy, and woody notes, offering various ways to approach the scent.
Nagel envisions Barénia as timeless and elegant, akin to iconic Hermès pieces like the Birkin or Kelly bags. Drawing on literary references to the enduring power of chypre fragrances, she crafted this creation using green bergamot, roasted oak wood, two types of patchouli, butterfly lily, and miracle berry.