13 | Near or Far

Further, stronger, faster. Smells, whether intimate or infinitely distant, are closely linked to our environment. What is the olfactory dimension of the space around us? Nez Issue 13 takes you on an olfactory journey around the world through the prism of history, anthropology, science, art, literature, trade and marketing. The final destination? A greater understanding of the power that the sense of smell has in our lives.

In their latest 1+1 pairing, Issue 13 is coupled with the newest NEZ limited edition fragrance, In the Arboretum, a collaboration between perfumer Violaine Collas and artist Sopheap Pich.

A glass jungle. The curves, lines and textures that run through In the Arboretum reflect the contrast between the lightness and luminosity of Sopheap Pich’s sculptures and the wild, dense, dark environment of the Cambodian jungle, as perfumer Violaine Collas imagined it.

Soaring spices rouse memories: cardamom, a nod to the Cardamom Mountains in western Cambodia; and Sichuan pepper, whose spicy, zesty facets recall the smell of the mango leaves that shade the artist’s garden. The landscape is also outlined with deep notes of damp earth, warmed by cistus and vanilla absolute. Green and airy, the bamboo accord – a plant the artist uses daily – evokes the sensation of the material when it has just been cut. Images and memories blend, weaving textures: The darker, smokier base notes recall molten glass and the olfactory atmosphere of the Marseille workshop that hosted the last meeting between the artist and the perfume composer.

Notes: bamboo, cardamom, Sichuan pepper, damp earth, smoke, cistus, vanilla

Published May 2022
English Only
160 Pages

The Nez 13 magazine and In the Arboretum perfume are also sold separately.