Nest Fragrances: perfume and packaging that wows

Forget scantily clad models in steamy embraces, the imagery of Nest Fragrances appeals to perfume lovers but also aesthetes and collectors alike with erotic flowers set against dramatic black.

Packaging is everything in the world of fashion and beauty. Well, not everything perhaps, but in the world of perfumery, an arresting package is one element that motivates one to purchase a scent—at least the first time around. (You must love the scent, we would argue, to drop the cash twice.)

One of our favourite additions to the modern-day perfume counter comes from Nest. Classically proportioned bottles illustrated with blooms and botanicals on a striking black background inspire the collector in us. (Our perfume-loving soul is pretty happy with this nine-scent collection too!) They are truly beautiful: Dramatic, other-worldly, vintage yet modern.

When we asked Nest Fragrances founder Laura Slatkin about the genesis of the artwork, we expected a sentence or two detailing the original idea. What we got was a history.

Our favourite part of the story? The illustrations themselves actually determine what the character of each Nest perfumes. It’s a surprising approach to perfumery to be sure, but one that links the scent and the art in a way that few other brands do.

From the original 18th Century inspiration to the modern-day artist who creates the Nest Fragrances visuals today, Slatkin explains the artistic journey. In her own words:

“I was in my library looking through some art books when I came across Mrs. Delany & Her Circle, and it stopped me in my tracks. Mrs. Delany was an 18^th Century British artist who in her early seventies invented a new art form she called “paper mosaicks” (or decoupage). She created botanically correct artwork by taking minute particles of coloured tissue paper to represent the petals, stamens, calyx, leaves, veins, stalk and other parts of a plant, and using lighter and darker paper to form the shading, she adhered them to a black background. She went on to create more than 1,000 exceptionally detailed and dramatic pieces of artwork that mirror the exact likeness of plants and flowers. Mrs. Delany’s work was highly regarded for its meticulous technique but what really moved me was the remarkable beauty of her botanicals. There is an elusive, sensual quality to them that resonated with me, and they served as my inspiration when creating the Nest Fine Fragrance Collection.

“I spent many months exploring hundreds of flowers and botanicals to identify concepts that could be translated into artwork that would visually communicate and complement beautiful fine fragrances.

“Then, I commissioned an extremely talented Russian artist, Alexander “Sasha” Solodukho, to create the new artwork for the collection. (Sasha has a very impressive pedigree—his father worked on the restoration of the famous Pavlovsk Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.)

“After making my selections, Sasha first sketched the concepts in watercolour so we could go back and forth to perfect them; they had to be absolutely perfect before he painted the final artwork seen on the packaging.

“The final step in the process was to create unforgettable fragrances to match these extraordinary bottles. Each new fine fragrance had to be as exceptional and remarkable as the botanical artwork itself. I took the paintings to the world’s most acclaimed and talented master perfumers who used the artwork as inspiration to create truly impactful fragrances. The entire process was steeped in creativity.

“The process has changed a bit since the collection first launched and I am now inspired by so many things. I look to art, fashion, beauty, food, places, popular culture, personal memories. Now when I begin to work on a new fragrance, I start a Pinterest board and collect images that represent the mood of the kind of fragrance I want to create. Sasha then uses my mood board to create the artwork once I have identified the fragrance’s botanical ingredients.

“While my process has evolved over the past few years and my sources of inspiration have expanded, the spirit of Mrs. Delany’s botanical artwork will always be present in the collection.”