NOMENCLATURE NY and Aedes de Venustas – New York's two faces of fragrance art

Aedes de Venustas: The niche fragrance temple that truly deserves its place in Manhattan

If you're looking for the scent of New York, your path won't lead you first to billboards, but to a space designed like a secret: Aedes de Venustas. In 1995, Robert Gerstner and Karl Bradl founded their boutique in Manhattan's West Village – creating one of the first addresses in the USA to focus uncompromisingly on artistic, curated niche fragrances . The name means "Temple of Beauty." And yes, that's a grand statement – but in this case, it's precise, because what's being sold here isn't "beauty," but rather atmosphere, a signature style, and a sense of composition that you can't acquire by simply following trends.

At Aedes, you immediately sense it: this isn't a shop that simply stacks products. It's a place that tests you. Not aggressively—more like an art gallery where you automatically become quieter. This is precisely where the legend originates: people who truly take fragrance seriously don't come for discounts, but for the curated selection. And because Aedes has functioned as a cultural hub from the very beginning: journalists, artists, perfumers, collectors—everyone finds common ground here, without it ever feeling like a caricature of the scene.

The founders: Robert Gerstner and Karl Bradl – curating as a way of life

Gerstner and Bradl bring a German background, but above all, they bring something rare to this city: patience. Their vision isn't "bigger," but sharper. They don't choose based on volume, but on substance. They want to showcase exceptional brands and artistic compositions in a way that allows you to perceive their details—not just their name.

Over the years, Karl Bradl has evolved from a boutique perfumer into a true creative force in modern perfumery: not as a perfumer at the lab bench, but as someone who develops concepts, formulates raw material ideas, helps determine proportions, and challenges perfumers until the composition says exactly what it should. This is the kind of development you don't see in press releases – you smell it in the culmination of a collection.

The Aedes de Venustas collection: New York, but not prim and proper.

Aedes de Venustas stands for luxurious niche perfumes with depth. The collection is predominantly unisex – not "for everyone," but "for you, if you're not satisfied with the obvious." And if you want a quick overview of where each fragrance fits in, here's how:

AEDES DE VENUSTAS SIGNATURE is the DNA of the house. Herein lies the famous interplay of green sharpness and dark embers: rhubarb , tomato leaf , incense , red fruitiness, a hint of shadow beneath the light. This doesn't smell "nice." This smells like an address.

IRIS NAZARENA takes iris and gives it an edge: cool floral notes, leather , star anise , incense – mystical, not romantic. It's iris for people who don't want powder, but presence.

COPAL AZUR brings resin into the light. Amber , frankincense , mineral freshness – like sun on stone, but underneath that calm, resinous gravity that Aedes always manages to create.

ENCENS JAPONAIS is silence as a construct: incense , iris , rose , leather . Not softened, but concentrated. A fragrance that doesn't ask for attention, but simply receives it.

PALISSANDRE D'OR is warm, precious wood with spice: sandalwood , ambrette , cinnamon – not as a Christmas card, but as a polished, wearable object. This is the moment you realize how luxurious a woody fragrance can be when it isn't drowning in sweetness.

GRENADILLE D'AFRIQUE celebrates dark precious woods: Blackwood notes, vetiver , tonka bean , labdanum – archaic, dry, deep. A fragrance like black material that absorbs light.

CAFÉ TABAC is bohemian without the folklore: tobacco , the illusion of coffee, cocoa , smoke, a mature, dark warmth. A gourmand experience, but not as a dessert – more like a bar stool that already knows a story.

16A ORCHARD is the city translated into leather and warmth: urban tension, peach , leather , tonka bean , amber . Named for its address on the Lower East Side – you don't smell a postcard here, you smell movement.

AMNESIA ROSE is a rose with shadows: dramatic, hypnotic, darker than expected. The rose is not a bloom, but a pull – with hints of coffee, spice, and a dark depth that lingers like eye contact.

SUEÑO LATINO (limited edition) feels like pure joy, but with the typical Aedes substance underneath: bergamot , marine air, florals, musk , creamy warmth. Not superficially fresh, but vibrant and intimate.

And that's exactly how the house works: you don't get a "list," you get characters. If you want to buy niche perfume that doesn't decorate you but defines you, Aedes isn't a trend—it's a choice.

Perfume artistry, perfumers, manufacturing: Quality without excuses

The fragrances are made in France and created by top international perfumers – including Bertrand Duchaufour , Ralf Schwieger , Frank Voelkl , Nathalie Feisthauer , Ilias Ermenidis , and Rodrigo Flores-Roux . But the crucial thing isn't the list of names, but the result: each composition makes a statement, and even the "lighter" Aedes fragrances possess that underlying gravitas that you immediately recognize as the brand's signature style.

And yes: Aedes also makes a visual statement. Minimalist bottle, cobalt blue glass, clean lines – not a showpiece, but concentrated elegance that suits this brand like velvet suits shadows.

Why Aedes de Venustas makes sense at scent amor

Because you're not looking for the "next nice one" here. Scent Amor is about exceptional fragrances that tell a story on your skin – not just fragrance as an afterthought. Aedes is perfect for this: you get depth, edge, atmosphere. And you can really get a feel for it with samples before committing. That's exactly how you buy niche perfume smartly, without mistakes and without any drama.

Nomenclature: The modern molecular aesthetic that is making New York contemporary again

If Aedes de Venustas is the velvety, dark side of the city, then nomenclature is the bright neon: precise, futuristic, design-driven. Karl Bradl and Carlos Quintero founded nomenclature in New York in 2015 – as a counterpoint to this eternal romanticism of "naturalness" that has treated synthetic molecules for decades like a secret best left unspoken.

Nomenclature does the opposite: The molecule takes center stage. Not as an enhancer. Not as an auxiliary ingredient. But as the hero. Helvetolide®, Paradisone®, Clearwood®, Calone®, Norlimbanol®, Quincester® – here, modern aroma chemicals aren't masked, but showcased. And that's not cold. It's clear. And clarity can be incredibly emotional when it's well-constructed.

Carlos Quintero brings the design mindset: systems, forms, visual language. Karl Bradl brings the olfactory intelligence and curatorial instinct that you can't simulate. The result: a brand that feels like an artistic laboratory – but doesn't remain abstract on the skin; instead, it's wearable and surprisingly human.

Nomenclature fragrances: conceived in a minimalist style, worn in many ways

The core idea is simple: a molecule as the focus – and around it a composition that does not explain this molecule, but makes it tangible.

ADR_ETT puts Helvetolide® in the spotlight: a modern musk , soft, slightly fruity, almost ethereal. It's a skin sensation, but with architectural order.

EFFLOR_ESCE revolves around Paradisone®: floral radiance, transparent, luminous – as if air itself were blooming without ever becoming sweet.

IRI_DEL uses iris aldehyde as a cool, precise concept: clean, mineral, subtly earthy. Iris without powder, iris as a line.

ORB_ITAL embodies the Iso-E aesthetic: woody transparency, ambery warmth, but never heavy. A fragrance that revolves around you, rather than standing in front of you.

LUMEN_ESCE relies on violet, electric radiance: a futuristic violet glow, clear, vibrant, modern.

HOLY_WOOD is based on Clearwood®: patchouli-like, but cleaner, smoother, more contoured. Wood as the future, not as nostalgia.

SHI_SÕ is green and cool: a sharp, leafy sensation, aromatic, almost mentally clear. This is "green" without the wellness cliché.

PARA_ISO uses Quincester®: bright, juicy, almost fluorescent. A scent like fruit, but not edible – more like paint.

PSY_COU brings coumarin from history into the present: dry, hay-like, warm – less tonka sweetness, more structure.

FLUO_RAL takes Calone® and liberates it from 90s water folklore: aquatic-floral, modern, surprisingly elegant.

RED_WOOD applies Norlimbanol® to dry wood: clear, bony, long-lasting – wood without decorative sweetness, and therefore strong.

You see: nomenclature isn't a nerd project. It's an aesthetic. If you love unisex perfume that feels modern without being trendy, you'll find a collection here that doesn't overwhelm you, but delivers a clean, polished performance.

Who is nomenclature for – and why does it fit with scent amor?

For people who understand perfume as a present moment. For everyone who doesn't want innovation as a gimmick, but as a genuine olfactory language. For you, if "synthetic" doesn't make you recoil, but instead sparks your curiosity. And that's precisely why nomenclature belongs to scent amor: because here, niche fragrances aren't sold as myth, but as a curated reality – with samples, advice, and the freedom to build your own fragrance compass.

What New York is really showing here: Two brands, one attitude

Aedes de Venustas proves that luxury doesn't have to be ostentatious to be grand. Nomenclature proves that molecules don't signify coldness, but precision – and precision can be intimate. Both are exceptional fragrances , but in completely different ways. And that's precisely what New York is: contrasts that don't contradict each other, but rather enhance one another.

If you like, your next purchase can be like a velvety room ( AEDES DE VENUSTAS ) or like a clean line in neon (nomenclature). Both are luxurious niche perfumes – not because they seem "expensive," but because they are consistently conceived.

FAQ – so you know immediately where to start with Aedes de Venustas and nomenclature

Question: Which brand is better if I'm looking for incense and depth?
Answer: Then there is almost no way around AEDES DE VENUSTAS , because incense, resin and shade are anchored in the house style.

Question: Which brand is suitable if I want modern, clean fragrances without "perfume theater"?
Answer: Then nomenclature is usually the faster answer, because molecules are deliberately presented here as a clear, portable structure.

Question: Is this more of a men's fragrance or a women's fragrance ?
Answer: Both brands function primarily as unisex perfumes . Your personal style is crucial: Aedes is often darker, Nomenclature often lighter.

Question: How can I avoid making the wrong purchase with such brands?
Answer: Through samples. Especially with niche fragrances , skin chemistry is crucial, and the "first impression" is often misleading with complex compositions.

Question: Which entry point is the simplest?
Answer: For Aedes, often AEDES DE VENUSTAS SIGNATURE or PALISSANDRE D'OR ; for nomenclature, frequently ADR_ETT or ORB_ITAL – depending on whether you love musk or wood transparency.

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