Paris couturier Marc-Antoine Barrois reveals Aldebaran, a hypnotic new tuberose fragrance

Aldebaran is a powerful and intriguing new single-note fragrance, conceived by Paris couturier Marc-Antoine Barrois, and composed by his friend and collaborator, the perfumer Quentin Bisch. It is an elegant but modern treatment of the tuberose flower, a bloom that carries a distinctive, hypnotic aroma.

Aldebaran, named after a giant red star that shines 400 times brighter than the sun and that captivated Arab astronomers in the Middle Ages, has all the punch of Robert Piguet’s 1948 olfactory masterpiece, Fracas, but is distinguished by its clarity and luminosity. In Aldebaran, the milky facets of tuberose are enhanced simply by paprika and Tonka bean.

Why mention it now, when our attention is full-focus on the halls, palazzos and galleries of Milan Design Week? Well Barrois, an alumni of the Politecnico di Milano, is a creative polymath who moves with ease between the design of couture clothing, jewellery and fragrance, while nurturing a passion for architecture and design. He sees no boundaries between the disciplines and has chosen the thick of Milan Design Week to reveal his latest couture scent alongside his first venture into furniture design.

The reveal comes within an immersive exhibition, Mission Aldebaran, mounted in via San Gregorio at the Salone dei Tessuti, a 1930s landmark that was once at the centre of the Milanese fabric trade. The installation is designed in partnership with his long-time collaborator, the French artist and architect Antoine Bouillot. Tapping into their emotional responses to Aldebaran, the pair have woven a story for the space that is a poetic manifestation of the scent, with the night-blooming tuberose at its core.

'Art installation is a medium to tell stories,' affirms Barrois. 'As a creative director I focus on bringing people on a poetic, emotional and imaginary journey.'

This journey begins when you enter a mirrored cube at the centre of the Salone dei Tessuti. Working your way through a dream-like forest of ropes you come to a clearing at the heart of the installation where light is breaking through – a nod to the cosmic origins of the fragrance’s name. A suitably uplifting soundscape by the French composer Thomas Roussel accompanies you on the journey.

In this central, luminous spot is a field of Aldebaran-infused tuberose flowers, sculpted from paper and lit by a pulsating bright globe. Visitors are invited to sit on nature-inspired seating, part of a limited-edition collection of stools and benches designed by Barrois and Bouillot. They are formed from marble, that has been meticulously crafted to resemble over-sized pebbles that rest on wood bases. Polished pebbles from Barrois’ beloved beaches of the Breton island, Belle-Île, where he lives when not in Paris, provided the inspiration.

'Nature speaks to us deeply in all our joint creations,' explains Bouillot. 'All the seating elements are inspired directly by real nature. It’s choosing the perfect pebble on a beach – just the right one. We then scanned it in super high definition to capture the curves, texture, and precise details that made us fall in love with this exact pebble. The joy of seeing our tiny pebble enlarged to giant proportions was indescribable, and then carving it into rare marbles, selected from enormous blocks in Italy, was an extraordinary experience.'

Mission Aldebaran is a sensorial mix-up emanating hope, and giving us nature expanded for the nose, eyes, ears and finger tips.

Aldebaran will launch globally after Salone and be available from Marc-Antoine Barrois boutiques and marcantoinebarrois.com

The seating collection will be available to purchase in the Marc-Antoine Barrois Paris and London flagship stores.