The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Above Us, Steorra draws its name from the vast night sky that inspired its creation. Aesop describes it as an exploration of amber, that resinous substance with a multifaceted nature that carries warmth and presence. Perfumer Céline Barel worked with the tension between amber's quiet depth and the boldness required to make it speak on skin. The result is a fragrance that doesn't whisper. On first encounter, the scent opens with bright cardamom and citrus, a sharp green quality that captures attention before settling. The heart reveals the amber's true character, warm and resinous, supported by frankincense and labdanum that add depth and sacred quality.
Amber is, by nature, quiet. It holds scent but doesn't project it, which makes building a fragrance around it a curious challenge. Aesop's solution was to build a constellation around it: frankincense and labdanum illuminate the amber's warmth, while vanilla bean softens the edges and gives it skin-longevity. The cardamom introduces a sharp green quality that cuts through the sweetness, keeping the composition from becoming heavy. Cypriol brings woody depth that grounds the whole thing. The result is a warm spicy fragrance with complex note interactions that unfold over hours on skin.
The evolution
The opening introduces cardamom, bright and almost medicinal, with a cumin undertone that can feel direct. Within minutes, the frankincense and labdanum arrive, shifting the composition toward warmth and resin. The amber reveals itself, not sweet but warm and slightly smoky, warmed by vanilla but never dominated by it. The drydown is where the fragrance shifts again. The vanilla settles close to the skin, the cypriol and cinnamon add a woody-spicy trail that lingers. On clothes, it leaves a trace that can persist into the following day, depending on fabric and application.
Cultural impact
The 2025 launch marks Aesop's continued exploration of amber and resinous materials. The celestial naming draws inspiration from night sky imagery, positioning the fragrance within a broader fascination with cosmic themes and stargazing. Perfumer Céline Barel balances cardamom's sharp green quality against resinous warmth, with frankincense bringing smoke and complexity. Vanilla bean softens everything into skin-close comfort, and cypriol adds earthy, smoky depth that grounds the composition. This approach reflects Aesop's design philosophy of connecting fragrance to narrative and sensory experience.
The House
AesopAesop is an Australian luxury skincare and fragrance house founded in Melbourne in 1987 by hairdresser Dennis Paphitis, who began blending essential oils into hair products at his salon before building one of the most distinctive beauty brands in the world. Known for botanical formulations, architectural retail spaces, and a conspicuous refusal to advertise, Aesop occupies a rare position at the intersection of skincare, perfume, and cultural sensibility. The brand launched its first fragrance, Marrakech, in 2005 and has since developed a tight collection of distinctive scents. Aesop became a certified B Corp in 2020 and, after more than a decade under Brazilian owner Natura & Co, joined the L'Oréal portfolio in 2023 in a deal valued at approximately $3.7 billion.
The Creator
Céline BarelBarel favors a restrained, mineral freshness that appears most clearly in her work for Aesop, particularly Tacit and Aurner, where citrus and wood build something both spare and lasting. Her zoological work for Zoologist, including Squid and Dragonfly, shows a different regist…
