The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Higherbs was created by Giovanni Festa and launched in 2020 as a unisex fragrance for Aulentissima. Its materials speak plainly: herbaceous notes and hay begin the composition, lilac takes the middle, and sage settles underneath. The name leaves the scent open to interpretation, and the fragrance itself offers the clearest place to begin. It studies a meeting between green herbs and the dry sweetness of hay, softened by a floral note that feels airy rather than decorative. That tension gives the fragrance its shape: earthy without becoming heavy, green without turning clinical, floral without behaving like a classic lilac. As the notes develop, the opening's leafy snap gives way to a smoother floral haze, while the dry warmth of hay remains close beneath.
The unusual part is the sparse structure. Instead of piling up recognisable flourishes, Higherbs makes each note carry real weight. Herbaceous notes and hay create the opening register, green and aromatic but with a dry, sun-warmed edge. Lilac interrupts that rustic scene with a cool floral shimmer. Sage then brings the composition back to its herbal root. Green, herbal, floral, aromatic, fresh, and softly spicy describe the same idea from several angles, but the contrast between hay and lilac is what keeps the scent from reading like a tidy little garden.
The evolution
At first, the fragrance wears its green side plainly. Herbaceous notes bring a brisk leafy snap, while hay lays down a dry, sunlit warmth that keeps the opening from feeling sterile. The combination has a textural quality: the herbs feel fresh and lifted, while the hay lends a soft, dry sweetness that makes the first impression feel rounded rather than sharp. As the opening softens, lilac enters like a cooler thought. It doesn't erase the hay; it floats over it, adding a polished floral haze while the soft-spicy side provides a faint aromatic flicker. The middle of the composition is where its contrasting materials meet most clearly, with lilac appearing light beside the warmer, drier hay. The scent then settles toward sage. That base feels drier, calmer, and more grounded than the opening, as though the bright green notes have been gently pressed into a herb drawer.
Cultural impact
Higherbs can be read through the contrast of its materials: herbaceous notes and hay create a green, dry foundation, lilac introduces a lighter floral register, and sage brings a restrained herbal finish. This interplay makes the composition especially interesting to examine on its own terms, since its character comes from how the notes sit beside one another. The opening feels brisk and leafy, with hay adding warmth and softness. Lilac then creates a cooler middle passage without completely covering the dry foundation. As sage settles underneath, the fragrance becomes calmer and more grounded, leaving a clean green trace.
The House
AulentissimaAulentissima is an independent fragrance house that emerged in the late 2010s, offering a catalogue that reads like a laboratory notebook of scent experiments. Its releases – Issimamenthae (2017), Rose and Beer (2020), O.H.V. Gutt B. (2022), Zacamutra (2020), Il Velo di Maia (2020), Spóros (2020), Jardin de Marrakesh (2017), Amande (2017), Black Woman (2017) and Men in Roses (2017) – span a range of aromatic concepts from botanical abstractions to urban narratives. The brand positions itself as a conduit for curious noses, inviting collectors to explore compositions that often juxtapose unexpected ingredients. While the label does not publish a traditional corporate history, its body of work suggests a commitment to pushing the boundaries of modern perfumery without relying on overt marketing slogans.
The Creator
Giovanni FestaIn the lab Festa favors a linear construction: a clear opening, a heart that expands, and a base that settles like stone. He often begins with a single botanical note—often a citrus or a rare rose—and builds layers of supporting accords that echo the primary scent without over…
