The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Francesca Bianchi brings her background in art history and chemistry to her work as a perfumer, a combination that gives her an analytical yet deeply expressive approach to materials. Based in Amsterdam after leaving Italy, she crafts fragrances as compositions that reflect on experience and sensation. Released in 2019, Lost In Heaven explores the tension between longing for unspoiled innocence and the weight of lived reality. The materials in this fragrance carry that duality: beeswax connects to ancient ritual and sacred use, cumin appears in traditional preparations across cultures, and myrrh has been valued as a spiritual resin for millennia. Yet the animalic notes and warm florals introduce an earthy, bodily presence that complicates any simple ideal of purity.
The note selection reflects a philosophy of combining organic warmth with animalic depth and warm floral complexity. Beeswax and cumin create the initial tension, representing the push between purity and lived experience. Orange blossom, jasmine, and mimosa soften this tension, offering sweetness that never overwhelms the composition. Castoreum, myrrh, and ambergris provide the animalic and resinous grounding that makes the fragrance feel rooted and real. Sandalwood, tonka bean, and heliotrope complete the arc by offering creamy, powdery warmth in the drydown, ensuring that the fragrance maintains its character from opening through final hours on skin.
The evolution
The journey opens with the unexpected pairing of beeswax and cumin, a combination that may startle due to its organic immediacy. Francesca Bianchi handles these materials with precision, preventing the beeswax from becoming overly sweet and ensuring the cumin reads as warm spice rather than sharp aggression. Castoreum and ambergris introduce an animalic dimension that evokes vintage perfumery without feeling dated. The floral heart unfolds in layers: orange blossom and jasmine provide sweetness, mimosa and magnolia add creamy depth, and orris root and heliotrope introduce powdery complexity that counterbalances the warmer elements. As the fragrance develops, sandalwood, tonka bean, labdanum, and ambergris deepen the warmth, while patchouli, vetiver, and cinnamon provide earthy, spicy anchoring. The drydown settles into a rich, honeyed beeswax character accented by lingering jasmine, warm resins, and a smooth animalic presence that feels intimate rather than intrusive.
Cultural impact
Critics describe Lost In Heaven as a warm, waxy amber‑sweet orange blossom scent with hot‑breathy, fuzzy musks and a savory‑funk cumin twist. Wearers often note the polarising cumin note, which can feel daring or off‑putting. Its animalic depth and bright opening have earned it a place among niche collectors who appreciate narrative‑driven, unisex compositions that evolve dramatically over the day.
