The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lucas Sieuzac designed Exiro for Once in 2021. The fragrance uses materials that carry weight without heaviness: Cypriol's smoky earthiness, saffron's metallic warmth, tonka bean's quiet sweetness. Cypriol opens with a smoky, resinous quality that recalls burned wood and dark earth, grounding the composition in something primal and immediate. Saffron adds a metallic spice, almost medicinal in its intensity, cutting through the darkness with a luminous quality. Tonka bean provides a subtle sweetness that keeps the composition from becoming austere, softening the edges just enough to create balance. The combination creates something darker than typical oriental fare, the hour when daylight fails and warm things feel more honest.
The Cypriol-Saffron combination is the uncommon move here. Cypriol brings a smoky quality that anchors the composition, while saffron carries its own metallic, slightly medicinal spice. Together they create a heart that feels simultaneously ancient and modern. Tonka bean doesn't sweeten the composition into submission. It softens the edges just enough to keep everything integrated. The tonka provides warmth and coumarin richness, but it never dominates. The base introduces labdanum, a resin that adds depth and complexity alongside its inherent warmth.
The evolution
The opening announces itself quickly. Blood orange cuts through with tart, bright energy while black pepper provides sharp warmth and geranium adds a subtle green-rosy lift. The geranium bridges the citrus-spice opening into the warmer heart that follows. The transition happens as the blood orange fades and the Cypriol emerges. Cypriol's smoky, earthy character dominates the middle phase, supported by tonka bean's sweet coumarin warmth and saffron's metallic spice. This is the heart of Exiro: warm, sweet, and textured. It holds for several hours. The base builds quietly beneath it, patchouli's earthiness first, then amber's resinous warmth, then labdanum's resinous depth. By the later hours, patchouli and labdanum dominate, with amber providing a soft, sweet warmth that keeps the finish from becoming austere. The sillage stays consistent throughout, never projecting far from the skin.
Cultural impact
Exiro arrived in 2021. The earthy, smoky profile built on Cypriol represents a departure from the sweet oriental templates that dominated that period. Once chose a different path, releasing a fragrance with a sophisticated structure at a price point that made it accessible to a broader audience. The 2021 debut reflected a house philosophy prioritizing clarity and intentionality over complexity for its own sake. Once positioned itself as an alternative to both mainstream commercial releases and niche pricing, offering something distinctive without the usual pretensions.
