The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Raíces was created by Paul Guerlain and released in 2026 as part of OTZ LAB's Memoria y Pasión collection. The name points toward roots, identity, and the codes that shape character. OTZ LAB frames the fragrance as an exploration of those codes through contrast, with peppermint and vetiver oil forming the central tension. That pairing gives Raíces its character: cool aromatic lift against a grounded, earthy material. Rose, ginger, saffron, and black pepper shape the space around that contrast, adding spice, floral softness, and a metallic edge without losing the composition's clean line.
The unusual part is the handoff between peppermint and vetiver. Peppermint brings a bright, almost mentholated snap, while vetiver pulls the scent downward into roots, soil, and dry greenery. Ginger adds clean heat, black pepper sharpens the edge, and saffron introduces a metallic warmth. Rose keeps the whole thing from becoming purely elemental. It's a composition built around friction, but not chaos.
The evolution
Raíces begins with peppermint's cool flash and the bright bite of black pepper, ginger, and saffron. The opening feels clean and brisk, almost like air moving across polished stone. As it settles, rose brings a polished floral warmth, while vetiver introduces an earthy, green drydown that changes the temperature of the fragrance. The contrast between cool mint and grounded vetiver remains the central thread. Eventually, the sharper spice recedes and the composition leaves behind a quieter mineral, herbal, and woody impression with a composed, close-to-the-skin presence.
Cultural impact
OTZ LAB positions Raíces within a Madrid-based cultural register, connecting scent with the city's historical textures and the house's avant-garde, architecture-minded approach. It suits a wearer who treats fragrance as a deliberate extension of personal style rather than simple decoration. The name and composition suggest identity explored through contrast, with a cultural insider's instinct for structure, place, and a strong point of view.
The House
Otz LabOTZ LAB is a niche fragrance house born in Madrid from the creative partnership between Spanish fashion label OTEYZA and Perfumes y Diseño (PyD), a company specializing in selective perfumery. Launched in March 2026, the brand translates OTEYZA's fashion sensibility into scent, drawing on Madrid's cultural and historical layers. Its debut lineup of eight fragrances reads like a map of the city and its influences, with each composition anchoring a distinct mood or memory.
The Creator
Paul GuerlainPaul Guerlain gravitates toward nuanced, sophisticated compositions that reward patience. His work tends toward the mysterious and sensual, as demonstrated by Pleine Lune, a seductive floral that unfolds in layers of shadow and light.
