Reading Time: 15 minutes

There are brands who have shaped the history of fragrances and there are brands shaping the future. Thierry Mugler has since 1992 shaped the future of the fragrance market by bringing new standards. 25 years after the launch of Angel, the launch of Alien and Womanity, Mugler is back with a new strong female purpose: AURA MUGLER. By reinventing itself like no other brand and by daring to go where most would not even dream of, Mugler is back with a striking new fragrance. Here is the review.
Aura-Mugler-Advertising

It all started with a lucky star…

1992 is a date in which all professionals in the fragrance industry remember. The year that Angel Eau de Parfum was launched. From a true ground-breaking fragrance to the ultimate icon of glamour, Angel was defined as a trend-setter. It has defined what are the gustative notes in modern fragrances. It also set the Mugler signature in the fragrance world and proved that creation was not over, at the contrary, everything needed to be reinvented. The nineties were also an interesting decade during which we were back to simplicity and politically correct fragrances. Gender-free fragrances and minimal fragrances were driving the way. Mugler came into the market with a big statement, as a reminder that creativity and daring were not over and that there was an entire future to be invented. This future is not gender-free but at the contrary, where gender is the main weapon.

Mugler empowered women to accept who they are and to defend their status as a woman, a lover, a mother or a warrior. Nowadays, these words are completely aligned with society challenges. Fragrance after fragrance, Mugler creative thinking rolled-out a single story about woman-kind and how the French brand would define what is important for todays’ women. Angel was about opening a door to women and to allow them to be whoever they wanted to be. Like a Mugler suit, it was providing charisma and power to women that potentially would not have any. It was a powerful message on womanhood. That was 25 years ago.
Then, in 2005, Mugler went a step further and launched Alien Eau de Parfum. This was even a stronger statement. By launching a very polarizing project at least from the name and flacon point of view, Mugler brought back the audacity to dare something completely away from standards. During that year major brands were either capitalizing on their earnings or just extending their existing franchises, Mugler brought a true UFO to the market, There was a strong message of femininity and a true generosity in that fragrance.
Seven years ago, Mugler decided to pursuit the quest for womanhood and the role of each woman in society. The French luxury house went away, once more, from standards, and launched Womanity. This was a “jusqu’au-boutisme” approach of the woman topic in fragrances. It was a beautiful message about the invisible link existing between women around the world. Each of these fragrances have a strong identity and a deep story to tell.

And the Mugler’s olfactory signature was born

There are Fragrance Brands who are known for their distinctive olfactory signature. And Mugler is one of them. Year after year, launch after launch Mugler has shaped its olfactory footprint and all Mugler fragrances have a high common denominator, a powerful sharpness with a lot of generosity. From Angel, to Alien, Womanity, now Aura but also the masculine fragrances like A*Men, they all share a common olfactory terroir, the creator’s “griffe”. Short, straight forward formulas with true olfactory mono-blocs from which contrasting notes rivals in a surprising harmony. Mugler always played with strong woody notes. No matter if it is Angel’s Patchouli or the Cashmeran wood of Alien, the wood notes bring sharpness and a modern idea of a strong femininity. In order to contrast the strength of these woody notes, they are generally joined by soft and sheer notes. It can be the sweet caramel notes of Angel (Ethyl Maltol) or the Solar-Jasmin notes of Alien. All these notes are extremely powerful and only an experienced Master Perfumer will be able to sculpt them in order to build an aesthetic harmony.

Each Mugler Fragrance is a force of nature. It is also known that Mugler tend to macerate its fragrances much longer in the alcohol than most of brands, which enlarges the olfactory strength and trail of each one of them. One last interesting fact is how natural ingredients can be so sophisticated thanks to the work of the Perfumer. Because of its high-end sophistication, we would assume that Mugler fragrances are quite “Synthetic” but in reality a big proportion of naturals are present in the formulas. This makes each fragrance a true olfactory challenge and a major accomplishment for the Perfumer. To make a long story short, Mugler fragrances are state of the art in terms of Perfumery creation.

These olfactory mechanics bring creative and original fragrances to market, generally quite polarizing, A Mugler fragrance, either you love it or you hate it. From what we can see from the sales figures, a lot of people love them. It is interesting to see that with such a segmented market, you can be a best seller with simply 5% of market share. So rather than creating a fragrance that would please a large majority, you can target only 5% of the total fragrance consumers… and you have a winner.

AURA MUGLER, a primal femininity like the quintessence of a woman

25 years after the launch of Angel, Mugler keeps creating astonishing fragrances. With the launch of Aura Mugler, it is a new woman who is presented. As explained by Sandrine Groslier, CEO of Clarins Fragrance Group, Mugler is the freedom of reinventing itself. This is an incredible power in a market that most of the brands believe they have too much at stake to risk  any kind of creativity.
Mugler-woman-couture

The MUGLER brand is the freedom to constantly reinvent itself” – Sandrine Groslier CEO Clarins Fragrance Group

With the launch of Aura Mugler, The French luxury brand keeps telling stories about extraordinary women, in a fantastic universe. This new woman sources her energy in the great forces of nature. Born from the bond that brings together the living, Aura Mugler talks about this primordial energy that crosses nature. Everything is about vibrations between living beings, it is about communication. Everything exhales a vital breath that brings us back to the beating heart of life.
Aura-Mugler-the-film
Aura is a very Mugler story. Thierry Mugler always followed his instincts in every important decision he made. By connecting to his inner-self he knew what to do. Aura Mugler tells the story of a woman who dares to connect to her inner-self and feel part of a broader natural system. She is very intuitive and follow her instincts. While technology spend its time connecting people to each other around the world, we have probably forgotten the first initial connections: to ourselves and to nature. It is a strong message translated into a name, a flacon, a fragrance and an imagery.
The artist, Thierry Mugler, is passionate about life in all its forms. For him, the most primitive, and therefore the most surprising, is always the most beautiful and the most modern. In love with women and their powerful instinct, which is their strength, Thierry Mugler exalts the supernatural and the knowledge that their instinct lends them. He sees every woman as the archetype of instinct. He sees the expression of this instinct in her aura.
Zhenya-Katava-Aura-Mugler
The creation of such project can only take place thanks to the collaboration of multiple talents. They were all motivated to create something unique, extraordinary and essential. All Mugler internal teams worked together to create an unique experience, a different fragrance from everything they did so far, yet, completely aligned with the Brand DNA. In this same dynamic, Virginie Courtin-Clarins, Fashion Director MUGLER, was involved with the perfume team in the choice of Zhenya Katava, the new face of the campaign.
Zhenya-Katava-Aura-Mugler

The name Aura Mugler has a deep meaning.

Interesting fact, most of Mugler fragrances always begin with an A: Angel, Alien, A*Men…. It is a mark of belonging and a sort of primary letter like the first step into a deep story. Aura is  a long time dream of Thierry Mugler to name a fragrance with this name. It is a strong meaning and Mugler has been building protective auras in fragrance since the start.

Aura is an uncontrollable magic that the magnetism of the fragrance materializes“- Thierry Mugler

With Aura Mugler, is a strong way to underline one’s femininity with a sheer vibrant energy. The name has also a mystical symbolism. It is about your energy, a lucky-charm or a superstition. Each woman will see in Aura Mugler what she wants, or probably what she needs.  It is a very universal name, well understood by a large majority of people and languages. This kind of universality is a dear aspect to Thierry Mugler. When creating the extraordinary with originality and daring, it is a true challenge to still appeal to a great number of people.

The scent, A Mugler fragrance like a magnetic energy

The Olfactory creation was orchestrated by Pierre Aulas, Olfactive Artistic Director of the brand for multiple years now, who worked with a Quatuor of Perfumers from Firmenich:

  • Daphné Bugey
  • Amandine Clerc Marie
  • Christophe Raynaud
  • Marie Salamagne

Like every Mugler fragrance, Aura Mugler is the result of a Titanic battle from overdoses. We can ask ourselves by smelling the fragrance how did Perfumers master such strength, such daring. In order to translate this amazing universe into a scent, Mugler needed to work with a Fragrance House with a high-level of creativity and technique. By working with Firmenich, Mugler had access to probably one of the most innovative olfactory palette. For such an outstanding fragrance, one key element was put at play: The Liane Fauve or Tiger Liana. Recently discovered by Firmenich, The Liane Fauve or the “Tiger Liana” is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant that heals heart disease and contributes to balance the body. From an olfactory point of view, it is a very facetted scent. Rich, rough and smoky, yet sensual as well as exquisite. In order to master this force of nature, the Perfumers have carefully crafted an original olfactory structure. It is the roots that are used and extracted from the plant. It took Firmenich 10 years to study the plant, analyse it, register the ingredient and be able to use it. The Liane Fauve reflects perfectly the concept of the new Mugler fragrance. It has this astonishing combination  between botanical and animal scent, which is the heart of the olfactory story. Hints of almond and vanilla is  expressed surrounded by a smoky “wrap-up”.

The other main ingredients are:

  • Rhubarb leaf
  • Orange Flower (new distillation process)
  • Vanilla pod Bourbon
  • Firmenich Wolfwood® (Firmenich exclusive)

In order to explain further the context of this fragrance, these are the words of Pierre Aulas, Olfactive Artistic Director:

For some years now, Fragrances have returned to become more Oriental, more sensual, without daring the animals notes. We propose a return of animalic notes, but in a modern way, without using raw materials from the beginning of last century. We put plants at the service of animalic notes and reinvent the olfactory family Oriental Green in the Mugler way. We used botanical raw materials” – Pierre Aulas, Olfactive Artistic Director

The Oriental Green family is historically one of the pillars of the great Oriental family. The Green facet was always a rich source of inspiration. By reinventing the Oriental Green family, Mugler signs a new olfactory experience for the Brand, completely aligned with the great tradition of Perfumery. Aura Mugler could be called an Oriental Botanic Carnal fragrance. An Oriental structure is by far the most voluptuous, sensual and sexy type for a woman’s fragrance. The distinctive blend of woods, balsams, sweet and powdery notes allows a great freedom to Perfumers. The Green facet has historically been added in order to provide a more lush and natural feeling, either as a cut-grass effect or as a dazzling ray of light crossing a deep olfactory structure. Aura Mugler takes the framing of an Oriental Green heritage and re-write completely the olfactory family by playing with modern raw materials. Adding the best of nature and the best of technology, the Perfumers just created a very distinctive fragrance that will not let you neutral. As all Mugler fragrances, either you will love it or you will hate it. No compromises.
Thanks to its partnership with Firmenich, Mugler benefit from the Swiss Perfumer sustainable programmes, with the Vanilla Bourbon activity in Madagascar and the production of the Tiger Liana in China. Being a perfumer means the love of nature and its respect. Firmenich works on this sense by putting in place sustainable programmes, so future generations can enjoy the beauty of nature in every fragrance flacon.

The Flacon, an open heart to Glamour.

Aura-Mugler-Flacon

Like every Mugler fragrance, the flacon is not a standard. Not at all. Generally they are all technical accomplishments that only the best glass makers are capable to do it. We would recognize a Mugler flacon in a thousand. They are all very distinctive and translates perfectly the idea of the product. For Aura Mugler, we can really say it. It is more a piece of art than a fragrance flacon. Between organic and high-tech, naturally shaped and designed, the Aura Mugler flacon reveals a glass sculpted heart set with a M in metal. It is a precious object, a heart or a green emerald. Too good to be true, the flacon intrigues and catches your attention immediately. The design is completely aligned with the Mugler creative universe. It is by far the most original and daring flacon launched in the international market in the past 10 years. You can feel the olfactory pulsations emanating from this precious heart. It is provocative, outstanding, beautifully crafted at the state of art… It is a Mugler flacon. Green is not a low-profile color. It is by far the most daring color in Perfumery, fashion and even in arts. It will definitely outstand at the point of sale.

Aura-Mugler-Flacon-90ML

Since 1992, Mugler took its ecological responsibility very seriously. Angel was launched 25 years ago with refillable flacons. Thanks to a Refill station, “Mugler La Source” present in every point of sale, the customer can bring back her flacon and refill it. A small gesture that saves tones of glass, plastic and metal to be recycled.  Aura Mugler follows the same principle as Angel or Alien. A refill station will help you to refill your empty flacon. With time, your flacon lives with you for several years and become really yours. It becomes part of your personal treasures.

Aura Mugler, the film by W&N

Following the creative universe of Mugler, Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones were inspired by this modern tale. These 2 creative minds have a natural fit with this project as their creative universe plays with a sharp vision of technology and at the same time to place individuals in the heart of everything. Collaborations such as with Björk set up a very specific scenery that served well the principle of Aura Mugler. They painted an original world, a vision of this world before the world became the world. From a Lush, intense, untouched natural world, the Aura Mugler woman appears like a vision of raw energy, like a symbiosis with her environment. Aura Mugler shares this intense dream in which the energy of life, present in all living things are concentrated in a living heart. This portrait of a nascent femininity plays with the paradox of its fragility and yet a tremendous force.  This woman has a strong instinct that helps her to fulfill her destiny. She is spontaneous and enjoys every single drop of this energy of life. She shows the way like a strong reminder that you should never forget to live your life to the fullest. Here is the making of :

Aura Mugler, the product line

At its launch, Aura Mugler proposes a short yet essential product line based on the very best formulas. The brand is known for the high standards of its formulas, made from the best that nature and science can offer. All formulas respect people and environment. At the launch:

  • Eau de Parfum – Refillable flacons 90ml, 50ml and 30ml
  • Refill flacon “Eco-Recharge” 100ML
  • Body Lotion 200ml
  • Shower Milk 200ml

Aura-Mugler-Perfume-Line

And starting from January 2018:

  • Mugler La Source Eau de Parfum refilling
  • Body Cream 200ml
  • Deodorant Spray 100ml

25 years after the first Mugler olfactory blast in the fragrance market, the brand is still finding new ways to surprise and captivate current and new customers. The brand amazing creative universe seems to have no boundaries and endless possibilities. you can visit the brand official website for more information: http://www.mugler.com. The fragrance tagline is “Listen to your instinct”, which is a positive self-confidence message to provide to all women. We can only celebrate this true freedom of creation and wish a long life(shelf) to Aura Mugler.

José Amorim

Aura-Mugler-Advertising

Info sourced at the brand official communications. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available Images are for illustration purposes only.