I love many Loewe items. The Ola Bag. My Loewe x On Cloudtilt Sneakers. The Tomato Leaves Candle (it won a 2025 Marie Claire Fragrance Award for a reason). But the fashion house hasn’t just infiltrated my closet and home—it has deep roots in my fragrance collection. Paula’s Ibiza—a coconut-patchouli blend—has long been my reigning favorite, but the newest creations, launched today, are truly something special.
Called the Crafted Collection, this fragrance trio, comprised of Bittersweet Oud, Roasted Vanilla, and Iris Root—sets a new direction for Loewe’s fragrances. Not only is it the first under the direction of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, who just debuted their first collection for the brand during Paris Fashion Week—but longtime Loewe Perfumer Nuria Cruelles also wanted to curate a new chapter for the brand. “It’s about respecting the integrity of craft ingredients and redefining them in a contemporary way,” she exclusively tells Marie Claire. “Our other collections are about a concept. It’s about working with a bunch of ingredients. We craft the ingredient like an artisan.”
The sculpting is pretty literal from a physical standpoint. Each bottle, which retails for $485, is comprised of handblown glass (with little air bubbles trapped within to prove it), and the magnetic cap (which is very satisfying to close) is made of pure granite. From an olfactory perspective? The artisanal craft is, as Cruelles eloquently puts it, about listening to “what the ingredient is whispering it needs.” As such, each of the three features one of the most popular fall fragrance notes—and yet ditches all the classic tropes.
Take Bittersweet Oud, for instance. Oud is often thought of as a very heavy, hedonic note that’s reserved for moments when you want to be smelled before seen. It's a hard sell, and yet it was the unanimous favorite among the Marie Claire Beauty Team. It’s lighter and less animalic than most ouds I’ve smelled—and even boasts a sparkly undertone (reminiscent of a fizzy champagne) courtesy of bitter orange and soothing sandalwood.
Then there’s the Roasted Vanilla. As a gourmand connoisseur, I caution that this is not your typical vanilla. In fact, it’s much more powdery and fresh than I anticipated. “It’s animalic and dry, but with the cognac, you get an electronic sweetness that’s not sticky. It has a hint of pink pepper that adds a touch of saltiness. It’s all about synergy,” says Cruelles.
Last, but certainly not least, is Iris Root. It’s an herbal citrus that frankly smells a bit fruity. It’s the scent I’d want for the office or vacation—there’s a salty hit in there that brings me right to the ocean. But the most interesting thing isn’t actually the iris—it’s timut pepper, a spice cosplaying as a grapefruit. “It’s not very common, but it’s able to keep that zestiness alive in a sophisticated way,” says Cruelles.
This trio is distinctly different from the rest of the brand's portfolio—fresher, sleeker, more elevated. And a little birdie tells me not to be surprised if future launches follow suit. Want to discover these unexpected takes on big fall fragrance trends for yourself? Shop the collection below.
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