Cherishing memories and evoking long-forgotten stories is how lives are honoured. One way of taking the time to reflect intentionally and meaningfully is by associating scents, textures, or specific visuals with a kaleidoscopic collection of reflections hidden within our minds. For Alicia Tsai, the founder of Aerangis, rejuvenating core memories lost somewhere between mundane Mondays and uninspiring routines happens through smells.
At Aerangis, the simple act of lighting a candle morphs into a powerful ritual that ignites a wave of memories from the moment fire touches the wick, filling the air with a beautiful, elegant, and carefully curated scent. Designed in partnership with the most renowned perfumers globally, each candle tells a story personal to Alicia’s life, opening a window to more profound explorations unique to those surrounded by the rich fragrance.
Between the luxurious Signature and the sensual Bespoke Collections, Alicia offers over 15 alluring scents, from fresh and flowery to smoky and woody. Among all the stories written by nothing but the time, the extraordinary narratives behind the No. 0324 Aging Spirits and the No. 50 Soiree Noire encapsulate the sultry and human-centric essence of Aerangis masterfully.
Inspired by Alicia’s most special day, her commitment celebration in New Orleans, Aging Spirits emanates the vibrant and bustling spirit of the Crescent City, where the historic French Quarter intertwines with quirkiness, a cultural explosion, and the mouthwatering smell of Cajun cooking and aged spirits. After travelling to New Orleans multiple times and utterly falling in love with its untamed nature, Alicia and her life partner didn’t even consider another place for their Big Day.
On March 24, 2018, Alicia and her life partner exchanged meaningful words and began what she calls a ‘celebration of all celebrations.’ A police-escorted parade through the streets of the French Quarter is how the celebration started. “The feelings of freedom, non-stop celebration, sensational gastronomy, and a hedonistic lifestyle is what made us fall in love with New Orleans,” she shares.
The name of No. 0324 Aging Spirits is special for two reasons: first, it represents the date of Alicia and her life partner’s celebration; second, it represents them—two spirits who made a commitment to grow old together.
In this rich scent, sweet notes of star anise, condensed milk, and caramel meet warm aromas of whiskey, bourbon, toasted oak, and bitter orange in a passionate yet delicate dance bound to become more complex and enjoyable as years pass by—similarly to Alicia and her life partner’s celebrations.
To offer anyone a chance to capture special mind mementos worth remembering, Aerangis created the Bespoke Collection—an exclusive compilation of candles curated entirely by clients. From selecting their own number to hand-picking individual notes and designing the jar, Aerangis’ customers have a unique opportunity to transform their most cherished memory into an enticing fragrance. Honoring his 50th birthday and the people in his life, Chris, one of Alicia’s clients, created No. 50 Soiree Noire, a sultry and dark scent embodying the spirit of celebrations.
Created for a black-tie event in New York City, Soiree Noire is a combination of floral, wood, and musk notes that tantalize the senses and emanate the essence of an elegant revelry in a private club library. Think vibrant body moves, sheer euphoria, seductive jazz, and corks popping loud all night long.
“Fifty isn’t old, but crossing that mile felt like a good time to celebrate the important people in my life, even more so than celebrating my birthday. I wanted to host an intimate, black-tie wine dinner with my closest friends and family,” says Chris. “I thought it would be special to fill the room with a unique fragrance representative of the affair, as well as allow the guests to take home a candle with this fragrance so they could relive the evening through a scent memory.”
Lost between the zesty notes of Sicilian lemon, black cassis, and pear, the dark bouquet of cashmere wood and musk, and the floral scents of lotus, peony, and Turkish rose petals, Chris can now forever remember this significant milestone and enrich his life through cherishing meaningful memories.
Aerangis’ pursuit of eternalizing life stories is fueled by the company’s commitment to sustainability. All candles are made of non-toxic, plant-based, eco-conscious, and cruelty-free ingredients, reinforcing the company’s belief that scents radiate the brightest in their natural form.
To eternalize the memories evoked by scents, Aerangis incorporated a biodegradable paper dust cover infused with wildflower seeds that blossom into potent and beautiful petals once planted in damp soil. This can be done within the unique ceramic jar handmade at the historic Shuili Snake Kiln in Taiwan, where ceramics have been made for over a century. More than reusing elegant porcelain, this ritual cultivates new scents and inspires new memories.
“Memories are what create our life stories. They’re too precious to remain in the back of our minds, rarely rejuvenated,” shares Alicia. “Aerangis blossomed from my special memories, and now, we offer everyone a chance to curate their life fragrances. Lighting a candle can be the most special experience when done with love and purpose.”