Hermès’s New Scent Is Bound to Become a French-Girl Classic

How does one smell like a fabulous Parisian woman? Scent is subjective, of course, but seeking out French perfume brands is a pretty good place to start, especially ones that exude timeless, sophisticated luxury. Hermès is certainly one of those brands—the designer house has some of the most gorgeously crafted fragrances in the game—though I’d argue its new launch is the chicest potion yet.

Introducing Barénia Eau de Parfum, Hermès’s chypre fragrance that oozes confident, cool-girl energy. The inspiration? A “fascinating, free, and fulfilled woman who embodies daring, force and grace-in-action with a compelling energy that draws one in.” It essentially represents effortless glamour—I’d say there’s nothing more French-girl coded than that.

Barénia is the house’s first chypre, a scent that is fresh, floral, and woody all at once. Of all the olfactory families, chypres are just so cool—their vibrance and sophistication make them the ultimate Parisian pick. Each Hermès fragrance tells a story—an olfactory adventure, if you will—and the Barénia tale paints a picture of classic Hermès style. “The Hermès woman is driven by curiosity. Guided by her instincts, her side steps are never missteps,” says Christine Nagel, the brand’s in-house perfumer. Like a chypre, the Hermès woman is a bold character, fluttering through life with an effortless confidence.