On the first Thursday of October, in the Gardens store, listening to the sound of temple bells and chanting, we assembled a shrine for Athos. It was the centrepiece of sacredness, each leaf, candle and raw material placed with intention. With an intimate audience - all receptive to the impressions of this new scent - we moved through layers of sensation, opening our senses and tuning into inner-dimensions. We discovered the composition of Athos, sharing and reflecting on how this fragrance beckons to devotion in many ways. Florian touched on the alchemy of Athos, giving us very special insight into the tenderness felt towards the golden echoes of a scent and its stories. Captivated by the holy atmosphere of it...
Warm-hearted and deeply connected to the plant kingdoms, Camilla Colley is a niche fynbos essential oil distiller. She is a co-founder and key partner of Cape Fynbos Oils (CFO), a unique regenerative farming cooperative with an emphasis on the indigenous aromatic botanicals found in the Western Cape fynbos and karoo biomes. Her great passion and appreciation for the natural environment, particularly that of the mountains in the Western Cape, guides the way for her work and personal journey. Camilla’s first conscious discovery of the magic of fynbos was over two decades ago after walking through the mountains. When she came home, she noticed a lingering scent on her clothes and it captivated her: “I felt elated. I felt transformed by...
Brigitte Lilley, our neighbour and cherished friend, is the heart and vision behind By The Light gallery & studio. Spirited, vibrant and warm, Brigitte mirrors the elemental craftsmanship of her work using clay and botanicals as her medium. The gallery’s name is inspired by the generous light that floods her studio, sharing that when she first relocated she felt “overwhelmed by the amount of light there was, whether it was day, whether it was night. The moonlight, the sunlight, are [both] just so nurturing and dynamic.” Actively working with clay for the last 10 years, Brigitte’s early memories take her back to a pottery class that she attended as a child which took place in a wild, enchanting garden cottage; “it...
With Très fragrances currently having a presence in four city spaces - New York, Lisbon, Johannesburg, and our Cape Town store - the influence of scent in the city has been vividly moving through our minds. We’ve been exploring how it captivates, stirs memory and can cause time to stand still, even briefly. Walking the streets of any city is usually a sensory-rich experience of sight, sound and sensation. Along with all the surrounding motion, the city’s scents add a deeper layer of awareness, when we pay attention. [Exhaust fumes; wet tar roads after rainfall; freshly baked goods, roasted coffee and the local flower market; each stranger’s perfume as they walk past, lingering in the mind and at the back...
Our in-store experience and the atmosphere that we aim to cultivate for anyone entering Très is rooted in intentional interaction and presence. Being a feeling-space of sensory exploration, the energy we hold with puts mindfulness at the forefront of our focus. It brings us joy to create a shop experience that evokes a sense of calm and curiosity within each visitor, and we are purposeful in creating the opportunity for this. Très echoes the values of something that is of sanctuary; we offer you invitations of awareness, discovery and connection within our shop and within all of its exchanges. May you leave feeling uplifted and inspired.
Words by Boudica Collins
