Sanderson Partners with Aesop

Sanderson were delighted to partner with Aesop for the opening of Briana Jamieson’s exhibition Garden Day.

Founded in Melbourne in 1987, Aesop creates high-quality skin, hair, and body care formulations with a focus on meticulous, hand-made and plant-based ingredients. Known for its minimalist aesthetic and unique, locally designed stores, the brand emphasizes sensory pleasure, sustainability, and efficacy.

Jamieson is a painter based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Pōneke Wellington. Her practice is driven by emotion with each series being planned around an ‘essence’, drawn from a mix of real and imagined experiences, alongside an extensive collection of photographs and poems.

The paintings in Garden Day are based on Jamieson’s experience of growing a garden in her local community plot in Pōneke:

‘I sit next to a patch of soft yellow flowers growing tall and shining in the sun... I shelter from the summer heat in the shade of a fig tree..’

Responding to Jamieson’s paintings, the staff at Aesop provided a new signature scent ‘Virēre’, which was presented as an au de parfum and body balm to guests at the opening. The fragrance created an immersive and atmospheric experience, connecting with the poetic and meditative qualities of Jamieson’s works -

On arrival, the Aesop team offered a thoughtful hand massage for guests, creating a moment of pause and care that set the tone for a sensitive and considered experience throughout the evening. Guests were also able to enjoy a sample spray of the au de parfum, which was carefully spritzed onto hands and into the airy space of the gallery:

‘Fragrance has a powerful ability to evoke memory and emotion, often conjuring moments of nostalgia with an immediacy that feels both intimate and deeply personal.’ says Gina Rosandich, Manager of Aesop’s Newmarket store. ‘Virēre is a fresh and verdant fragrance, with bright citrus, peppery green spice, a herbaceous heart, and warm woods – It evokes the feeling of sunlit afternoons spent sipping tea beneath an arbour of fig trees.’

It is always a pleasure for Sanderson to collaborate with its neighbours, and even more so when there is such a natural alignment in intention and sensibility. This partnership felt both meaningful and intuitive where shared values created space for a seamless dialogue between different creative modalities and practices. 

Thank you Aesop! 

Shop Aesop products here: www.aesop.co.nz