October 22, 2025 |
There’s something kind of radical about a perfume bottle that doesn’t just sit pretty on your dresser but challenges an entire industry to clean up its act. Abel, the New Zealand-born fragrance brand founded by former winemaker Frances Shoemack, has spent the past twelve years doing exactly that. This month, the brand has relaunched its collection of 100 per cent natural perfumes – reformulated, repackaged and reimagined. The result? Proof that the future of fragrance doesn’t need petrochemicals to perform.
At a time when most brands reformulate to cut costs, Abel has gone the other way. “We rebuilt every formula from the ground up, working closely with our perfumers Isaac Sinclair and Dr Fanny Grau to harness the latest developments in biotechnology and natural science,” says Shoemack. “These innovations allowed us to enhance both longevity and performance while remaining true to our principles. We also increased the concentration of each fragrance by an average of 37 per cent across the collection, investing even more in the perfume itself. The result is fragrances that deliver elevated strength, depth and lasting power, all while maintaining the same integrity and our radical 100 per cent natural standard.”
For Shoemack, the journey to clean scent-making began with a shock. “I had always been fascinated by scent and smells, but the real turning point came when I discovered that an estimated 95 per cent of fragrance molecules are derived from petrochemicals,” she recalls. “Coming from winemaking, an industry that celebrates nature and craftsmanship, that felt fundamentally wrong. I wanted to create a perfume that was both natural and modern, something that aligned with my values and my sense of style. When I couldn’t find it, I realised I had found my life’s work.”
That realisation led to Abel’s founding in 2013 in a small Amsterdam apartment – a venture that many told her was impossible. “I was told repeatedly that creating a modern, 100 per cent natural perfume wasn’t possible,” she says. “But that challenge only fuelled me. We took our time, proved performance didn’t have to mean petrochemicals, and built something enduring. What once seemed radical now feels inevitable.”
The word inevitable feels important here. Abel’s new collection – nine Eau de Parfums with names like Laundry Day and Coat Check – doesn’t smell like a compromise. It smells like progress. The formulas blend biotechnological innovation with natural isolates and upcycled ingredients, allowing Abel to access scent molecules once thought impossible to achieve without synthetic intervention.
“Biotechnology is to fragrance what EVs are to the car industry – a renewable solution that removes the need for fossil fuels,” Shoemack explains. “Just as electric vehicles are shifting the automotive industry away from fossil fuels, biotechnology offers fragrance as a renewable, scalable alternative. Through fermentation and green chemistry, we can now create identical scent molecules from plants instead of petroleum. It is clean innovation at its most elegant, a future that smells good and does good.”
When asked how she responds to sceptics who believe the industry can’t move away from fossil fuels, she doesn’t flinch. “I would say it is already happening,” she says. “Abel is proof that performance, artistry and responsibility can co-exist. The technology exists; what’s stopping it is inertia. We have spent twelve years proving it is possible, and the more brands that follow, the faster we move as an industry.”
That blend of artistry and science is Abel’s signature, and nowhere is it more evident than in the reformulation of Cyan Nori, the brand’s musky, tangerine-y cult favourite. “It was important to honour the loyal fans while delivering an even better perfume,” says Shoemack. “We revisited the formula with great care, improving performance and depth without losing the vibrant, briny energy that people love. It still captures that feeling of salt on skin and ocean air – the scent that has come to embody Abel’s spirit of optimism and connection to nature.”
Abel’s transformation isn’t just happening inside the bottle. Its new packaging system is an exercise in circular design, featuring glass made from post-consumer recycled materials, biodegradable caps and mono-material boxes crafted entirely from recycled paper. Behind the sleek exterior lies a fully restructured supply chain that’s achieved a staggering 96 per cent reduction in the carbon footprint of its paper packaging.
“While we made huge leaps across the entire supply chain, from using recycled and recyclable glass to developing compostable caps, the 95 per cent carbon footprint reduction specifically relates to our boxes,” Shoemack explains. “We approached the redesign using design thinking methodology, starting not with the aesthetics but with the materials. Working with British paper icons GF Smith, we developed a bespoke paper made from 40 per cent recycled coffee cups and 60 per cent post-consumer waste. We customised everything from the dye colour to the paper weight and sheet size to minimise waste and maximise strength, creating a box that feels luxurious yet has a dramatically lower impact.”
photography by Ana Kraš
This approach reflects what Shoemack calls “holistic circularity.” “It means thinking beyond purely start-of-life, end-of-life or one isolated part of the supply chain,” she says. “It’s about looking at the full picture and designing systems in the most effective, efficient and forward-focused way – from localised supply chains and renewable materials to reducing waste and energy use at every stage. True sustainability is not a feature, it is a framework that shapes every decision.”
Abel’s ethos extends beyond the environmental – it’s also deeply cultural. “Consumers are asking more questions, demanding transparency and caring about provenance,” Shoemack notes. “Fragrance used to be purely about aesthetics and external gratification; now it’s a lot more about intentionality and even ethics too. That cultural shift is reshaping what it means to be a luxury brand today.”
If there’s one word that sums up the Abel philosophy, it’s connection. “True luxury can be deeply human,” says Shoemack. “I hope people feel connected – to nature, to themselves, to the moment. Our scents are designed to evolve with the wearer, becoming part of their personal story.”
And as for the future? Abel isn’t slowing down. “We are focused on refining, on continuously asking ‘how can we do this better?’” says Shoemack. “That means leading innovation in sustainable scent creation, deepening our community connections and reimagining how fragrance fits into everyday life. The future of luxury is intentional, and we believe we’re providing a blueprint for how this is possible.”
Asked what she’d change about the industry if she could wave a magic wand, Shoemack doesn’t hesitate. “Transparency,” she says. “It is impossible to make conscious choices when you don’t know what is inside the bottle. Full ingredient disclosure should not be radical – it should be required. Only then can the industry truly evolve.”
In a market where clean often means compromised, Abel is making “radical fragrance” look effortless. No petrochemicals. No greenwashing. Just modern perfumes for people who care what their beauty choices stand for. As Shoemack puts it, “What started as a naïve idea in my Amsterdam apartment has grown into a global movement towards more responsible, transparent perfumery. The most surprising part has been seeing the world catch up; conversations that once felt fringe are now mainstream.”
Abel’s new collection is now available globally at select stockists including Liberty London, Dover Street Market Paris and Printemps New York, as well as online here.
Photography courtesy of Abel.
from left: Frances Shoemack, Fanny Grau and Isaac Sinclair; photography by Ana Kraš
