NY TIMES T MAGAZINE, December 2005

If you want to find one of only 3,000 bottles of the scent bearing the name of the VIP Room, the St. Tropez nightclub where Paris Hilton likes to party, you will have to go to 9 Christopher Street and buzz. It is the only place in the United States where it is sold, as this is (appearances notwithstanding) the most exclusive perfume shop in New York. Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner are the tall, blond German couple who opened Aedes de Venustas ("temple of beauty" in Latin) in 1995. The store was a means for them to stay in Manhattan when the German freight company they had worked for shut down. They were perfume fanatics, Bradl says, "so we thought, Let's start looking for hard-to-find products." They found their first line - at the time an unknown house called l'Artisan Parfumeur - and a basement space, and invested their severance package. They did O.K., sort of, for a year. Then Bradl thought that maybe he should promote the venture to an editor. He had no idea how. He packed a few scents in a nice box, put flowers on it and took a taxi up to Vogue. No appointment. "I said, 'Can I see a beauty editor?' They called up, and she let me into her office. She was very nice. A little tiny piece showed up in Vogue - which prompted Naomi Campbell to come in and give us part of her Christmas account: 'X gets this, Y gets that.' We were stunned. We started sending the fashion people and designers gifts, all with our fresh flowers, and they started giving us to the models, who gave us to the photographers. And that was it." Today Aedes is a bit of a cult. Not even Colette in Paris invites the same sort of breathless, wild-eyed looks. It may stem partly from the décor; looking around, I once said, "Second Empire whorehouse?" to Gerstner, and he - tall and thin and intense as a Teutonic Valentino - said affably, "Sure." But mostly it's two men obsessed. Aedes selects its products according to the simplest criteria. "Everything here - fragrance, room sprays, incense, skin and body care - we use ourselves," Gerstner says. Second criterion: They like being first. They were the first to import A-esop from Australia, Czech & Speake from England and Etro from Italy. Third: Every scent is unusual, like Jasmin de Nuit, which is to jasmine what Pirelli is to rubber, or Ulrich Lang's mesmerizing Anvers, a contemporary fragrance with warm yet introspective notes. Talking to "the boys," as everyone calls them, is a little like having a conversation with a single person. One lays down a thought, the other develops it, all the while looking directly at you; evidently they don't need visual cues to do this. Nothing ever goes on sale at Aedes, and apparently nothing ever will. They don't do in-store promotions, and they don't do free shipping. But they are extremely generous with samples, which they believe in strongly. "You can become overwhelmed in the store," Gerstner explains. "So we load our clients with samples," says Bradl, the smaller and more excitable of the two. "And they all come back," Gerstner adds. Top customers also get gifts. "Things we think they'll like," Gerstner says. For the very best clients, anything is possible. They do house calls: "Linda Evangelista called us at 5 p.m. on a Saturday," says one or the other, "and said, 'I'm going to Steven Meisel's birthday party in three hours, help!"' They do specials: "Dolce and Gabbana came in for a thank-you gift for Anna Wintour. She likes irises, so we loaded her basket with iris candles, iris soaps, iris room sprays, and decorated it with fresh irises." They do takeout: "When the Concorde was flying, Naomi was going back and forth at the speed of sound, and her office would call us Sunday afternoon and say, 'She's arriving in three hours, we need this and this and this."' They do scent tracks: Giorgio Armani is a fanatic for Agraria's Bitter Orange and last year had Aedes perfume his runway show with it. Sometimes they don't take credit where credit is due. I recently discovered a lime-and-coconut sea-salt exfoliator, labeled simply ADV. Huge, dark-caramel-colored tubs that smell terrific. I said, "This is great, who does this?" They do, it turns out. J. Lo, Gwen Stefani, Marisa Tomei and John Galliano order it by the pot. "It doesn't need to be right in your face that this is an Aedes product," Bradl says to me of its subtle label. Besides, they don't ever want to compete with their other lines. Because Aedes has a gift-conscious clientele from fashion houses, modeling agencies, photography studios, film companies and public-relations firms, the store's best sellers are candles. It should be a legal - if not a theological - obligation to own three from the Mariage Frères collection. Thé Rouge is jaw-dropping, as is Sorbet de Thé and Thé Dansant. The boys also like Thé Blanc, but I've never smelled it because it's been sold out for months. And needless to say, I can't find it anywhere else.

Financial Times

Ever since a well-known model registered her Christmas account here in 1996, Aedes de Venustas (from the Latin words meaning temple of beauty) has been a favourite of New York's make-up and styling community. Specialising in cult perfumes, home fragrance and little-known skincare products from around the world, this laid-back boutique, tucked away on a quiet, tree-lined street in the West Village, has remained largely an insider secret. Karl Bradl, one of the boutique's two German owners, is a perfume addict who gave up a job in banking nine years ago to follow his nose and his passion for scent by opening the store with his business partner Robert Gerstner. In addition to classics such as Creed and Parfums Santa Maria Novella and cult scents by Etro and Lorenzo Villoresi, Aedes de Venustas stocks brands even industyr insiders haven't heard of. The store also stocks Parfums Delrae, a capsule scent collection by Michel Roudnitska, son of legendary perfumer Edmond Roudnitska. The boutique is dimly lit and decorated in an intimate, boudoir style, with plush bordeaux-coloured carpets, ruby velvet curtains and dark wallpaper. A huge crystal chandelier and a leopard-print chair dominate the space, while the scents, candles, soaps and scrubs are displayed in ornate gilded cabinets and on antique-style tables. Bestsellers include Diptyque's Baies blackcurrant candle and ADV Lime Coconut Sea Salt Exfoliator.

Celebrity Living, May 2005

What you'll find in the store: Antique cabinets crammed with European fragrances and skin-care products, such as Lilas 7oz Diptqyue candle and Une Folie de Rose 1.7oz parfum. Wrap it up! With Aedes' signature wrapping - a luxurious black box embossed with gold leaf and tied in satin ribbon or embellished with a fresh flower arrangement on top!

WWD BEAUTYBIZ, November 2005

THE LATEST CULT CANDLE. Sweet Smell of Success. Aedes de Venustas means "temple of beauty" in Latin. That it's also the name of the cult favorite West Village fragrance boutique is no coincidence-celebs like Liv Tyler and Gwen Stefani are said to worship its selection of luxe fragrance brands. To celebrate its 10th anniversary, owners Karl Bradl and Robert Gerstner are teamed up with L'Artisan Parfumeur-one of its bestselling brands-to create an eponymous candle. On sale this month, only 1,000 have been produced. The scent, a blend of Japanese incense, leather, musk and strawflower, is meant to evoke the lush, sensous feeling of the store itself.

HARPER'S BAZAAR, October 2005

CELEBRITY ADDRESS BOOK: Aedes de Venustas. Susan Sarandon, Liv Tyler, and the supermodel set frequent this NYC specialty boutique for precious scents, skincare, and bath and body items from around the world.

ALLURE MAGAZINE, May 2006

How to Pick a Fragrance for Someone Else. An interview with Karl Bradl. Bradl is the co-owner of Aedes de Venustas fragrance boutique in New York City. Few things are more subjective than the scent a person wears on her skin. That's why picking out fragrance for someone can involve a lot of guesswork. Here's how I get inside the mind of the gift giver (and receiver): DON'T GO IT ALONE. Sorting through the myriad fragrances in a store can be overwhelming. But a good clerk asks a lot of question and points out things you wouldn't have considered on your own. My first questions are: How old is the recipient, what's her fashion sense-even hair color is important. (I have no idea why, but blondes tent to like powdery scents, while darker-haired people like more exotic fragrances, and redheads seem to love things with iris.) PAY ATTENTION Try to find a scent that reminds you of something you love about the person, such as her habits or quirks. Maybe it's just a hint of vetiver that lingers on her great vintage handbag. Or the smell of the fresh-cut tea roses that she always keeps in her office. Focus on those small, intimate details. TEST THE WATER. If you know that a person has been wearing the same fragrance for years, drop some hints to see if she would consider something new. Ask, "Have you tried the new L'Artisan Parfumeur Fleur d'Oranger, or are you a Premier Figuier spritzer for life?" If she's hesitant, stay with the same brand or stick to similar notes (use the middle note as your guide, since it's the most powerful). For those who dislike change, buy the same scent, but in a different form, like a body lotion or gorgeous hand soap-so you’re not simply restocking what she owns already. TRUST A SURE THING. If you can't make up your mind, there are some selections that always work well. Sophisticated, conservative women enjoy elegant florals, while casual ones tent to prefer something that's fresh and a little musky (Etro Etra). For a friend or sister I recommend youthful green notes (maybe Nanadebary) or spicy, unexpected accords (Serge Lutens Daim Blond). Refined men usually like crisp, woodsy classics (Creed Bois du Portugal), while sporty guys go for a cologne with a hint of spice (06130 Yuzu Rouge). KEEP A CLEAR HEAD When shopping, don't rush or smell too many different fragrances at once-you'll suffer from sensory overload. The ideal is to test three per visit, go outside for fresh air between spritzes. And even if it's not love at first whiff take a sample home and smell it throughout the day. Some customers aren't sure if they like a scent at first, but after living with it for a while, they fall completely in love. With any luck, your friend or mother will feel the same way. By Christine Muhlke

ZAGAT

AEDES DE VENUSTAS Ranking: Quality 27, Presentation 27, Service 25, Cost VE. Celebs and fashionistas frequent this hip haunt, a "charming" "little fragrance lover's sanctuary" in Greenwich Village known for its "well-edited selection of perfumes, soaps", skincare products and candles from statusy, hard-to-come-by European brands like Serge Lutens and Costes; "knowledgeable staff" is generous with samples", and if you are buying a present, spring for the additional charge and "have them gift wrap it" in their "beautiful" black-and gold boxes topped with fresh flowers, which adds to the "divine" experience.

The Bombshell Manual of Style

Where Bombshells Buy Perfume: Aedes de Venustas, Christopher Street, New York (Leopard prints, wall-to-wall carpeting, baroque furniture, personal attention, a cute little dog.)

NY Magazine, March 2005

THE BEST OF NEW YORK ISSUE. New York has surprisingly few perfumeries of the sort one sees in European cities-jewel-box boutiques that sell nothing but scents. But this tiny West Village store devoted to fragrances (with a smattering of skincare) more than does its part. The romance factor is big, with violet walls, gilded und mirrored furniture, giant bouquets of fresh flowers, and the owners' tiny dogs snoozing on velvet chairs. Scattered about are dozens of carefully chosen, relatively uncommon scents like Cote Bastide, Serge Lutens, and Hierbas de Ibiza, alongside better-known lines like Diptyque, Creed and Santa Maria Novella. Exclusivity doesn't come cheap- a candle and a cologne will generally run you well over $100-but the shops clerks will take plenty of time to help you select just the right scent, and the giftwrap topped with fresh flowers is a pretty final touch.