New Perfume Releases
Perfume launches move fast — every season brings dozens of new bottles, each claiming to be the one you need now. At Currant, we don’t list everything. We curate. This page is our living guide to new perfume releases, updated throughout the year with the scents that actually matter. Divided by season, it’s where you’ll find the fragrances we’re wearing, testing, and thinking about. Consider this your shortcut through the noise — a running record of the perfumes worth adding to your radar.
In this editorial:
Hermès Barénia Intense
Hermès Barénia Intense: A New Leather Classic
When Hermès releases a perfume, the world pays attention. With Barénia Intense, perfumer Christine Nagel takes the house’s classic chypre structure and reimagines it for today — warmer, more enigmatic, and steeped in Hermès’ leather heritage. It’s not just a fragrance; it’s an object of design, a philosophy of restraint, and, for us, one of the most exciting new perfume releases of the year.
What are the notes in Hermès Barénia Intense?
Barenia Intense is built around the chypre accord, with a balance of light and shadow:
Butterfly lily adds a soft floral lift.
Oakwood deepens the composition with woody richness.
Patchouli absolute provides sensual texture.
Leathery Barenia accord, tied to Hermès saddlery craft, anchors the fragrance.
The result is warm, sensual, and mysterious — a leather perfume that feels refined rather than overpowering.
How is Barénia Intense different from the original Barénia?
The original Barénia eau de parfum was supple and understated, almost pliant in its softness. Barénia Intense adds more structure and depth. The leather note is stronger upfront, but it’s elegantly blended with woods and florals so it never feels harsh. Midway, the floral-fruity tones become more prominent, giving it a pastel, almost honeyed quality. Where Barénia was smooth, Intense is more expressive, layered, and powerful.
What does the Hermès Barénia Intense bottle look like?
Designed by Philippe Mouquet, the bottle takes inspiration from Hermès’ Collier de Chien bracelet.
It features:
An amber gradient glass that reflects the perfume’s depth.
Pyramidal studs softened into domes for a balance of strength and elegance.
A hidden stud at the base — a quiet Hermès detail.
It feels less like packaging and more like a collectible design object.
Is Hermès Barénia Intense long-lasting?
Yes — the longevity is striking. In testing, a single spray lingered for over 12 hours, with strong sillage that subtly filled the room. It’s the kind of fragrance you’ll continue to notice hours later, making it ideal for evenings and occasions where presence matters.
Why we love Hermès Barenia Intense
For us, this is what modern luxury perfumery should be: a fragrance that evolves through the day, never shouts, but always lingers. It’s not about trend or spectacle; it’s about mastery.
I wore the original Barenia as my signature scent all last year, so I was curious — and a little protective — about this new version. Intense surprised me. It opens more leathery, but never in an abrasive way. The leather here is smooth, elegant, beautifully tempered by woods and that same luminous ginger lily note. Midway, the floral side reveals itself more strongly, adding softness and even a honeyed warmth I can’t quite explain from the listed notes.
What impressed me most was the sillage. When I first tested it, I sprayed a strip and slipped it into my pocket. Hours later, I kept catching whiffs of something wonderful. By evening, the fragrance still filled the room. The next morning, it lingered. Barenia Intense doesn’t just last — it stays with you like a presence, refined but unforgettable.
Editor’s Notes Igrien
Olfactory family
Modern chypre — a structure of contrast made contemporary.
Perfumer
Christine Nagel, Hermès’ in-house perfumer.
Key notes
Butterfly lily, oakwood, patchouli absolute, Barenia leather accord.
Bottle design
By Philippe Mouquet, inspired by the Collier de Chien bracelet; amber gradient, domed studs, hidden base detail.
TLDR
Sizes & refills
30 ml, 60 ml, 100 ml bottles, all refillable with a 125 ml refill.
Sillage & longevity
Impressive — one spray lasts for over 12 hours with a trail that lingers in the air.
Best for
Evenings, milestones, and those who prefer mystery and depth over fleeting sweetness.
Why it’s a Currant favorite
Because it redefines leather not as memory, but as presence — elegant, enduring, and quietly powerful.
Published
Fall 2025