Words by:

New Norm Magazine

Photography by:

New Norm Magazine

The culture of ambiance and sensory memory.

Marcel Proust wrote in Remembrance of Things Past: “When nothing subsists of an old past, after the death of people, after the destruction of things, alone, frailer but more enduring, more immaterial, more persistent, more faithful, smell and taste still remain for a long time. Our feelings are shaped by our senses. Whether walking in the forest after the rain or sitting in the open-air cafe filled with the aroma of bread, we are embracing the world of a new day with our physical perception.”

When compared with other senses, the sensory experience brought by smell may be more illusory, while the memories it creates are more lingering and more emotional. They place memories, expectations, and hopes on the past, and with almost unrecognisable clues, they unyieldingly support the entire structure of memories. This hazy and imaginative space is wrapped in many passages of past events, containing strong personal emotions.

“The fragrance belongs to the individual, not the home. Highly personal, and therefore original.” When designer Alessandro Agrati perceived such personal emotions, he decided to create a Culture of Ambience, which incredibly enough, was lacking in our world, and more importantly, in this era. Thus, CULTI MILANO, a fragrance brand that combines culture and style, came into being. Founded in 1990, CULTI MILANO changed the way people experienced spaces and objects, allowing a person to freely create an atmosphere and for memories and imaginations to accompany people in their living spaces.

Let us imagine such a picture: While in the arms of grandparents, children watched the mandarin peel being thrown into an open flame, creating an ensuing scent that has accompanied generations for their entire lives. This scent, Terra, is representative of some priceless moments of happiness and is closely related to the childhood memories of many. Similarly, Thé, a fragrance with a hint of tea and sweetness forms a relaxing mood for individuals who have finished a stressful day gifting the liberty to lie comfortably in the bathtub.

The culture of personal preference is shaped by our daily experiences. An individual resembles a scent, equipped with the power to evoke memories. While beautiful items are often brought to our attention, these pieces may surround ourselves when placed into a room, creating a distinctive olfactory experience which is known as the Culture of Ambience. 

Certain scents may also evoke distant memories: the humid and salty sea breeze of the Mediterranean sea, the soft, milky fragrance of figs, the sour and sweetness of berries, the woody aroma from the collision of wood with fire… The fragrance stores natural elements in a permanent vessel, restoring our memories and allowing individuals to journey between living spaces and memories. To choose a specific taste, season, or a scene, to create their own ambience in life. 

Diffuser reeds in the form of rattan sticks, have been designed to accompany every scent, aiding in the gradual and continuous diffusion of the fragrance into the air and invigorating your home with an endearing scent. Its appearance may be simple and restrained, yet it has become an elegant, iconic, and scented piece of design. The combination of rattan sticks and the traditional bottle-shaped diffuser interweaves with one another, tying design and sensory experiences together.