Robert Gerstner and Karl Bradl’s opulent perfume boutique on Christopher Street in the village has an old world patina on the exterior but as you enter the shop your senses are stimulated like no other space I have ever encountered.
They opened Aedes De Venustas or “Temple of Beauty” in 1995 and have the most curated and exclusive collection of fragrances for the home and perfumes imaginable. The interiors are decorated with sparkling, cloudy crystal chandeliers and carved and gilded display vitrines that set off the stunning cut crystal perfume bottles and candles to great effect. Taxidermy peacocks and velvet draperies further enhance the experience likened to a Renaissance painting. Aedes carries some of the oldest European fragrances but also continues to update their inventory with newer lines. Testing the fragrances is just part of this sensory experience, the packaging and the attention to detail they give to gift wrapping is extraordinary. Sometimes the past and present meet harmoniously in a perfect crafted environment as evidenced in Aedes de Venustas!
Some of the perfume lines artfully displayed in the shop
Detail of one of the crystal chandeliers
For the perfect gift or to enhance your own home Aedes De Venustas is worth a trip. The shop is located at 9 Christopher Street, just off of Greenwich Avenue. Thank you to Rafael Santiago for the beautiful images captured here.
www.Aedes.com