Luxury Perfume House AMAFFI Launches New ‘Maracoca’ Scent in NYC

Discover the exclusive AMAFFI perfume house: gilded in real gold, flaunting a price point in the thousands, and offering a concentrated scent line up of all-natural materials and exotic inspirations from some of the most renowned perfumers in the world. As the AMAFFI philosophy states, “we are not for everyone…we are the best.” The brand released its new ‘Maracoca’ fragrance in New York City on February 22, 2024 – we explored the house’s luxurious full line to discover just what makes this intriguing new scent worth its $5,700 tag.

Walking into the New York City AMAFFI boutique feels akin to stepping foot inside a museum…the most exclusive, luxurious museum you can image. From outside to inside and ceiling to floor, the AMAFFI branding envelops visitors fully in the experience – onyx black marble and gilded gold coat every available surface, and the interior design feels like art itself. Silent staff in suiting holding champagne trays with caviar, steak tartare, and assorted high society light bites line the floor, attending intently to those few select and elite customers who wander through the boutique’s heavy glass doors held open for my entrance by an equally hushed guardsman. I’m told by the general manager that a master chef stands in the back room, actively preparing each tray to service the launch of ‘Maracoca,’ the newest fragrance for men and women. AMAFFI’s site proudly proclaims that the brand is there to “remind the world that fashion is a responsibility and accessible luxury is just a big nonsense.” The exclusively luxe perfume house indeed does not aim for wide appeal to the masses – in fact, it aims for just the opposite.

If you haven’t previously heard of AMAFFI, that’s somewhat by design. The boutique’s manager tells me that the brand does not advertise; its customer clientele are primarily from word of mouth and an “if you know, you know” inner circle of magical belonging. Appealing to the flashy ultra-elite of society with its gilded boutique interior, handcrafted crystal-encrusted bottles, and exclusive scent lineup, AMAFFI looks to be “the embodiment of class, elegance, and culture.” Scents are inspired by indulgent places and memories such as ‘Havana’ or ‘Forever Tango,’ alongside nouveau riche ideals such as ‘Power,’ ‘Glory,’ and ‘Richness,’ and are extraordinarily unique. When asked why, I was told “AMAFFI’s perfumiers are the best in the world and they have all the creative freedom; they can choose from any ingredients in the world,” whereas most brands have some sort of imposed budget or ideas already in mind when commissioning a scent. “Our bottles are all handmade with luxury materials such as Swarovski crystals, glass, and gold-plating, and some take as long as two to three years to complete production.” The bottles themselves are absolute works of art, worthy of becoming heirlooms. “Everything is made in-house,” and the brand surprisingly does not have a most popular scent, according to the sales team. Of the 41 fragrances AMAFFI offers, a customized scent tour will help each customer to find the scent that speaks the most to them individually.

On my own one on one scent tour, guided in-depth by the boutique’s manager, I discovered that AMAFFI’s scents are truly like no others that I have encountered before. It could be due to the all-around immersive experience of their sculptural museum-worthy bottles and hushed interior as I learn the inspirational story behind each scent, or the fact that each scent uses such exclusive, expensive materials and a higher concentrate parfum than I have previously encountered in even upscale designer perfume lines. My favourite scent at the end of the tour still stood out as the new ‘Maracoca’ fragrance, which comes in editions both for men and for women. Usually personally partial to men’s or unisex fragrances, I was surprised to find that AMAFFI scents for women do not stand as overly fruity, floral, or feminine. Instead, they stand on their own, and I felt a new feeling of confidence within their women’s fragrance lines that I usually tend to shy away from in most perfume offerings. ‘Maracoca’ for women, which I happily accepted a ritualistic dousing of using AMAFFI’s signature “scent halo” technique for a lingering scented aura, combines sensual jasmine, sweet white gardenia, and vibrant yuzu together to blend in perfect harmony for a sparkling and festive scent. The notes were reminiscent of champagne parties and summer nights, which was a welcome intoxicating reminder of blissful warm days still to come after the current chill of a frigid New York City in February. ‘Maracoca’ for men balances its female counterpart with a combination of dark bitter wormwood and smoky notes of amyris that bleed into a stimulating euphoric scent that complements its bright feminine half.

The new ‘Maracoca’ duo comes in at a staggering $5,700 price point for a single glass handcrafted 90ml bottle, which also includes a 50 ml companion bottle of the same scent for travel. The composition is a full 20% concentrated parfum, which means that a small amount goes a long way and tends to last longer on the body than a standard fragrance of less concentrate. AMAFFI stands as the singular most expensive and exclusive fragrance that I personally have ever had the privilege to try on, and is certainly meant to appeal to a very small and exclusive clientele. Should you invest in wearing an AMAFFI olfactory masterpiece? I’ll admit that wearing my ‘Maracoca’ scent halo out of the door and onto the New York city street, clutching my sleek black and gold AMAFFI shopping tote, I felt that I stood a few centimeters taller and walked with a bit more confidence than usual. Just perhaps, it seemed that this bustling city suddenly felt a few degrees more luxe, heavy with the weight of elite possibility and core memories (and riches) waiting to be made.

With boutiques in New York City, Singapore, and London, the Geneva-based perfume house certainly emits a luxury aura in each of its opulent storefronts to match its products. Cloaked in a bit of mystery, AMAFFI’s founder goes only by the name of “Madame Amaffi” and little is known about her past other than her intense involvement in the brand. The mysterious Madame Amaffi is an enigma who personally assists in crafting each scent, designing the boutique’s luxe interiors, and working hands on with the direction of the brand. Her hope for her clients states that she has the “hope you will wear an AMAFFI perfume for each wonderful moment of your life. Each time you encounter these scents, you will relive these glorious moments of happiness,” ringing true with the common link between fragrances and memories. AMAFFI is not for everyone, but it is for those looking to experience and carry with them the most elite of fragrance offerings available around the world, using only the best materials with a story behind them. AMAFFI is “here to set the bar high,” and it certainly delivers with every fragrance.

Experience the AMAFFI line and the new ‘Maracoca’ fragrance for men and women at their exclusive United States boutique located on Billionaire’s Row at 44 East 57th Street in New York, New York. Special thanks to Jetmira at the New York City location for her expertise and the opportunity to take Resident Magazine on a luxury scent tour to discover AMAFFI.

_Credits:

_{Writer: Laur Weeks @laur.weeks}

_{Assist: YangZiyi Jin @ziyiart2022} 

_{Perfume House: AMAFFI @amaffi} 

_{PR: Shamin Abas @shaminabas}