A scent is a time capsule. It can invoke the most intimate memories and dreams, and open doors to distant worlds. Curated by an architect specializing in Historic Preservation, ARQUISTE is a fragrance collection that transports the wearer to evocative moments in history. Meticulously researched using authentic sources and crafted with only the rarest of ingredients, each fragrance restores the olfactive experience of a particular time and place, allowing both women and men to unlock personal revelations and experience history in a most intimate way. ARQUISTE was honoured on January 2013 with the Fashion Group International’s 16th Annual Rising Star Award for best Beauty/Fragrance Entrepreneur Brand. Currently, ARQUISTE is well-known for its sophisticated perfume lines, which are based on the use of perfect ingredients. At ARQUISTE, Carlos uses the finest, most exclusive and rarest ingredients.
Boutonniere No.7 and Nanban, have both been chosen as finalists for the Parfum Extraordinaire prize (the industry’s top honor for olfactive works of art) at the United States Fragrance Foundation Awards in 2013 and 2016 respectively and considered part one of the top five fragrances launched in the United States during those years.
Carlos Huber's experience in the world of luxury retail, creating meticulously detailed interiors for Polo Ralph Lauren, provided a unique opportunity to design commercial spaces with historical references. A more in-depth exploration of the past came with his involvement in the experimental projects of architect and Columbia professor Jorge Otero-Pailos, working on art installations that analyze the role of non-visual cues in the interpretation of historic sites. Turning to his longtime love of perfumery, Huber studied fragrance development and collaborated with internationally recognized noses Rodrigo Flores-Roux and Yann Vasnier in order to recapture the olfactive notes of historical moments.
In addition to his work for ARQUISTE Parfumeur, Huber has worked with brands like Cire Trudon, St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, J.Crew, and El Palacio de Hierro to create their bespoke, signature scents. His evocative and complex creations honor the history and embrace modernity.
ARQUISTE fragrance ELLA has won the noteworthy Olfactorama 2017 Prix de l’Emotion. One of the proudest honors in the French luxury perfume industry. Held in Paris on July 5th, the Olfactorama Awards represent what’s best in the French fragrance world. In true French spirit, winners chosen are based on olfactive quality, beauty, and emotional impact. Besides being one of the only two winning niche brands, ARQUISTE is proud to be the only American winner. And in good company, among luxury brands like Hermès, Chanel, and Cartier.
The secret for creating a superior perfume lies in the ingredients. At ARQUISTE, Carlos uses the finest, most exclusive and rarest ingredients. One of them is the Couroupita flower. Very few people have even heard of Couroupita guianensis, also known as Cannon Ball Tree, and even fewer people had the chance to smell its divine fragrant flowers. However, those who experienced its luscious scent will never forget it.
ARQUISTE has been commissioned to create a new scent for the prestigious Cire Trudon candle line, marking the first time the legendary French line has partnered with another brand to create a scent for one of its candles. To celebrate this esteemed Franco-Mexican collaboration, Arquiste has chosen to recreate the balmy night described by Empress Charlotte, centering on the exuberant, multi-layered fragrance of the guava tree. Succulent ripe fruit, intoxicating blossoms, foliage, and bark are enveloped by elegant woody notes of mahogany and 'palo primavera,' with just a hint of firework gunpowder, for an altogether intriguing, sumptuous scent.
Each luxurious ARQUISTE room scent focuses on a place, interior or landscape evoked in one of the fragrance stories, recreating a unique ambience and mood.
