Glossolalia.

Universal Flowering Étude In Black Eau de Parfum

$180.00
Size: 50mL

Pickup available at Stéle NoLita

Usually ready in 2 hours

About
Jouissance, favorite earrings, peeled lacquer from a baby grand, back of the wardrobe, glossolalia.

Notes: Strawberries, Rose Liqueur, Hinoki, Candlewax Musk, Cedarwood

" The roses arrived at noon. I don’t recall the impact, only the machinery of its reception. Chrome shears dulled by tap water, the too-tall vase, a note of brutalist prose. This is how it always starts. With a feeling, yes, but more so the things I decorate the feeling with in order to engage in the ceremony.

This is not just a story I tell myself. It’s simply an excavated surface I have to tend to. Pruning a bush with the focus of a surgeon, making the essential cuts that angle at growth. Hours arranging a room like a calculation of chance. This is not just a ritual!

So I left the roses in the vase. I didn’t trim the stems. I didn’t change the water. I watched them mainline their own filth to a familiar, clouded end. How perverse, witnessing a thing so alive delight in its own consummation. Is letting them just be the most violent instruction? The now black petals, dutifully dropping onto the polished wood, are the only appropriate response."
The Brand

Universal Flowering is a niche perfume brand created by perfumer Courtney Rafuse. The brand’s fragrances are inspired by Rafuse’s memories, both past and future, and explore themes of liminality and eroticism. Her unique approach often incorporates synesthesia in the formulation process.

Rafuse is known for her collaborations with visual artists, fashion designers, and writers. Her work has gained recognition in various media outlets, including Nylon, Airmail, The Toronto Star, and BBC Radio.

In May 2024, Universal Flowering released “Seduction Theory,” a jasmine-centric perfume inspired by projection, fantasy, and Sigmund Freud’s abandoned theories. This launch showcases the brand’s commitment to creating thought-provoking and emotionally resonant scents.

Rafuse is also the co-founder of Gumamina, a side project launched in December 2023 in collaboration with fellow perfumer Marissa Zappas. This venture further demonstrates her innovative approach to perfumery and her ability to create unique olfactory experiences.