In an era of instant gratification and endless acceleration, Le Labo has always chosen a different tempo. The fragrance house’s latest special edition: CYPRÈS 21 Indigo, is no exception. More than a candle, it is a quiet homage to patience, lineage, and the enduring beauty of craft practiced by human hands.

At the heart of this release lies aizome, the ancient Japanese art of indigo dyeing. Cultivated for centuries, aizome is both technique and philosophy, a ritual that requires time, intuition, and a deep respect for natural materials. For this project, Le Labo partnered with a family-run workshop in Japan where the craft has been passed down through five generations, each artisan contributing their own chapter to an unbroken lineage of mastery.

In the workshop, cotton fabric is dyed using fermented Japanese indigo, known as ai, prepared in wooden casks that have been in use for decades. There is no single, predictable outcome. Each immersion produces subtle variations, gradients shaped by temperature, timing, and the hands that guide the cloth through the vat. The result is a living pattern, a visual record of dialogue between tradition and chance, wisdom and elemental alchemy.

This expressive indigo becomes the visual language of CYPRÈS 21 Indigo. The candle is housed in a deep blue glass vessel, its intensity echoing the richness of the dye itself, and presented in a box adorned with a custom indigo gradient label. No two gradients feel exactly alike, reinforcing the idea that imperfection is not a flaw but a signature—proof of something made slowly, deliberately, and with care.

For Le Labo, the collaboration is as much about values as it is about aesthetics. “It has been profoundly moving to witness the Japanese craft of indigo dyeing through the intimate tradition of a family workshop, flowing through five generations of hands and hearts, and containing centuries of cultural memory,” says Deborah Royer, Global Brand President and Creative Director. “This special edition of CYPRÈS 21 is our tribute to indigo’s expressive, tactile beauty and a reflection of our deepest commitment to artisanship as a living practice.”

That commitment extends to the candle itself, which is hand-poured in the United States using a high concentration of fragrance oils, a custom wax blend, and natural-fiber wicks—hallmarks of Le Labo’s approach to craftsmanship. Yet CYPRÈS 21 has always been about more than technical excellence. It is, as the brand describes it, “a cabin deep in the woods”; a sensory retreat from the static of modern life.

The fragrance opens with bright, resinous cypress, clean and rising like cool air among towering trees. Beneath it, an understory of juniper, clove, and star anise introduces warmth and spice, creating depth without heaviness. The composition is grounded by incense and patchouli, which lend a soft, meditative finish: smoky, earthy, and quietly enveloping.

Burned slowly, the candle transforms a room into a space of stillness. It doesn’t demand attention; it invites presence. Le Labo is careful not to promise miracles: “We can’t promise CYPRÈS 21 will lower your cortisol,” the brand notes, but what it does offer is increasingly rare: a moment of pause.

CYPRÈS 21 Indigo arrives at a time when luxury is being redefined. The new markers are not speed or scale, but intention, provenance, and respect for the hands behind the work. By aligning a modern fragrance with an ancient craft, Le Labo reminds us that true luxury is not about excess but continuity.

This special edition candle stands as a quiet testament to what happens when tradition is honored rather than replicated, when collaboration is rooted in humility, and when beauty is allowed to emerge slowly. Like indigo itself, CYPRÈS 21 Indigo deepens with time: an object, a scent, and an experience meant to be lived with, not rushed.

CYPRÈS 21 Indigo is available in Singapore from 5th January 2026 (Takashimaya and Marina Bay Sands). Each candle of 245g/8.6 oz retails at $140. More information available here