In partnership with Penhaligon's
On Clarence Street, the city moved as it always does – buses sighing to a halt, late dinners spilling out onto pavements – while beneath it, through the heavy doors of Machine Hall, the night rearranged itself. Downstairs in The Vault, stone arches and concrete columns caught pools of marine-blue light, and the air carried a collision of scent: bergamot mist from freshly poured gin, soft florals from clustered installations, and the sharp green clarity of Penhaligon’s newest fragrance, Bold Blend.
Perfumer Paul Guerlain tells RUSSH the scent was inspired by "the moment when resolve clicks into place; when you find the power to rise and move onwards and upwards. I wanted to capture that spark of determination and clarity, translating it into a fragrance that awakens the senses and sets the tone for triumph."
"I approached Bold Blend as both a scientist and a storyteller," he continues. "Each ingredient was chosen for its olfactive personality and its effect on mood: clarity, strength, resilience. The process was precise, but there’s always a touch of magic in how the notes interact and evolve."
The gathering, hosted by RUSSH in partnership with Penhaligon’s, celebrated the arrival of the fragrance house’s latest range with a concept distilled to three words: shed the shy. Rather than presenting the perfumes through formal introductions or staged speeches, the evening unfurled as a series of encounters – sensory, social and occasionally confessional.
In The Vault, that industrial history of the architecture translated into atmosphere. Dramatic lighting climbed the brickwork and curved ceilings, turning the cavernous room into something closer to a subterranean nightclub than a traditional event space. Projections moved across the walls, while fragrance bottles perched on sculptural plinths and inside floral installations created by My Violet; mint-forward arrangements echoing the sharpness of the Bold Blend scent profile.
"Violet leaf stands out for its refined, leafy green character," explains Guerlain. "Clary sage adds aromatic warmth and herbal complexity. Palo santo accord was a joy to work with, bringing creamy, spiritual woodiness that anchors the fragrance. Bold Blend is a study in contrasts."
More than 100 guests moved through the space across the evening – a mix of actors, designers, editors and artists drawn from Sydney’s creative orbit. Among them were actors Emma Lung, Thomas Cocquerel and Marlo Kelly, designer Jordan Gogos, and creative minds like artist and writer Nabila Leunig, actor Gemma Chua-Tran and model friends Serena Wardell and Liv Parsons. Piloting the dancefloor was DJ Reenie, whose set guided the tempo of the night.
The evening’s central activation sat slightly apart from the main room. Inside a small studio installation, guests stepped into a portrait session with photographer Kitty Callaghan before recording their own, short video confessional with filmmaker Taj Holmes. The prompt was simple: When did you stop holding back and start living boldly? The responses – sincere, reflective, sometimes disarmingly direct – appeared live on projections within the venue, turning personal moments into part of the wider environment.
Guerlain says that this sense of fearlessness was the fragrance's intended effect: "The fragrance is designed to sharpen focus and instil resilience. The opening of peppermint and black pepper delivers an invigorating blast, while clary sage and violet leaf provide strength and composure. The woody base grounds the wearer in confidence. The effect is purposeful: you feel composed, capable, and quietly unstoppable."
Meanwhile, trays circulated from Cook & Waiter’s kitchen carrying zucchini with Aleppo pepper and cheddar sablé, Yamba prawn vol-au-vent with lemon myrtle, and smoked wagyu with tomato tartare. Drinks were equally deliberate. A Silent Pool Gin Martini layered Lillet Blanc with crème de menthe, while a bergamot-mist Gin & Tonic added a citrus brightness that echoed the fragrances drifting through the room.
As the evening deepened, the structure of the event softened into movement: conversations sliding between the bar, the confessional studio and the dancefloor, scent trailing through the room. Machine Hall – once a place built to power the city – briefly became a place empowered by it.
Penhaligon’s newest fragrance collection, Bold Blend, is available now in stores and online.
