Associating its holiday 2017 collection with social psychology is another example of how Aesop does things differently from other cosmetics brands. Naming it the Enigmatic Mind raises further interest in what the Australian brand wants to convey.
The collection features six kits presented in a reusable amenity case, wrapped in sleeves designed to reference influential social-psychology experiments from the 1950s to the 1970s.
At a time of year when we consider the meaning of generosity, the experiments shine a light on human interactions, whether working together, helping others, establishing connections or social conformity.
The Proximity Gift Kit, for instance, references the Propinquity Effect proposed by Leon Festinger, Stanley Schachter and Kurt Back, who tracked the relationships between students living in an apartment on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.
Proximity promotes interaction, and more interaction builds bonding and friendship, defined as the Propinquity Effect, which can be encouraged by sharing similar natures or interests.
The other five gift sets pay tribute to further ground-breaking studies on human behaviour, namely the Small-World, Robbers Cave, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Asch Conformity experiments as well as the Bystander Effect.
Even gifting is deemed an experiment. To increase the likelihood of a positive outcome, Aesop created a gift-guide filter on its website, matching its skincare, hair and body products as presents for parents, siblings, colleagues, romantic partners, travellers and home lovers.
