Tiara House of Sillage 2011

The Brits, known for a certain formality but also style, love to celebrate under the motto "Black Tie and Tiara," often in the form of charity events. Legendary is, for example, Elton John's Black Tie and Tiara Ball, where especially his friend Liz Hurley made an extraordinarily glamorous appearance. The dress code requires men to wear a tuxedo, a white tuxedo shirt, and a black bow tie. Women are welcome in evening gowns with tiaras, those cheeky little crown-like hairpieces.

Did House of Sillage have such an event in mind when creating this fragrance? I can certainly imagine that a tiara could fit in here.

The top note triggers déjà-vu alarms in my fragrance memory, and it took me quite a while to figure out what it reminded me of. It's the EdP of Baiser Vole, and even though the notes have nothing in common, I perceive a certain dusty-powdery note in both fragrances at first, which makes me think of the smell of old books.

After that, the fragrance gains a muted floral quality, delicately framed by a cool green note. Tiara is not radiant as the bottle might suggest, which one could argue is either kitsch or art. It is rather understated and fits well with this typically cool British understatement.

At a ball, you would certainly not go wrong with it and wouldn't offend anyone, but for me, it is not an outstanding fragrance with recognizability. Of all the fragrances I have tested from House of Sillage, only Emerald Reign has impressed me right away; everything else feels average or below in my opinion.