Tancredi

The new collection from the French fashion house launches ten fragrances at once. They are elegantly packaged, yet the origin remains anonymous. It is surprising that no word is said about the perfumers, especially for a brand that likes to play with big names in fashion. But the rumor mill is churning: Le Dix is said to be created by Daniela Roche-Andrier, while the remaining fragrances were presumably crafted by Aurélien Guichard (Scented Web, 2025). Through some detours, I managed to get one of the rare discovery boxes, which are usually sold out and highly sought after. Bienvenue chez Balenciagaaaaaaaaaa! (AHS, Coven, 2013).

The set comes in the look of a gray cigarette pack: provocative and almost ironic. A simple, monochrome box with ten miniature flacons inside, along with a barely legible description card - as ephemeral as the contents of a real cigarette pack. Instead of atomizers, there are only sticks. Old-fashioned and somewhat impractical, but visually appealing. Balenciaga wouldn’t be Balenciaga if even the impractical weren’t stylish.

Muscara - the name alone has power. A play on words combining Musc and Mascara, it immediately evokes associations with the world of cosmetics. According to the brand's description, the fragrance is “sensual and primal like a bold, kohl-rimmed gaze.” Indeed, the scent oscillates between leathery-spicy intensity and delicate powder, with the iris confidently stepping into the spotlight. It takes center stage without overshadowing; a prima donna in the boudoir, completely in her element. I perceive, if only briefly, the earthy-buttery nuances of the iris root. These evoke a sweet direction that brings violets to mind.

The leathery note of Muscara is thanks to an accord reminiscent of fine, tanned leather - warm and close to the skin like a glove. A certain sensuality is brought by the pulsating warmth of South American ambrette seeds, which gives the fragrance a subtle vibration. Lovers of the Dior Homme variants will definitely find satisfaction here.

Muscara remains as it begins: sensual, warm, and familiar. No drama, no grand development. This linearity does not feel flat, but rather purposeful. It’s as if the fragrance wants to show that change is often overrated. Persistence as an attitude.

After an initial thorough testing round, Muscara is among my favorites of the collection. Overall, the line has so far fallen short of its potential - no perfume history will be written here, but perhaps an interesting continuation will be told.

On a quiet autumn night, merchants from near and far gather in the caravanserai. They want to settle in for the night. A trader arrives as well: “Chambre 114, s’il vous plaît!” From the basement, where traders store their goods, a captivating scent of nutmeg and roses rises, permeating the cotton travel robe of the newcomer.
 
In his right hand, he holds a cedar wood box loosely wrapped in silk ribbons. It is adorned with white flowers, probably geraniums, that shine in the light of the torches. What could it possibly contain? Meanwhile, the burning of resins emits a dense fog of smoke that soothes and warms.
 
As he enters his dimly lit sleeping chamber, he glances back once more and whispers: “Close the door now!” Here, his treasure, a lump that looks like stone, is kept until a new day dawns and the trader continues his journey towards the eternal horizon. “Bonne nuit, Ambre.”