The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Chevaux d'Or arrived in 2015, crafted by Rodrigo Flores-Roux for House of Sillage. The fragrance opens with magnolia bringing a creamy, waxy floral presence that announces itself without being aggressive. Woodland strawberry adds a bright, juicy quality that prevents the composition from tipping into heaviness. As it develops, three rose varietals emerge together, black rose, Bulgarian rose, and Turkish rose, creating a layered rose experience that transcends what a single rose note could achieve. The vanilla and sandalwood base provides warmth and depth without overwhelming the floral heart, holding the composition together in a way that feels opulent without relying on metaphor. The result is a rose preserved at its most vibrant, slightly more saturated than typical.
What makes this composition compelling is the interplay between cool florals and warm sweetness. Magnolia arrives with a creamy, waxy quality that feels more gestural than overpowering, while woodland strawberry adds a bright, tart quality that keeps the opening from becoming overly syrupy. Then the roses step in, black rose, Bulgarian rose, Turkish rose, three different rose voices layered together so they cease to function as individual notes and instead create something richer and more complex than any single rose accord. The vanilla and sandalwood base doesn't try to dominate.
The evolution
The opening phase is all magnolia and woodland strawberry, clean, bright, and approachable. The roses then step in, gradually building underneath the fruit like pressure accumulating behind a door. By the time the composition has settled, the three rose varietals have taken over, their layered voices creating something that no longer smells like a single ingredient but like a unified decision. Black rose, Bulgarian rose, and Turkish rose each contribute their own character to the whole, and together they form an accord that feels intentional and cohesive. The drydown holds steady for hours. Vanilla and sandalwood don't compete with the roses, they support them, adding warmth and a creamy woody undertone without introducing additional sweetness. The roses settle into the base and remain present, their concentrated floral character continuing to define the composition as it evolves.
Cultural impact
Chevaux d'Or occupies a distinctive corner of the niche rose market. Rather than following the classical rose path of heavy, austere traditions or the modern minimalist route of sparse, quiet discretion, this fragrance takes a different approach. It pushes into sweet-floral territory with a playful edge, incorporating wild strawberry and vanilla that read almost as edible. That positioning makes it polarizing in the best possible way. Wearers either embrace the unapologetic sweetness or find it overwhelming, there seems to be no middle ground.
