The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Liz Moores created Hera as a bespoke wedding gift for her daughter, a loving nod to the past, present, and future all at once. Named for the Greek goddess of marriage and family, Hera carries that weight of something ancient and ceremonial. But Moores didn't make a conventional bridal fragrance. She made one for the woman who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to ask for it. The yellow florals and powdery iris are regal without being precious. This is the fragrance for the ceremony and the morning after.
The note structure of Hera is unusual, there's no sharp top accord that announces itself before retreating. Instead, ambrette musk mallow lifts the violet-iris powder from the first spray, keeping everything delicate and aerial rather than heavy. The yellow florals (jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose de mai) arrive warm and golden, but they're grounded by narcissus and iris, materials that give the composition its green, slightly bitter edge. What could have been a straightforward bridal bouquet becomes something with real complexity: powdery but not sweet, floral but not soft, warm but never cloying. The heliotrope adds that characteristic almond-floral softness, but it's balanced by the green backbone throughout.
The evolution
The first spray is an atomic cloud of spicy violet-iris powder, diffusive and ballooning, powered by ambrette rather than aldehydes. That ambrette sharpens the violet sensation and feathers everything into an delicate mist. But in no way does this smell pretty or candied or like face powder. The yellow florals arrive slowly, jasmine first, then ylang-ylang, then rose de mai woven with orange blossom. They unfold warm and golden, never rushing. The narcissus adds a green facet that keeps the composition grounded. By the drydown, you've got warm musk and vanilla, plush and close to the skin. It stays there. Eight to ten hours on most skin. The next morning, there's a faint trace of iris and powder on fabric, the ghost of something elegant.
Cultural impact
Hera has found its audience among wearers who value depth over trend. It's not a mainstream fragrance, it draws people who understand classical perfumery's modern expression. The yellow floral and iris combination provides vintage warmth without nostalgia, appealing to someone looking for something beyond what's easily available.
The House
Papillon Artisan PerfumesPapillon Artisan Perfumes is a London-based independent perfume house founded by perfumer Liz Moores in 2011. Known for handcrafted, androgynous fragrances of exceptional concentration, the house creates small-batch perfumes using rare and costly natural ingredients sourced from across the globe. Each composition is blended, matured, and bottled by hand in England, reflecting a commitment to traditional perfumery methods. The house describes its creations as sensual, seductive, and glamorous expressions of luxury that transcend the ordinary. Papillon perfumes have earned over 5,000 five-star reviews from fragrance enthusiasts worldwide, cementing the brand's reputation among the most admired independent perfume houses in contemporary perfumery.
The Creator
Liz MooresMoores works in the classic mold of the artisan perfumer: small batches, hand-selected materials, compositions that lean toward complexity and depth. Her affinity for animalic notes — civet, castoreum, and their synthetic counterparts — sets her work apart in a market that oft…
