The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Mathieu Nardin collaborated with Régime des Fleurs to create Willows in 2016, released alongside Gold Leaves as one of the house's earliest signature compositions. The name references the weeping willow, that particular melancholy grace of branches drooping toward still water, the way they move without ever seeming to arrive anywhere. The house was interested in capturing a specific mood rather than a specific note: the contemplative quiet of an overcast afternoon by a pond, when the air is cool and the world feels like it's holding its breath.
What makes Willows distinctive is the interplay between cold and warm. The iris-violet axis creates a powdery, almost icy floral quality, serene, detached, slightly melancholic. But carrot seed introduces a green, earthy element that keeps the composition from floating away entirely. White pepper adds a clean spice that lifts the grain notes without ever becoming sharp. And underneath it all, tonka bean provides a vanillic warmth that feels like sunlight trying to break through clouds. The result is a fragrance that manages to be both cold and comforting, a rare balance.
The evolution
Willows opens with the grain-like brightness of wheat and the green earthiness of carrot seed, grounded by white pepper's clean spice. Within minutes, the iris arrives, powdery, slightly woody, carrying the composition into its heart phase. Violet follows, adding a faint sweetness and a floral grace that feels less like a garden and more like the memory of one. Mimosa joins in, bringing a soft, buttery quality that rounds the florals into something creamy. The drydown is where tonka bean does its work, adding warmth and a hint of vanilla that tempers the cold florals above. The orris root lingers longest, a mineral, slightly icy undertone that stays close to the skin for hours. On fabric, the powdery quality softens but never disappears. On skin, expect 6-8 hours of quiet presence.
Cultural impact
Willows occupies a quiet corner of the fragrance landscape, the kind of scent that attracts people who find beauty in overcast skies and misty mornings. It's become something of a cult favorite among those who appreciate powdery florals that don't project or perform. The cold, serene quality of the iris-violet heart has earned it a reputation as a contemplative fragrance, the kind you wear for yourself, not for a room. Since its 2016 launch, it's maintained a following among collectors who value the house's experimental edge and its willingness to pair unexpected green notes with classical accords.
