The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lilacs & Gooseberries arrived in 2021 from Shay & Blue London, the Marylebone house founded by Dom De Vetta after two decades shaping fragrance at Chanel and Jo Malone. Perfumer Julie Massé built this as a study in contrasts, a delicate floral against an unexpectedly tart fruit note, with nothing softening the collision. The limited 2021 release leans into the tension rather than resolving it, letting the gooseberry sour the lilac's sweetness into something sharper. White amber anchors the drydown, a quiet warmth that prevents the whole thing from becoming too austere. This is a fragrance for someone who notices things.
Lilac is one of perfumery's more honest illusions, it reads as tender and romantic, but on its own it's cool, green, and slightly bitter. Most fragrances smooth that edge into something safe. Gooseberry doesn't allow for safety. The fruit is sour-tart in a way that makes your mouth pucker slightly, a quality that contradicts every soft-floral expectation. Together they create a push-pull: the lilac wants tenderness, the gooseberry wants to prick. White amber in the base doesn't resolve the argument, it just holds the conversation close to the skin, warm and intimate, so the wearer gets the tension without the drama. It's a composition that rewards paying attention.
The evolution
The opening is lilac, and it's honest about itself, cool and slightly green, the scent of petals with an edge. Not sweet. Not powdery. Twenty minutes in, the gooseberry takes over and the whole thing shifts. Sharp, tart, and bright. The kind of sour that wakes you up rather than comfort you. White amber threads through from the start, but it's subtle, a softness that keeps the gooseberry from becoming medicinal or harsh. By the drydown, the lilac has softened into something almost powdery, the gooseberry's tartness has mellowed into memory, and the white amber wraps everything in warmth. The fragrance develops with a loyal following among enthusiasts who respect its consistency and its refusal to follow the expected path, respected by those who appreciate a scent that earns attention rather than demanding it.
Cultural impact
Lilacs & Gooseberries arrived in 2021 as part of Shay & Blue London's limited vegan fragrance collection, representing a departure from the house's typical sweet floral compositions. The pairing of lilac with gooseberry was an unusual choice in contemporary perfumery, where fruity-floral scents typically lean toward sweeter fruit companions like peach, raspberry, or lychee. Gooseberry's tart, almost astringent quality brought an edginess that felt intentional rather than accidental. Perfumer Julie Massé structured the fragrance around tension rather than comfort, positioning lilac's cool, slightly bitter floral quality against gooseberry's sharp sour brightness.
