The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Lilas et Narcissus arrived in 2012, a composition built around two florals that share a season and a temperament. Both flowers carry that heady quality, sweet at the surface but with a sharper pulse underneath. Soivohle had been developing fragrances in this botanical register for some time, and Lilas et Narcissus fits within that ongoing practice. It reads as a small study, intimate in scale, a piece meant to be worn and considered rather than broadcast across a room. The composition layers lilac and narcissus into a single floral statement, both blooms contributing to a green-tinged sweetness that never fully tips into candy. The production was apparently discontinued, which makes existing bottles something of a quiet find for those who track down retired artisan work.
The pairing of lilac and narcissus asks a lot of any perfumer, since both flowers bring their own assertive character to a composition. Lilac offers a dewy, almost watery sweetness with green undertones, while narcissus carries its own dense, slightly earthy profile that can dominate a blend if not handled with care. Soivohle threads them with white lilac for its airy lift, then introduces a woodland strawberry note to add a faintly dewy sweetness that keeps both florals from becoming heavy.
The evolution
The opening carries a green, botanical quality, the scent of stems and leaves before the florals fully assert themselves. As the composition develops, the lilac and narcissus come forward together, and the blend takes on a fuller floral register built around the interplay of these two materials. The green quality never disappears entirely; it shifts in emphasis, receding slightly as the florals take prominence and then reasserting itself as the composition settles. Over time the strawberry note becomes more apparent, contributing a soft sweetness that feels dewy and slightly humid, the kind of damp sweetness that recalls the air after a rain shower. Eventually the blend settles into a quieter phase, the white florals still present but blended more closely with the supporting materials, the green notes providing just enough lift to keep the composition from flattening out.
Cultural impact
Lilas et Narcissus by Soivohle sits at the intersection of two flower traditions that have long appeared in Western perfumery. Lilac and narcissus each carry their own associations, both blooms possessing the kind of character that has made them recurring choices in independent and classical fragrance work. Editions like this one speak to a growing audience for independent perfumery, where collectors and fragrance enthusiasts seek out compositions that highlight specific botanical materials.
The House
SoivohleSoivohle is an artisan perfume house founded by artist‑turned‑perfumer Liz Zorn. Since 2002 the brand has offered hand‑batched, botanical scents that are cruelty‑free and vegan. Each fragrance is presented as a small work of olfactory art, meant to be explored in intimate doses. Soivohle’s catalog includes titles such as A Rose For Beacon Free, Iris Underground (2017), and Green Oakmoss, each reflecting a balance of modern experimentation and traditional technique.
The Creator
Liz ZornZorn favors natural isolates and raw extracts, often sourcing ingredients from small farms or wild harvests. She builds fragrances in small glass vessels, allowing each addition to settle before the next, a method she describes as “painting with aroma.
