The Perfume Counter is The Strand Arcade’s new series, designed to emulate the experience of visiting a boutique perfumery. In our first instalment, the spotlight is on luxury perfume house Creed’s newest scent, Queen of Silk. Here, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the fragrance, from the notes to its backstory and precisely how to wear it.

The Creed story

The origins of the House of Creed extend as far back as the 18th century. Having started as a tailor in London’s Mayfair, James Creed established the House of Creed as a maker of exquisite garments and accoutrement for British aristocracy and royalty. It’s posited that House of Creed’s scented gloves — a relatively common practice wherein gloves were scented with perfume oils to rid them of their tanning smells — and scented hemlines were the house’s first foray into the world of fragrance. Fast forward to the 1950s and James Creed, together with his son and current creative director of the house, Olivier, decided it was time for Creed to go in a bold new direction: towards fragrance.

Behind the Queen of Silk

As the name alludes, Queen of Silk is one of Creed’s most opulent fragrances for women. Inspired by the rich purple silks historically reserved for the highest echelons of nobility, Creed’s newest fragrance takes its cues from both the look and feel of the luxurious fabric. Sumptuous yet lightweight, bold yet ethereal, wearing the fragrance is designed to feel akin

to wearing a silk gown. Soon after the fragrance was launched this year, it was made the official scent partner of Australian Fashion Week, adding to its sartorial credentials.

Scent notes

The scent opens with Chinese osmanthus, magnolia and saffron — it’s surprisingly spicy, the scent bringing to mind crisply starched shirts. Middle notes of tuberose, passionfruit, agarwood and Javanese patchouli follow, which give the fragrance a light floralness that becomes more pronounced as the spicy notes soften. The base is a mix of Madagascan vanilla, incense myrrh Ambroxan, Chinese cedarwood and musk, making it heady and rich. The muskiness is subtle initially, but grows increasingly noticeable as the fragrance settles on the skin. It’s the kind of scent you want to spritz before a second date — confident, sensual, and ridiculously elegant.

Where to wear it The sweet yet sultry scent, underpinned by a musky base, makes Queen of Silk the perfect fragrance for a late night in a piano bar. An old fashioned in hand, the delicate sounds of a piano and a view of the city skyline provides the perfect backdrop for Queen of Silk’s lingering floral and vanilla notes that soften as the night goes on.

You can shop Creed’s Queen of Silk at the House of Creed boutique on Ground Floor.