By Kilian
Don't be shy.
By Kilian — now formally Kilian Paris — was founded in 2007 by Kilian Hennessy, the great-great-great-grandson of Richard Hennessy of cognac. The original conceit was to apply the codes of the family business to fragrance: refillable lacquered cases, signature bottles in heavy black or coloured glass, and an L'Œuvre Noire collection arranged around themes of seduction and excess. The house was acquired by the Estée Lauder Companies in 2017, which expanded its global retail footprint without altering the dense, often hugely sweet character of the line. Hits have included Love, Don't Be Shy, Angels' Share and Black Phantom, with compositions credited to Calice Becker, Sidonie Lancesseur and Alberto Morillas among others. The price point sits at the upper end of niche, justified less by raw materials than by the bottle architecture and the option to refill indefinitely.
DNA over time
Each column is an era. Each colored band shows that family’s share of accord weight across every perfume the house released in that window. Bigger band = the house leaned harder on that family.
