Tessa Williams

Tessa Williams is a small British fragrance range created by the writer Tessa Williams, author of Cult Perfumes and Hotels of the Stars. Her scented work began with a set of luxury candles in early 2015, and has grown into living colognes and eaux de parfum sold online.

Williams studied at Goldsmiths in London, lived in France working for Femme magazine and The Riviera Times, and wrote Cult Perfumes in 2013, a book on twenty-five exclusive perfumeries. Its success led her to launch Elements, a home fragrance range of Earth, Water, Air and Fire. Many people began wearing them as perfume, so she reworked Earth, Fire and Water as Living Colognes that work on skin, fabric and in the air. A second strand, built on the New Testament themes of Faith, Hope and Love, followed.

The scents are easy to wear and idea-led. Fire is a warm mix of tonka, caramel, vetiver, patchouli and cedarwood with incense, and Hope is a zesty citrus floral of bergamot, orange, neroli and galbanum over vetiver and patchouli. Faith is an oriental with a touch of tea, and Love is a tuberose and gardenia floral. A lockdown trio made with Sarah McCartney of 4160 Tuesdays recalls missed holidays, parties and festivals, and the colognes Higher Love and Tramontana are the latest additions.

The range sits between author-led niche and accessible cologne: modestly priced colognes in 50ml, themed trilogies and a writer's eye for story. It suits wearers who like clear, wearable colognes with a literary or travel story, and readers who already follow her books.