I saw that Perfume Posse just had a similar topic earlier this week. But I swear I had this question in my head before I saw that post (something must be in the air!). And since not all of my loyal SQ participants read or comment there, I decided there would be no harm in talking about leather perfumes again here.
Saturday Question #137:
What Are Your Top 5 Leather Perfumes?
Do you wear them in general? How often? Do you prefer them in colder weather?
Bonus question: what is your favorite leather product? (Not perfume-related)
My Answer
When I came up with my answer to this question, I was somewhat surprised by the fact that after ten years since I published In the Search for the Perfect Leather post (below, I decided to re-use one of the photos from it), in addition to all the perfumes that I mentioned there, I can add just two new leather perfumes that I really-really liked – one for my vSO (Tom Ford Ombre Leather) and one for me (Neela Vermeire Creations Ashoka). The other four from my list (I won’t count my vSO’s perfume) are:
- Chanel Cuir de Russie
- Serge Lutens Boxeuses
- Six Scents Nappa Noir
- L’Artisan Parfumeur Traversee du Bosphore
As to the non-perfume-related items, I like Nappa leather bags/purses. I know these are less sturdy than other leather types, but I loooove soft and supple leather for my bags.
Undina's Looking Glass 
I am not a fan of strong leather notes in perfumes, but I do like a few fragrances with softer leather notes. #1 Cuir Beluga by Guerlain, #2 Daim Blond by Lutens. #3 Jasmine Leather by Eau d’Italie, #4 Bvlgari Black and #5 Kelly Caleche by Hermes.
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HOORAY for a SNAP on Cuir Beluga RR. Love Bulgari Black too.
Portia x
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Bvlgari Black!!! I know what to wear tomorrow! Thank you :)
I like Cuir Beluga, but I haven’t bought a bottle of it – and now I’m not sure if the current version is still nice.
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Hi Undina and crew,
LOVE Leather fragrances.
What I seem to reach for most are (in order they came to my head)
1. Vintage Trussardi Donna
2. DIOR Leather Oud
3. Gres Cabochard
4. Neela Vermeer Creations Rahele
5. Guerlain Cuir Beluga
There are a LOT more around here but those are the top 5.
Leather goods? I have a beautiful messenger bag Jin gave me and some decades old shoes that I rarely wear. The things I use most are my belts. It’s not really a big thing for me in life.
Jin has a beautiful orange leather folio for when we travel, done by Campo Marzio (not the perfume shop). It’s really well thought out and feels luxurious.
Portia xx
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I’m with you only on your #5. #2 was, I think, better than I expected, but not to go beyond testing. #4 didn’t work for me :(. And I don’t remember the other two.
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Bummer about Rahele. Even though I love Mohur more it’s Rahele that gets the spritzes. It was my wedding scent too. Osmanthus and leather smell so bloody good together for me. One of my favourite combos.
Portia xx
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Traversee!!! I haven’t worn that in a long time …. I wonder where my little bottle is ….
Not particularly leathery, which is fine by me, is Parfum de Therese. I just get a little hint of suede which is soft and appealing, calming down the sharper, fruitier elements.
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What has happened to your nickname? I mean, if you’re trying to hide it, you should change it from the Gravatar side.
For me TdB is a hot weather perfume, I prefer to wear it in tropics. And since I didn’t get to go to Hawaii this year :(, I haven’t worn it in a while.
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Not hiding, just silly finger slip!!
L’Artisan produced a dear little TdB candle, the perfume of which filled a whole room – this is what tempted me to buy the fragrance!
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I do like leathers. My favourites?
In no particular order are:-
SL Daim Blond
Bottega Veneta, which I find to be a lighter, less apricotty version of Daim Blond
Bottega Veneta Eau de Velours, a plum leather version of BVs apricot suede. Probably one of the best flankers ever released. I don’t understand why it was d/ced other than the obvious monetary one.
Cuir de Lancôme with its super soft velvet orris leather
I’m struggling to choose a fifth, I have far too many in my collection. However, I will go for SL Boxeuses. Another fruit & soft leather that I stalked for a full bottle after I used up my sizeable decant.
What is my favourite leather smell in the wild? Tack room! Well worn & cared for saddlery, hay, horse, saddle soap, Neatsfoot hoof oil & dubbin. All underpinned by a little metallic sharpness from the saddle frames, stirrups & bits.
My safe space as a child/teen & probably why leather plays a big role in my perfume collection
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I totally agree re the tack room! I love the smell of saddles and bridles with a good dose of eau de horse as well. 🐎
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I should have bought Cuir de Lancôme when I had a chance! I have a ml left in my decant. But probably I didn’t love it enough to buy it when it was available – so, I shouldn’t complain :)
I like Bottega Veneta and have a mini bottle – which probably will be enough. I’m sad I didn’t know about the plummy flanker: I think I would have liked it.
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I’m well placed to answer this question today: I’m wearing Angel Fragrance of Leather. A well behaved version of Angel without the components that make me run from the original. Hermes Cuir d’Ange, and there’s a whisper of that suede leather in Kelly Caleche also. Bottega Veneta and Eau de Velours. One that never gets a mention in the blogosphere is Gucci Guilty Absolute Pour Homme, imho it’s head and shoulders above any of Tom Ford’s offerings. A dry, woody, earthy LEATHER leather by Alberto Morillas, just amazing and now discontinued I think. I love the smell of any leather goods – handbags, gloves, jackets, boots but the smell of a new leather car interior is all encompassing.
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I can’t remember how it happened that I haven’t tried that Angel: for a while, I tried to test all of the flankers. The only one I bought though was Taste of Fragrance.
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Leather perfumes are one of those things that I like to sniff rather than wear. I don’t find myself reaching for the few that I have – Bottega Veneta, a decant of Cuir de Russie, the leathery Tauers. I do love Bvlgari Black, though!
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I thought I didn’t like leather perfumes, but when I started going through the list, I realized that I liked more than I initially thought.
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Can’t think of a top 5, but Hermes Kelly Caleche edp is one of my favorite perfumes. It’s the comforting scent of a leather jacket sleeve’s lingering scent of floral perfume.
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I’ll revisit it at some point, but so far it doesn’t work for me.
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I am not a huge leather fan. I’m interested to see that two of you list (different) Neela Vermiere scents, which I had no idea were leather. Just shows how well blended all her stuff is. There are several Leather scents I’ve admired over the years, although no enough to buy. The only one I own and enjoy wearing is Bottega Veneta, which I love. I’ve also tried flankers and wish I’d bought when they were readily available. It sounds like I need to get my hands on Cuir de Russie to try.
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If I had to choose just 1 leather perfume, it would have been Cuir de Russie. I would have offered you a sample, but I have the discontinued EdT version, so it doesn’t make sense to try and fall in love with something that is impossible to get. But you should try the current EdP version.
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I will seek it out!
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I love Traversée du Bosphore and Cuir Beluga, but they don’t smell leathery to me. My favorite leathers are Cuir Ottoman, Cuir Velours, Bottega Veneta, Daim Blond and Cuir Cannage.
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Most of your “leathers” are a little harsher than I like for me. But I like Cuir Ottoman on my vSO.
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I love leather fragrances. My favourites are
Cuir Mona di Orio
Cuir Fetiche Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier
Cuir Ottoman Parfum d’Empire
Tabac Blond Caron
Hyde Hiram Green
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Cuir Ottoman is the only perfume from your list that I like, but even that one not for me but for my vSO. Hyde didn’t work for me. And I’m not sure if I tried the other three.
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They’re all smokey leathers I think. From your list I only tried Cuir de Russie. It didn’t work for me, too smooth and floral. I prefer the drier Tabac Blond. I would love to try Boxeuses.
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I love darker leather notes in perfume as the brighter ones go sour on me. Favorites are Jeroboam Vespero, Tom Ford Ombré Leather Parfum, and Hermès Galop. Glad others have mentioned Ashoka and Bulgari Black because I would not have considered those leather fragrances.
Also love leather jackets and bags. My other half recently got me a rose made of leather and it’s so realistic and gorgeous!
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Rose made of leather!!! You constantly create lemmings for me with your unusual finds! :)
Ombre Leather is great!
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Top of the list is Ganymede which is in my memory box for the decade of 2020-2030 (I have a fragrance for each decade starting in the 70s). Adding to the leather/suede list is Peony & Blush Suede (only because it reminds me of one of my human children), Bottega Veneta, Evening Edged in Gold (Ineke, my favorite from the brand) and not sure if LDDM has leather in it but it smells like leather on my skin.
I love anything that smells like leather and suede…bags, shoes, clothes, etc.
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I like Peony & Blush Suede, but for me it doesn’t smell like leather. And I like Bottega Veneta.
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I like leather. Particular favourites are Prada Cuir Ambre, which is a soft smokey leather, Gallop, Cuir de Russie, Daim blond, and I Miss Violet.
If you want to read a fictional account of the tanning process take a look at Michael Ondaatje’s In The Skin Of A Lion. It’s an incredible piece of writing-well, I really like his writing, so I’m biased-about the tanning process, and the dyes, and the smell, and the people who work in that industry.
Great Saturday question-sorry it took me till Tues to answer it :)
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Daim Blond didn’t work for me, and I love Cuir de Russie. I’m not familiar with other perfumes from your list.
Thank you for the recommendation!
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Also, I forgot- Mona di Orio’s Suede de Suede- suede, and cloudberry, with such a beautiful musk drydown.
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Not sure about my top five, dear Undina. But one of my favourites has to be Alaïa EDP. I’d forgotten about it in my collection and rediscovered it after I watched a doccie on the designer Azzedine Alaïa. Superb stuff!
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