Best leather fragrances for a more sophisticated scent
|Published
Unlike tonka bean or vetiver, which are notes commonly created from raw ingredients, a leather fragrance cannot get its leather scent from the remnants of a chesterfield. Yet, leather having such a distinctive, masculine and luxurious smell to it, the material is a mainstay of the fragrance world that top perfumers strive to mimic either synthetically or by mixing and matching other notes.
Today, the timeless sophistication of leather tends to be balanced out by other notes (see citrus in the case of Acqua Di Parma; cardamom and jasmine for Tom Ford). That’s because on its own, it runs the risk of coming over a touch too old-timey. Instead, as a base note, it contributes to particularly rich fragrances, best suited to classic eveningwear. Here, we highlight the perfumers who get the balance right on the nose.
ACQUA DI PARMA SIGNATURES OF THE SUN LEATHER
ADP’s Signatures Of The Sun collection started as an artisan experiment to breathe new life into the brand’s signature Colonia scent by way of distilling it with a singular complementary ingredient. Using only the finest of raw materials and essential oils, its interpretation of leather (through Colonia goggles), inspired by the workshops of Tuscan craftsman, is a class act and thanks to the Italian citrus fruit personality of Colonia, not at all overwhelming. Lemon from Sicily, orange oil, honeysuckle, petitgrain and red thyme all play a part, although the star attraction (naturally) is the refined leather accord, wrapped in resins and oils such as birchwood and cedarwood from Morocco.
BYREDO BIBLIOTHÈQUE
What started out as a sweet, velvety fragrance of a candle was demanded by the fans of Byredo to be turned into a wearable scent, to which this eau de parfum is the result. Fruity top notes of plum and peach evolve into a heady, floral heart, finishing on a base of patchouli, leather and vanilla. It's a sophisticated scent journey inspired by telling the stories of libraries filled with the leather-bound pages of treasured novels and well-loved poetry.
JO MALONE LONDON BRONZE WOOD & LEATHER
A big, bold, statement-making addition to JML’s highly concentrated capsule of ritualistic and opulent cologne fragrances, Bronze Wood & Leather is one beast of a scent. Blended with a sophisticated recipe of rich and precious ingredients; including sultry leather, an abundance of smoky woods and vibrant juniper berry, it features uplifting grapefruit in its top and finishes with a mysterious twist of vetiver root. Better suited for evening than day and on another level if layered with JML’s Pomegranate Noir cologne.
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO INTENSE LEATHER EAU DE PARFUM
Created in collaboration with senior perfumer Antoine Maisondieu, the latest masculine scent from Salvatore Ferragamo plays with contrasting notes – a well-executed balance between radiance and seduction. As the name would suggest, Intense Leather is a love letter to the warm, sensual and animalistic profile of leather, a statement blend with inner strength and a very confident and sensual interpretation of modern masculinity. Best described as an aromatic leather with a salty aftertaste, this eau de parfum, a more powerful reinterpretation of the Ferragamo eau de toilette that was launched in 2020, hits all of the right notes with a very contemporary twist. The fragrance opens with an energetic burst of fresh mandarin and effervescent pink peppercorn before quietening down by way of herbaceous clary sage, which immediately captures the senses. Its unexpected heart fuses juicy accents of annurca apple accord with the floral elegance of lily of the valley and orris. The mineral, salty facets of oakmoss and musk join the Intense Leather accord, giving it a lingering dry down. A day-through-to-evening classic with magnetic appeal.
GUERLAIN L'ART & LA MATIERE CUIR BELUGA EAU DE PARFUM
The historic house of Guerlain (founded in 1828) has relaunched its L’Art & La Matiere collection: a wardrobe of luxury fragrances, each based around one precious raw material, examples include neroli, lavender and rose. Like a compendium of artistic emotions translated into scents, the collection of 17 eaux de parfum have been developed free of all limitations but with their inspiration drawn from an artistic spark. Cuir Beluga is a leather-based fragrance like no other, which celebrates the addictive sweetness of white suede. Created by in-house master perfumer Thierry Wasser, it is a mellowed and subdued interpretation of this heady ingredient – a softly spoken oriental masterpiece. Leather, a beloved material of the Guerlain family, who are, incidentally, keen equestrians, is notoriously difficult to tame. Wasser has tanned it to perfection to avoid its traditional dark or animal traits, giving it a powdery olfactive signature that is unique to Guerlain perfumes. Luminous with a wild sensuality, the white suede note is enhanced by refreshing tangerine and everlasting flower and sits on a velvety base of amber, vanilla and heliotrope.
EDITIONS DE PARFUMS FREDERIC MALLE
Frederic Malle launched his Editions De Parfums library of fine fragrances in 2002. The concept, giving a circle of renowned perfumers total creative freedom with no restrictions, was one of the first perfumer cooperatives of this kind. Rose & Cuir has been crafted by legendary nose Jean-Claude Ellena (the man who created Terre d’Hermes), who was inspired by the mistral winds that sweep through the South Of France. Pared down and composed around a few, carefully chosen and very high-quality ingredients, it can best be defined as a quiet storm. An airy note of rose, pure, streamlined and uncompromisingly modern, is entwined with bright cassis (blackcurrant), a custom extraction of timut pepper and geranium bourbon, which accentuate the scent's freshness and spice. These unique molecular distillations were developed by Frédérique Remy of Floral Concept (the most advanced natural extraction laboratory in Grasse) at Ellena’s request. Under the sparkling floral opening lies a more sober foundation: Ellena’s elegantly mysterious interpretation of leather. Centred on isobutyl quinoline, a largely forgotten molecule popularised in leather perfumery during the 1950s, the addition of vetiver and cedar bring on its dry and earthy base.
TOM FORD OMBRE LEATHER PARFUM
A very distinctive and exceptional composition that offers an intensified impression of the original and already iconic Ombre Leather EDP (launched in 2018), Ombre Leather Parfum opens with the sensual hum of cedarwood, interrupted by an unexpected and powerful green note that captures the uplifting scent of freshly cut flowers (violet leaf absolute orpur). A double concentration of orris and an elevated extract of jasmine sambac absolute India orpur (harvested before monsoon season), with a succulent, fruity/floral profile (similar to honeysuckle), shapes the fragrance’s pulsating heart. Rich, luxurious black leather and wood notes, contrasted with green tobacco, give the elixir its masculine and sturdy base. A new Signature-line scent within the TF portfolio, created by perfumer Sonia Constant, it builds on the wild and unbridled sensuality of the original Ombre Leather fragrance and is inspired by the untethered allure of the American West.
LOUIS VUITTON NUIT DE FEU
Jacques Cavallier-Belletrud’s complex and highly sophisticated creations for LV are designed to transport you to faraway lands. Following on from the success of Ombre Nomade and Les Sables Roses, Nuit De Feu (Fiery Night) continues its homage to the olfactory culture of the Middle East. Using ingredients that men have worn since the dawn of time, it is a magical and timeless fragrance that conjures up the scent of incense rising from the dunes and a crackling camp fire under a starlit sky. Genderless, but firmly positioned towards the more masculine side of the Vuitton portfolio, it is a vibrant tribute to the sacred incense ingredient, using it in its top (which is pretty rare) as an uplifting tonic. An infusion of natural leather follows the white and black incense combo, trailing to a mellow but smoky base where oud wood, enveloped in musk, makes its presence known. A woody/oriental powerhouse that packs quite a punch, it also comes in a handy travel spray and is refillable from any store that features a Vuitton perfume fountain – yes, that really is a thing. A polarising fragrance, better suited for evening, that has no sparkling top notes or floral heart to temper its strength.
MALIN + GOETZ LEATHER
The simplistic and contemporary appeal of this scent should not muddle the truth that it is actually quite complex in its structure. Featuring top notes of delicate lotus flower, pepper and clove, a heart of muguet, orchid and green violet and a solid foundation of leather, cedar and sandalwood, it harks back to the centuries-old practice of perfuming artisan leather goods with custom-blended essential oils. The perfect marriage between nostalgia and modernity, rawness and refinement, it will carry you from day through to night.
CHANEL LES EXCLUSIFS CUIR DE RUSSIE
Created in 1924 by master perfumer Ernest Beaux, Cuir De Russie ("Leather Of Russia") is one of the most historically referenced leather-based fragrances of all time and, more surprisingly, is still considered relevant. Inspired by Coco Chanel’s friendship with the Grand Duke Dimitri (cousin of Tsar Nicolas II), who was exiled to Paris from Russia, Beaux chose birchwood – the bark of which Russian soldiers used to tan and soften the leather of their boots – jasmine, aldehydes, rose, ylang-ylang, blonde-tobacco and cystus labdanum to compose a heady cocktail with a distinctive and lingering base of smoky and animalistic dark leather.
Original article appeared on GQ UK | Authors Adrian Clark, Aaron Toumazou and Sophie Clark