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Patrick's Perfumes: Impressions from Grasse
by Patrick Bardelli
Patrick’s Perfumes: I’ve fallen for the scent of fresh leather
18.9.2024
Translation: Katherine Martin
Perfumes are works of art, perfumers are artists and I’m a collector of their creations. Today, I’m homing in on leather. Tom Ford, Memo Paris and New Notes have each interpreted this elegant fragrance in a unique way.
For some, this scent conjures up the thought of a brand new car. For others, it’s a jacket or a handbag. Some people, however, don’t take any pleasure in the smell at all. That’s right, I’m talking about leather. A scent linked to all sorts of emotions.
Back in the 16th century, when Grasse in Southern France was still a village of 1,000 people, it mostly produced leather goods. One of the producers there came up with the idea of refining leather gloves with fragrances and selling them to Parisian aristocrats. Essentially, it was the birth of perfumery as we know it today. Now, Grasse is considered the world capital of fragrances, and around 52,000 people call it home.
The leather accord
Leather accords are created by combining different notes such as birch, tobacco or saffron. Fragrances like these are often smoky, warm and balsamic. They lend perfumes a sensual, sophisticated depth and are best suited to autumn and winter. Here are three picks from my collection, each with a different spin on leather.
Fucking Fabulous by Tom Ford
Rather than putting the usual suspects such as Ombré Leather or Tuscan Leather in the spotlight, I’ve gone for this provocatively named unisex fragrance from the Private Blend collection. It was created in 2017 by Shyamala Maisondieu, who’s worked for well-known brands such as Etat Libre d’Orange and Lancôme in addition to Tom Ford. Fucking Fabulous is a milder leather scent that, to me, has a dominant bitter almond smell.
New Leather by New Notes
An alternative to the Tom Ford fragrance is New Leather by New Notes. A relatively new brand, New Notes describes itself as, «a new generation of extrait de parfums that goes beyond the norms of perfumery, transcending the boundaries of role and gender to explore new fragrance directions».
The nose behind this masculine leather is Cristian Calabrò, who’s also designed other fragrances for the brand. He describes New Leather as «enveloping, harmonious and minimalist».
French Leather by Memo Paris
A leather fragrance with rose as the dominant note? Yep, that’s a thing. French Leather by Memo Paris was created in 2014 by Alienor Massenet. In addition to Memo Paris, she works for other well-known brands, including Penhaligon’s and Comme des Garçons.
Despite having this fragrance in my collection, I’ve never really warmed to it. However, I do really like Memo Paris’s new Indian Leather, which won me over with its combination of leather and oud.
My name is Patrick. Bardelli, not Süskind like the author of the book Perfume. Nevertheless, I’m also a great lover of perfumes and I regularly write about good and bad fragrances. Want to enjoy my literary odour? Follow my author profile.
Header image: Shutterstock - Prathankarnpap
Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
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