Posted by Angela
on
9 November 2009
In Perfume: Joy, Obsession, Scandal, Sin, Richard Stamelman quotes from a 1936 Chanel publicity text about Chanel Cuir de Russie:
…I easily imagine this perfume floating in the wake of a tall, slender brunette, whose moves are confident, who voice is accustomed to giving orders, and who fingers are slightly darkened by tobacco. She is one of those women who always wears a suit, even at midnight at the Savoy; one of those women captivating to watch at the casino in Monaco, who after having lost a sum of money, takes bills and a money order from a love letter hidden in her fine leather handbag, where they have taken on a pungent, slightly wild odor, and with great calm throws them on the green baize of the gaming table.1
Wowee! Who could resist a fragrance like that? (Let’s hope the copy writer went on to a career as a novelist.) But by dint of perspective or reformulation, today’s Cuir de Russie is still beautiful, but not the butch aristocrat of yesteryear. Instead, it’s as if the Cuir de Russie of 70 years ago earned an advanced degree and spent time on the therapist’s couch. She’s still elegant and self-possessed, but she’s not getting written up in the gossip columns…
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Posted by Robin
on
9 September 2008
I said yesterday that the gods are not pleased with me this year, but they must not be entirely angry — Fleur de Liane is not my only chance for joy from perfumer Bertrand Duchaufour at L'Artisan this year. Next month also sees the launch of L'Artisan's new signature fragrance for the West Village perfume boutique Aedes de Venustas*, and this one is right up my alley.
Kevin reviewed the L'Artisan Aedes de Venustas Parfum d'Ambiance room spray back in 2006, and noted that he used the spray on his skin as much as in the air. Not being a big fan of room sprays, I used it only as a personal fragrance, and despite the fact that like most room sprays, it doesn't really “bloom” on skin, it quickly became a fall/winter favorite…
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Posted by Angela
on
5 May 2008
Miss Marple, where were you when I needed you? Late last summer I stalked department stores in search of Cuir de Lancôme, a then-recent addition to Lancôme's La Collection range of vintage reissues. The word on the street was that it was supposed to be released in the United States sometime in early fall 2007. A sales associate at Saks Fifth Avenue rifled through some Lancôme sales packages and found something claiming that Cuir should have been released in spring 2007. Another sales associate, this one at Nordstrom, looked at me like he believed I was making it all up and proffered a bottle of Lancôme Sikkim with a busted atomizer. A lukewarm review over at Perfume Smellin' Things did little to chill my ardor, and news that Lancôme eventually decided not to release Cuir in the United States only made me crazier for it. I had to have a bottle of Cuir de Lancôme.
Finally, last month Cuir testers showed up at discounters in the United States, and within a few days I had a bottle in my hands…
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Posted by Robin
on
15 April 2008
We’ve taken the rich leather scent from our Premium Economy cabin and created an unparalleled luxury fragrance for an intense posh sensation that will evoke the blissful travel experience of Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy.
— Virgin Atlantic spokesperson Nick Larkworthy on the airline's new fragrance, Le Cuir. Read more (and watch the video) at Virgin release new fragrance: Le Cuir - The Essence of Leather (link no longer working, sorry!) at LiveNews.
Posted by Angela
on
12 March 2008
Last night before I went out for a drink with a friend, I sprayed one Eau de Toilette on my left wrist and another on my right wrist. I went into the living room, held out my arms wrists up, and said to my friend, “What do you think of these perfumes?”
She sniffed each wrist and said, “This one smells kind of light and alcohol-y. That one is a diva. It's really strong and reminds me of something…”
“Leather?” I asked. “Yes!” she said, “Like shoes.”
“Well,” I told her, “They're the same perfume: Diorling by Christian Dior. This one —” Here I pointed with some disgust at the wrist with the light, fizzy scent, “Is the new version. The other one is the old one.”
Paul Vacher, the nose behind the sublime Miss Dior, created Diorling in 1963. Diorling is a leather chypre with its leather front-loaded…
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