Description
Cuir de Russie previously known as Eau de Cuir de Russie (Russian Leather) : The odor of leather has interested Perfumers for a long time because of its richness, its fullness and its slightly animal quality. Who amongst us has not inhaled, with a certain sensual pleasure, the warm scent of a new leather object? Among the “LEATHER” perfumes that Perfume Creators have imagined and invented, RUSSIAN LEATHER holds a place of choice.
What is RUSSIAN LEATHER? As the story goes, this beautiful and supple leather first appeared in France with Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet troupe. The dancers wore supple leather boots (called SAFIAN in Russian). The success of these Ballets also launched a vogue for this special leather which was also used for book-binding.
Of course, Perfumers, curious and eager to enrich their palettes, were soon interested in this new source of creation and the beginning of the 20th century saw the birth of many perfumes called CUIR DE RUSSIE.
Every Perfumer has his personal secret for creating his own CUIR DE RUSSIE and several interpretations were available between 1905 and 1935 without, however, any of them resembling each other. Each creator brought to it a touch of his own personality, adapting the fragrance to his own imagination. Only the LEATHER note remained more-or-less the same in each case. Following his inspiration, he envelopes the LEATHER base note in floral essences to soften its piquancy.
“The opera hall is packed. Diaghilev is performing in his Ballets Russes. Flamboyant Parisians and You are seated in the
front row. Wide-eyed, you watch Nijinsky and his soft leather boots. He leaps, he spins, he fills the stage with the bewitching scent of ylang-ylang, violet, and cinnamon enveloping a harmony of cade wood and styrax. You wish that this moment could last forever.” – a note from the brand.
In reviving this forgotten perfume, the Perfume Creator of Le Jardin Retrouvé has created a brand new interpretation of RUSSIAN LEATHER. While it still follows the strict traditions of French perfumery-making, it is distinguishable by its originality stemming from the various flowery and green notes, diffused and long-lasting, exhalting the the richness and warmth of the Jardin Retrouvé’s RUSSIAN LEATHER. The nose behind this fragrance is Yuri Gutsatz.
Eminempfr – :
Cuir de Russie is so 20s!.. Women with perfect hair, white fur and diamonds. Red carpet to match their red lipsticks. I can swear, I can hear Anette Hanshaw singing in another room. Cuire de Russie gives a feeling of luxury, it is a smell of nostalgia. And yes, there’s a Paris theatre, where Russian ballet troupe is about to start their show. In short, it’s a time machine.
Cuir de Russie is a beautiful soft floral leather fragrance, with a very good staying power and projection. Very unisex, too.
Dmitr – :
I am in love with Le Jardin Retrouvé. Of their perfumes, Cuir de Russie rivals that of any fragrance house. It is by far my favourite floral leather scent. Perfectly blended, it captures the scent of warm rich leather, earthy and deep, and juxtaposes it against sensuous florals and a bit of spice. Deliciously unisex.
jaysonX – :
The masterpiece of Le Jardin Retrouve’s rereleased collection without any doubt whatsoever is Cuir de Russie. Despite not being very cuir or very Russie, Cuir de Russie moves with an unhurried yet punctual French disposition as it’s injected with a candied violet. Leather, violet, and powdery fragrances in the realm of fragrant marketing and mythology seem to be inextricably tied to stories of Russians and/or ballerinas, and Cuir de Russie is no different. In a stroke of genius it is driven by bluntness and earthiness, pulled down and given a breadth I see in more contemporary suede leathers, giving a tremendous worn-in effect. Combining this with violet flower adds an earthy puff of powder over the body of the composition, reinforced through cinnamon and soft resins. It was as if the floral leather decided it wanted to become orris root, and what results is something quite there but also distinguishably different. Sublime.
cajetshar1982 – :
This feels herbal in a sweet woody way. I don’t get cinnamon or styrax, just the sweetness of violet, herbyness of juniper and the patchouli which gives it an earthiness.
Тёма1989 – :
Le Jardin Retrouve is one of those perfume houses that takes a lot of pride in their history and pedigree. My samples arrived in a pouch sewn out of a fabric collection that belonged to Yuri Gutsatz’s wife, Arlette. A very touching gesture.
Cuir de Russie is a stormy fragrance, sweeping me off my feet in a dark whirl of styrax and cade. It smells like very old buildings, one that has witnessed numerous petty human dramas, both real and theatrical. The violet is melancholy and brooding, like the haunting aria emanating from a lonely figure onstage.
Diaghilev and the Ballet Russe is a very accurate mental imagery. But for me, this evokes dimly lit, grand old opera houses rather than pink leather ballet slippers a la Grishko.
legion28 – :
Violet and juniper. Moderate sillage, a floral light leather. This isnt for someone looking for a heavy, in your face type of leather. This is a elegant look on leather with violets. Styrax gives it intrigue, ylang-ylang some body. mild ash tray note (non offensive) surfaces. Reviewer K1 sums it up. Beautiful.
baw250speagoessenda – :
Cuir de Russie, which means Russian leather, tells a story that has already inspired numerous perfumers over the years. It has been already portrayed by Chanel, Guerlain, Creed and obviously, by Yuri Gutsatz, when was originally released, in 1977.
In 1920, France received the Diaghilev’s Russian Ballet, whose dancers wore boots made with soft and malleable leather. In featured, Vaslav Nijinsky, who was a Russian dancer and choreographer, of Polish origin, considered one of the greatest dancers of his time.
Cuir de Russie, in its new formulation, carries notes of ylang-ylang, patchouli from Indonesia, French violets, cinnamon, styrax and cade oil (extracted from juniper wood). It’s considered a floral-leathery and I perfectly understand the reason of such classification. On my skin, the floral side was much stronger than the leathery side, which I would like to have experienced. The violets merge to the cinnamon – not too spicy – and the styrax, with its floral nuances, amplifies the result even more. The ylang-ylang, usually dominant, performed smoothly. And the only different side during the evolution, was one in which the patchouli attempted to make itself present.
Cuir de Russie is a beautiful perfume of smoky violets, perfectly unisex and pleasant. However, I cannot hide my disappointment regarding the lack of a leathery nuance or, in worst case, since the concept talks about boots made from soft leather, a beautiful suede facet would be enough.
In here, unfortunately, the fragrance doesn’t match the concept and I must confess that was the fragrance in which I placed my greatest expectations.
It’s a nice fragrance, but disappoints who is waiting for a leather scent. It has an nostalgic aura, good durability, but could be called Violettes de Russie.
superboy391 – :
I have always been very fond of perfumes that are kind of melancholic. I think true beauty always has a little bit of sadness in order to make it unforgettable. When I first smelled Cuir de Russie by Le Jardin Retrouvé I felt that it is exactly what I needed: a powdery and woody leather perfume wich I could wear with grace. Leathery perfumes do not always smell good on my skin, as I usually find them too harsh and masculine. In this case, though, the leather note was ilustrated differently. Think about a pair of gloves, made from the softest leather you have ever seen. The pair belongs to a beautiful lady who likes to go to the Opera and she has a secret admirer who likes to leave a bouquet of delicate violets in her lodge, just before she arrives to see a new play. As she takes the flowers in her delicate hands, their powdery smell impregnates the leather gloves. Who this man may be? She will never know, but she will always keep violet petals between the pages of her diary.
Vovchik999 – :
Le Jardin Retrouve has been re-born by Michel Gutsatz, the son of the founder Yuri Gutsatz. I couldn’t wait to try their Cuir de Russie, which had been a favourite of mine, when Yuri was still alive.
I read the card, with beautiful artwork designed by Michel’s wife,
Clara Feder, who is an accomplished artist, that the sample came in. I noticed immediately that the notes were a bit different from what I could remember were in the original. I remembered a touch of lemon, but it wasn’t present here. I was a bit worried that I wasn’t going to like it, but I can honestly say, it has improved upon the original formula. This is a Cuir de Russie, totally different to other Cuir de Russie’s that I’ve had, my favourite now being vintage Chanel.
It’s one of those scents that you spray on your hand, and you have to keep smelling your hand, because it’s so beautiful. Suitable for both men and women. I was stunned at the beauty of it. The floral notes, including violet, are amazing. If it wasn’t celebrating the famed Diaghilev, Nijinsky and the Ballet Russe, you would have thought that you were sat in the Opera, 20 years earlier smelling Oscar Wilde’s Canterbury Wood Violet and the smell of highly polished leather boots. Here are the notes, ylang ylang, violet, cinnamon, cade wood and styrax.
mw – :
Since I put on my hand, I can’t stop to smell my hand.
I find very interesting mixture of Violet and Juniper.
bardic – :
Great scent!! Very well done. A gentle leather, with elegant smell, prolonged and excellent silage.
xtv771bedyWelty – :
The most unusual Cuir de Russie! Very original, floral and soft… I can’t find leather in it, but I have the impression of touching very thin and refined leather, or sitting in old library with leather furniture… Something in the air, but not evident.
Very unusual for love at the first sniff, but I must admit I like it more and more sniffing it from my sleeve, by the way it’s very long lasting, but in some unusual subtle way.