Les Exclusifs de Chanel Cuir de Russie

Paris 1921. Dawn. The snow was falling outside. It was a white coverlet that blanketed the Place Vendome like a soft wet whisper. Coco stretched and smiled eyes still closed. She rolled over in the bed and opened one eye. In the cool steel grey light the Grand Duke was still asleep. The beautiful Russian’s scent had permeated Coco’s bed. She breathed in the aroma of tobacco, it mingled with his musky sexiness. He was delicious. She sat up in the bed and looked around the boudoir pulled her knees up to her chin and hugged them. A new lover; what could be more perfect this winter? She gathered the mink throw about her naked shoulders and arose like a sylph to ring for breakfast. As she passed a bouquet of African orange blossoms, roses and jasmine on the vanity she noticed how lovely the scent was as it mingled with the trail of musky masculinity that followed her progress from the bed. It hovered near her cheek daring her to kiss the air. Once breakfast was ordered she turned to enter the bathroom and a glint of light from the foot of the bed snatched at the corner of her eye. The Duke’s gorgeous noir leather boots were there where he had dropped them the night before, one upright the other having fallen over on its side. Coco swept one up in her arms and held it like the most precious thing. The strong masterly fragrance of fine Russian leather embraced her. The room seemed to be swimming in leather and tobacco and some faint spices from the Orient that emanated from one of her perfume bottles. “Odeur incroyable, merveilleux rêve...” she whispered softly. She dropped the boot and fell back into bed with him. She squinted and studied his profile. Then playfully she ran her finger along his imperial Russian forehead over his nose and lips down to his chin. “Wake up Cheri! I have an idea.” That Idea became Cuir De Russie by Chanel inspired by her brief love affair with a Romanoff on the run, the Grand Duke Dmitri Pavlovich. Created in 1924 by master nose of the house of Chanel, Ernest Beaux this fragrance is a masterpiece of the leather perfume group. It opens like a rich silver box lined with plush maroon velvet. It is well-appointed and sumptuous in the smoothness of its first notes of African orange blossom and mandarin orange. These citrus accords are only momentary and they sink back to reveal the heart of jasmine, rose and ylang ylang supported by incredible spice. This all sounds very feminine and lovely but the over riding structure and genius of this fragrance is the persistence of the rich smooth polish of a great leather note. It is there from beginning to end. This leather blends in with the rose and jasmine to create a dominating masculine presence that somehow is not pushy but rather intuitive and clever. It is a seduction of insinuation that is in the end irresistible. It smells of a clean wonderful athletic body that isn’t intimidated by rough roughish edginess that comes with the musk. The dry down is clean as the birch wood note enters along with a taste of tobacco and bergamot. The projection is substantial and it lasts around six to eight hours. Cuir de Russie is most definitely for both men and women. Plane and simply put it is a magnificent scent. Cuir de Russie by Chanel Les Exclusifs is a classic from arguably one of the best noses ever to have lived. Legendary, iconic and timeless and as modern today as it was when it was introduced 88 years ago. FIVE PLATIUM CAMILIAS *****

Beauty can stem from one of two virtues: balance or contrast. Personally I find greater pleasure in dramatic beauty: in fragrance, where a tension between accords is pushed to breaking point and has the wearer constantly on edge until it settles down. Sheldrake's work is exemplary of this style, Ellena's, instead stems from his obsession with balance. In perfume, the effect is increased when the juxtaposition involves the "masculine" and "feminine" worlds colliding. Beaux's Cuir de Russie - 1924, reinvented by Jacques Polge (and Sheldrake) for Les Exclusifs - 2007 is an essay on this tension. The magic of this perfume is the fact that it surprises me every time I wear it. Cuir de Russie is a demanding fragrance, it is sophisticated and intellectual, more than any other from Chanel's line, save for n°19. And like her Green Floral sister, she requires time to be fully appreciated, revealing nuances from time to time to her wearer. Also like her Sister, Cuir de Russie, knows no gender, she is astonishing on both men and women. The fragrance bursts to life with Aldehydes and Linalyl Acetate notes (Bergamot, Clary Sage - I wish this were used more often - and maybe a touch of Neroli), which introduce the classical Floral heart of Jasmine, Rose, Ylang. The Florals are supported by a masculine Woody Balsamic Leather: Cedarwood, Birch, Styrax, Tobacco, Amber accord, Musk and a smidgen of Orris, just to maintain the balance between homme and femme. The Cuir de Russie accord, which character is present from start to end, is created through the Clary Sage, Jasmine, Orris, Styrax and Birch, which respectively bring the Floral, Indolic, Supple, Balsamic and Smoky qualities of treated Leather. I cannot help but ask myself what a touch of Mimosa and bitter Myrrh oil could add to this extraordinary perfume! But that is just my creative urge taunting me to tweak perfection. As for concentration, I own both the Eau de Toilette and the Parfum, both are exquisite, I have not smelled the Eau de Parfum recently released, but have not heard great things about it, apparently the fragrance feels heavy and looses it's shimmer. For other extraordinary Floral Leathers see Hermès - Cuir D'Ange (2015), Violet Cumin Leather: it is supposed to smell like the inside of an Hermès bag; also Knize - Ten (1925), for a Carnation Castoreum Leather, and Serge Lutens - Cuir Mauresque (1996) for its more Jasmine Balsamic interpretation. Cartier La Treizième Heure (2009) is an astonishing Narcissus Leather! I only discovered it recently, while perusing through Cartier’s line, but it left me in awe.

Cuir de Russie is a beautiful leather fragrance for a woman. The leather here is high-quality and silken to smell, and I just adore how all of the supporting notes really emphasise the facets of the leather itself, the butteriness from the ylang-ylang, the smoothness from the birch, the cleanliness from the jasmine, and sometimes, something that suggests a leather that is cracked and well-worn. The soft tobacco occasionally appears as a subtle puff of smoke. I can also smell a very indolic jasmine, especially during the heart, that, when combined with the leather, keeps my nose glued to my wrist for hours, and enraptures me, and I feel as though I am sharing the same ecstasy like many an artist before me, reveling in the sheer beauty of this enchanting perfume. The dry-down is a softer, slightly powdery version of what's described above. This is leather from start to finish on my skin, the scent of romantics and dreamers everywhere. Yes, it is simple. You will not find what you're looking for here if you wish for a perfume that is "more than just leather". But it was Coco Chanel herself who said that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication" and that's exactly what Cuir de Russie is. The feeling I get is sophisticated, warm, sensual and evocative, as I often find my mind wandering. I see this scent often described as "cold and austere" and I will mention that I think this largely depends on skin chemistry. This smells warm and enveloping and alive on my skin. In addition, this scent becomes more and more beautiful with each and every wear, and to me it is a special perfume, one that is worth getting to know intimately as time passes. As with most of my favourite Chanels, I enjoy wearing Cuir de Russie during the winter months, for quiet, reflective time by myself, curled up somewhere keeping warm, so I can relish in it's beauty. However, because I feel as though this perfume has been worn by many a musician, painter or writer before me, I would love to pair this with my sexiest dress and wear it on a very cold evening to a jazz bar or an art gallery, because I think that this scent performs at it's absolute best in the autumn or winter. Soft to moderate sillage; longevity is for about 5-6 hours.

Les Exclusifs EDT is a very beautiful leather perfume. I was about to review it finally, so dug out the unused 2nd bottle I had ready to sell (who needs two vats of this stuff?) to make sure there were no differences. Batch code 3601 (2009), the other one is the one that I use, 0801 (2006? or 2016?). When I sprayed 2009 version (brand new, never sprayed), I barely recognised it! So now I am undecided on how to proceed (review-wise), as despite having a similar whiff, they are indeed quite different! 2009 is smokey leather, dark, tobacco (just like the tobacco in Sycamore), with a very subtle hint of orange blossom, a dash of creamy sandalwood underpinned by what i can only describe as an ambered iris. The top notes and aldehydes flew away rather swiftly (I even wonder if they are missing! just a blast of sweetness), then a beautiful ylang ylang. All overshadowed by a dominant stunning smoking slighty sweet dusty leather. It reminds me of an interior of an old room, rugs on wooden floors with chesterfield chairs and dark heavy drapes, sunshine on the wood and leather, furnishings permeating past perfumed and smoking occupants. The 2016 is brighter, a tonne more aldehydes, softer and so much more floral! with the distinct Chanel rose/jasmine/iris/sandalwood accord. Even too reminding me of vintage Jolie Madame. Reminiscent of Cuir de Lancome. It is outdoors, soapy horse saddles and soft leather driving gloves beside a powder compact. No smoke. Longevity is far less too. I am totally bamboozled. I know this is probably a moot review (if there is such a thing), as both bottles are long discontinued and replaced by the EDP. But thought it might be worth mentioning to anyone searching for an EDT. EDIT: decided not to sell either for now.

I don't smell Russian leather in Cuir de Russie. I'm not picking up any strong redolence of birch tar in its smoky form -- no kicking boots. This is more like its sweet facet with a touch of wintergreen. Indeed though, it delivers a feeling of high quality water resistant leather -- impressively supple and smooth like a handbag or high quality wallet. I also detect a fair amount of styrax resin. It's not listed in the note pyramid above but is in the description of the 1924 listing. I thought that listing was for the vintage so I felt my review for the recently discontinued Les Exclusifs EDT should be posted here. But this definitely smells of styrax, iris and carnation, also not listed here but included over there. Cuir de Russie rubs shoulders with Dior's Cuir Cannage and Parfum d'Empire's Cuir Ottoman. I like this much better as the iris is keyed down and the vinyl-like styrax isn't as sharp being blended well with carnation. This also feels more genteel with a classic tenderness. As far as any horsey or animalic notes go, there is an element of something like castoreum but soft and clean, not as raw as bearskin in say Antaeus (which by the way is another gorgeous Chanel). In the realm of iris based leathers, Cuir de Russie EDT comes out on top for me. It's complex, well blended, smooth and keyed in a tone that is seductive without having to express itself loudly. I feel the current EDP is more of a jasmine based leather. Being a jasmine lover and with the tendency for iris to turn a bit vinyl-like on my skin, I do prefer the EDP for its overall scent which is richer, but the leather accord is a lot quieter in the EDP and sometimes elusive. For its intended leather presentation, Cuir de Russie EDT is quite stunning.