Rose & Cuir

This is a peculiar one. It's a rose, but not a rose. It's a leather, but not a leather. It's like you have all of the components of a rose, but they never really come together to make a rose accord, and it's the same for the leather. I'm hesitant to use a buzzword like deconstructed, since hype and trend put some tiresome and unfortunate stereotypes to the 'deconstructed' style of perfumery or culinary arts, etc., but that's basically what it is. Up top there is a blast of blue and black fruits (blackcurrant is stated, and I'll believe it), and pepper. Roses have a sort of fruity aspect to their accords - most roses anyway - and many can certainly be quite peppery. This works. There is a material in here through the heart and base that is meant to be rose, strictly speaking, but it's only part of the rose: very quietly floral, creamy, and just a touch soapy; you don't really notice it until the dry down. But, before that and after the top notes start to die off comes a part that I wasn't expecting: the massive green-ness. Huge doses of geranium are riding on the big wheels of vetiver to deliver sharp, piquant, and very aromatic green notes like cut and concentrated rose stems. Geranium is one of those notes that I am quick to dislike; there's just something about it, ever since I was a kid, that is very off-putting to me. The camphoraceous geranium+vetiver combo here reminds me a lot - in both strength, stridency, and sharpness - of the camphoraceous geranium Tauer loves to use, and used with abandon in Lonestar Memories, but this is done much better and in a more elegant fashion. I cannot stand Lonestar Memories, but I'm finding myself attracted to this accord in R&C, which is sort-of blowing my mind! It must be JCE; his signature style of making notes transparent, weightless, very breathable, and full of air and light is what is making the green accord of R&C attractive and much easier for me to take, I think. Now is the time to talk about the leather - or, rather, what's supposed to be leather - which is the quinoline material surrounded by a good dose of Iso E Super (cedar) and what might be a type of castoreum or animalic musk. These are so weightless, diffusive, airy, and "deconstructed" that you could be forgiven for saying it's not a leather accord. In fact, I'm going to go there. The woody vetiver of the dry-down plus the combination of cedar from the Iso E Super sort-of overrules the simplistic quinoline material and takes R&C in the direction of a green chypre rather than a rose leather. I get more green notes and more woods in summation from R&C than I get true rose or leather accords. And while, in most circumstances, I would deduct some points from the perfume for what seems to be a clear lack of direction or execution, JCE rides the line so well between "geranium chypre" and "rose leather" that I have to conclude it was on purpose, as if the point of this perfume is to take the line between the two genres and blur it to imperceptibility. It's fascinating. Despite the disparate and sharply angular juxtapositions of all of the notes, it's easily wearable and pleasant. I think this a tough perfume for the average consumer though, since most want their green chypres and their rose leather perfumes to be separate perfumes, and to wear a perfume that is having an identity crisis of the two genres will likely off-put the average wearer. I normally struggle with perfumes that are having an identity crisis as well, but that's usually because whilst in the midst of their crisis they display aggressive, confrontational, and histrionic behaviors towards the wearer. Not Rose & Cuir. Despite not knowing what it is, I'm thoroughly enjoying wearing it.

Gertrude Stein opines in "Sacred Emily" that a" rose is a rose is a rose is a rose," but surely this is just poetic license—a rose, any rose, is not monolithic. Roses of all colors, all numbers of petals, numerous shapes and sizes, and—most importantly—all manners of scent, including no scent at all. Cultivars of rose can smell very "un-rosey" as well, including some that smell more like the rose geranium; after all, there is a sizable geraniol content in both, along with a number of other shared constituents. Still other rose varieties can smell almost leathery, or tobacco-like. Then we have the idea of leather in fragrance, a concept that surely isn't hidebound, given the early interpretations of it through the birch tar inflected "Cuir de Russie" or the castoreum-meets-saddle-soap "Spanish Leather." The usage of isobutyl quinoline (IBQ) since the early 19th century by Coty and Caron has, over time, come to represent more an abstract representation of leather only as a facet of a whole accord. It imparts that coarse ferocity and mineral quality to a leather accord that often would include the aforementioned birch tar or castoreum, but what if it is unmarried from that which is so often associated? Does it still represent "leather" to a contemporary olfactory bulb any more than Pelargonium roseum represents "rose"? Ellena's Rose & Cuir deconstructs both accords and this becomes obvious to many who seem deft at identifying their notes in a fragrance. Yet, when I smell it, I still feel the impressions of rose and leather: is my nose wrong? Of course it is not. The aldehydes, the galbanum, blackcurrant bud, the timut pepper, they all aid in illustrating this kabuki theater rose, massaging the geranium with tart fruitiness, stems, leaves, and luminous flesh. The vetiver shades in where the IBQ would otherwise feel somewhat stark and brittle, while there is additional alchemy that anchors it, of which I can only speculate. I smell fragments of Nuit de Noel here and there, without the carnation and oakmoss, which delights me. But what makes me most merry is how Rose & Cuir has both heft and a haunting feel, like Ellena summoned ghosts through its essence: like apparitions of rose and leather from a long forgotten past.

Wow, this smells exactly like the wild rosebush that grew up the side of my childhood home, just outside my parents' bedroom window. It's uncanny. I hadn't even thought of that scent in a good 20 years, but wearing this it's like I'm bounding out the front door after an early spring rain, mist still hanging in the air, as the dogs (a gigantic husky prone to knocking me over and a squat little black lab) run across the driveway to greet/tackle me. When I was very young I'd search around the house for little orange salamanders that would show up whenever it was damp outside, and for some reason this fragrance reminds me of nothing more strongly than that; maybe because one of the spots they liked to gather was right below this rosebush. I swear I can almost see the dew dripping from its leaves. Obviously I'm completely blinded by nostalgia, so calling this review subjective is an understatement. I do understand why some find the nomenclature here misleading, though I'd consider it more playful misdirection than deceptive. It is unmistakably rose and leather, just not the type of rose and leather you're probably expecting, especially in conjunction with one another. The rose is incredibly soft and delicate, even watery, backed with the gentle tang of blackcurrant leaves; there's a rustic quality to the leather, more reminiscent of live animals (livestock, maybe?) than it is of a pair of gloves. Combine the two and you have a fragrance that's truly unisex in the way it deploys traditionally masculine and feminine notes to obliterate the line between the two. On a conceptual level this is one of the most impressive fragrances I've encountered so far, and also one of the most sensually pleasing as well.

This has had some fanfare...I mean Malle fans going crazy about Ellena releasing a new Editions de Parfum. The Ellena retrospective at Pitti this year, Malle himself doing a IG Live Q&A about this release, seems like it's been everywhere recently. So unusual how different people perceive fragrances, I get much less geranium or a geraniol rose than the votes here suggest other people do. It's not quite jammy sweet either, but combined with Ellena's signature fruity vibes gives a strawberry/red berry smell which is light and playful. Now couple that (or Juxtapose it?) with the Isobutyl Quinoline which BTW you can smell right from the opening, giving this a dry, leather like accord. It's actually well handled as you'd expect from Malle with a master perfumer at the helm but what is this obsession with fruity/fresh tops and leather bases? FM Promise is exactly the same concept and maybe it's just me but I'm not feeling it. I mean it's okay, I'm not trashing it and the concept of leather and roses is a good one, but I just had a feeling Ellena wouldn't do a Morillas Gucci Guilty Absoulte PH. By that I mean come with some uncharacteristically 'balls out' heavy rose & Intoxicating leather smasher like a Portrait of a Lady or Carnal Flower, instead opting to produce something much more inkeeping with his style. That's what he's done here, a cheerful rose perfume with a hint of leather that feels modern and evokes red, transparent cellophane in my mind. There could be those that think this is great and I can't argue taste, but I found it a little disappointing considering the hype.

Very interesting fragrance. I really enjoy it as it’s different from what usually wear. It’s green fresh and spicy. It’s herbal and woody , vetevir and cedar to be exact. I do not smell rose but more of a green tomato vine with some leather ,but faint . Maybe just the idea of leather, I am not sure. It’s really quite unique and aromatic. I smell eucalyptus and vetevir , cedar and pine notes. Almost like being in a forest ?! The geranium with its lemony nuances is strong in the beginning it definitely leaves you thinking of a tomato vine... As that feel leaves you it stays a fresh aromatic woody fragrance , pleasant and unique. It reminds me a little of Gucci’s Memoire , and maybe a little bit of Kelly caleche ,although Rose and Cuir is much more woody ,aromatic and less floral. I like the fact that rose and cuir smells rather natural and not like a perfume. However I agree with all the people saying that it does not smell as the name suggests. Apparently it’s not suppose to ?! I do not get the concept and the name. It’s a good fragrance but it’s not a leathery rose. More of geranium vetevir perfume with hints of cedar and eucalyptus! UPDATE the more i wear this the More i love it and now I do smell rose and leather more rose than leather but it’s soooooo good !!

Rose & Cuir You're not a fan of spicy and dark rose fragrances? Even though Malle is famous for his spicy and oriental roses - there is a fresh and green rose offering from the house of Frederic Malle! It is actually a rose without a rose. Geranium will make you think that you are smelling the best wet rose petals on a woody base. Opening is peppery and green rose. Fresh and clean. More masculine than feminine. It is a bit citrusy, but there are no citruses in it! It's citrusy because of the Sichuan pepper. Just after a couple of minutes, your lungs will get an enormously high dose of blackcurrant. Green and calm. Then, your nose will be able to detect a whole rose. Petals, stem and thorns. Vetiver and cedarwood will give you a vivid feeling that you're smelling a freshly picked rose from a garden. I can pickup the idea of leather, but it is not that prominent. It's more like a chypre leather rather than a leather fragrance. Leather is here to give us some kind of a deep 3D feeling. It is very long lasting and projection is great. It will do the job for the whole and it is a great performer even on a hot summer days. Rose & Cuir is definitely JCE's strongest fragrance he did for FM.

When i first smelled this as a sample I was so confused on why this even had cuir in the name. All i got was a green floral kind of minty fragrance that i really wasn’t sure about. I didn’t even bother to give it a wear after that first paper smell. But for some reason i kept thinking about the smell so i gave it a wear a week after. Once on skin the opening was so great with the Geranium, so fresh and green. You don’t get a blatant rose in this ever it’s an accord created with the notes in it, so after a while you will start getting an abstract rose that is almost transparent. It’s almost intoxicating getting that abstract rose mixed in with all the notes. Finally on the dry down is when you get that leather note and again it’s more of an accord instead of an actual leather note. To me it’s like the smell of brand new boots but not in a bad way in the best way. Jean- Claude Ellen is a master perfumer, definetly top 5 of all time to me and one of my favorites. An all year round scent to me that is very versatile and will just have you smelling like a Bouquet of roses shoved into someone wearing a leather jacket in the streets of Paris. 9.67/10

Your playboy friend picks you up from the airport in his vintage Camero - it’s old and worn out but still runs like a dream. You’ve had a grueling day of travel and he’s a sight for sore eyes. He’s from Italy, moved to CA for college but dropped out - never needed the schooling because he comes from old money. He could afford much better but he has a taste for things with character, things with meaning, things that are storied. He’s hungover, hasn’t slept all night and came straight from a one night stand to the arrivals curb, somehow right on time and wearing his signature grin. There’s perfume lingering on his skin as he hugs you that can only be leftover from the girl he took home from the bar last night. He needs a shower and the car needs a wash, but both are still the epitome of cool. The cracked leather seat you slide into feels like home - countless night drives through the hills, the stereo blasting into the early hours, the deepest conversations you’ve ever had...He rolls down the windows, lights a cigarette and drives you off into the setting sun of your first night back in town...

I'm getting more of my smell back after covid. So discovering this again in a great way. It's a suede leather and a rose/ geranium combo. It has a beautiful peppery geranium and greeness from the black currant leaves, casis. Maybe a little fruity from the black currant berry as well. This is like "Synthetic Jungle" but more natural. J.C.E. is a perfumer who's work I respect and enjoy a lot. His blending is subtle and unique. I think Terre de Hermes is one of the greatest designer frags. He does cardomom really well. Just blind ordered Hermes Voyage parfume, a cardomom bomb I heard. He did Declaration as well. OK, I got to the mid now, and getting better, wow! There is a powderyness, not like any powder smell. It has a slight fruity tone, as it perfectly balances some of the stark greeness. The leather is comming on stronger, but in accord with other notes making it smell like my skin, but in a good way. "Signature scent" comes to mind. Yeah, some fragrance accords are coming into perfect harmony. They smell great and unique. Rating: 8.75/10 God bless. John 3:16

So, so good. I tested R&C in store last week. First sniff just slapped me silly. Sharp, green rose and soft leather, what a beautiful combination. Because I wore a thick winter coat and voluptuous scarf, I had nowhere to spray but on a blotter, and I kept sniffing the sprayer again and again. It just clicked. At home I put the blotter on my coffee table and it kept wafting it's scent literally for a week. How could I skip this one. I must confess because of the price I decided to buy on the grey market. A lack of time for a proper skin test made it a bit of a half-blind buy. The bottle arrived today, and boy oh girl it smells goood. It must be a slightly different formulation though (it's a 2020 batch) because I get a bit more blackcurrant. Also, on the skin it seems a teenie bit softer and lighter. But the projection is impressive. Sharp, classy, strong, different. A green suede covered heavenly ice pick trying to crush up an unyielding frozen rose. Not for everyone, for some. For me.

I really like this one, but read on. This one is untypically JCE, because it lasts rather long and it's actually quite loud, instead of in the usual pale anaemic and gone-in-five-minutes style that JCE is fond of/good at. At the same time it's very typically JCE, because it's really just a very simple (minimalist?) accord: blackcurrant + geranium + IBQ. Isobutylquinoline (IBQ) is what contributes to this loudness and longevity. It is that herbal leathery note, most famously overdosed by Germaine Cellier in her masterpiece Bandit. I love IBQ. I would even gladly wear a dilution of it alone as perfume. So yes, I like this Rose & Cuir, but that's mostly because I love IBQ. So in the end, Rose & Cuir is just only a simple accord and it's really not that interesting. It smells nice enough, but it's not going to be a masterpiece. For that price they ask, I'm gonna hunt down another vintage Bandit instead.

“A rose that isn’t a rose and leather that isn’t leather” is a great description for Rose & Cuir, and there’s certainly a lot to be said about the technical brilliance behind this creation, but underneath all of that, lies an actual perfume that has to smell good and look attractive. And it actually fucking does, this is an absolute banger. It’s not to say that it’s going to appeal to everyone, but what great creation does? It’s fresh, tense, elegant, robust and decisive, slightly brutal in its approach but not in a way that feels alienating. It feels equally at home in the middle of a modern city as it does on a hike through a dense, remote forest. It’s difficult to describe but you won’t mistake it for anything else. Wear this with confidence, or it’ll wear you instead.

The dry down is pure unadulterated magic. The first few wearings I would have agreed with many of the reviews here in fragrantica. Thank goodness Im patient and not as quick to judge in a review based on a wearing or two.....I like to actually get consecutive wearings and really live with the fragrance. What a killer combination of notes and what a ride this one takes you on. Jean Claude Ellena is a master perfumer and that is recognized in so many of his creations Rose & cur certainly being one of them. the top and part of the middle notes may be quite unconventional but good things come to those who wait. Smokey dry luxurious leather and spiced/seasoned wood Smells like a Bentley interior on a hot day with hand bound leather and wood grain.

If you know what a deconstructed food is, i think its the best way of explaining this fragrance. The perfumer deconstructed the typical rose based perfume, and made it his own. By using geranium and few other ingredients, he is able to come up with a new fragrance in its own league. The combination of geranium, black currant, leather are what this fragrance is about, supported by pepper, vetiver and cedar. This creates a green, fresh, spicy and dark scent. Once it settles on the skin, the geranium will reveal itself more, and to someone who owns couple geranium based fragrances, its very obvious this is geranium not rose. Very very interesting. Couple with its exceptional longevity and strong sillage, definitely worth a try.

One of the best and simplest from the FM range. While it's on my skin I find it to be a very smooth and transparent fragrance. The rose accord while quiet is still noticeable and gives a really nice background to the main notes which I find to be Geranium, Blackcurrant and Vetiver. Those 3 notes are beautifully balanced and create a fresh but green garden background to the rose. The only downsides are that the leather is not really noticeable and that rose isn't the main note. Due to this, some won't like because they find the name to be a poor choice. Overall, a solid release and definitely a step up from Music for a While :D. TLDR: Simple but well made, however the name doesn't fully match the smell.

I tried this few days back at a mall and I went mad for it and I really wanted to buy it but credit card was maxed out so went back home . I read the review below mine, he has mentioned that it smells similar to Bracken Woman which surprised me , so went back to mall to.try Bracken woman and it was not available and sales girl told me Reflection Woman has similar vibe as Bracken Woman so she sprayed that on my wrist , surprisingly Reflection Woman smelled bit similar to Rose and Cuir (not sure about Bracken Woman though) . The green leafy note is spot on same as Rose and Cuir though . I need to try Rose and Cuir once more to pull the trigger for a bottle . Cheers

Strange. Interesting. Pleasant. Airy, yet quite present. Warm, comforting. Smells like boozy floral smoky suede. Feels like being nestled in the corner of your lush suede sofa, legs curled beneath you, kitty curled in your lap. A fire crackles in the hearth & King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band warbles a scratchy ‘Canal Street Blues’ on your vintage Victrola...paving the way for Louis Armstrong. Your right hand strokes minky soft kitty fur; in your left, a budding rose floats in a weighty crystal tumbler of bourbon. You lift it to your nose & inhale. It intoxicates like the drug that it is. Kitty, eyes still closed, lifts his nose & purrs.

One word I can tell about this fragrance is that it's UNEXPECTED, from any angle you see it. This fragrance is not typical of Jean Claude Elena's approach. The element of surprise is the most important aspect of art. This fragrance embodies that quality perfectly. If you are familiar with Elena's work and see the words 'leather and rose' on the bottle, don't be quick to judge. Once you spray and smell it, you will be surprised, hopefully pleasently. The rose is hidden in the background of the scent and the leather is not soft. The scent is green, aromatic and bitter. I truly fell in love with this fragrance. 8.5/10

It might be because the name and the hype has brainwashed me, but to me this scent is the wind. It's a surge of wind hitting your nose through flowers and damp soil and grass, while you're walking through a graveyard and wearing a fresh leather jacket. It's a cold, somber scent and it took a couple of tries for me to fully appreciate it for what it is. The first time I tried it, I liked it but wasn't married to it. The second it overwhelmed me and I had to scrub it off. Now, I'm on the third try and it's finally showing its true colors. I might get a full bottle of this.

For me, this is the most beautiful fragrance in the world. I only wear it in the summer, so for me this is the smell of lazy summer evenings, on a terrace or close to the sea. The opening is strong, with the geranium making a sharp appearance and it's where you could say "eww, what is this?". But even this opening grew on me. Whem it settles down, it becomes the most amazing perfume I've ever smell. All those floral notes, aaah, love it. I'm glad it's so underatted, because I wouldn't like to smell this masterpiece everywhere. It's my precious gem.