Cuir de Russie

Honestly, from all Le Jardin Retrouve perfumes, I expected the least from Cuir de Russie. I imagined powdery flowers mixed with overpowering leather and patchouli, heavy and dated smell that's definitely not something to my taste. How wrong I was. To be honest, it wasn't love at first sight. When I sprayed it for the first time, I found it odd. Not necessarily bad, just odd. Violet comes forward first as vibrant and fresh, thanks to well balanced citruses and aldehydes. After the first burst, you can already smell hint of smokiness and leather coming through. Perfume keeps developing on the skin and takes you on the amazing olfactory journey, without ever being boring, predictable or linear. After about 6 hours, it faded away from my skin and I still wasn't sure that I liked it. But, I couldn't stop thinking about it and decided to take a plunge and buy the whole bottle. For me, this perfume is a masterpiece. Not only that is perfectly balancing the impossible, but it's incredibly smart without being too heavy or draining. When I wear it, I can't stop smelling my wrists. With that said, this is not a perfume for someone who has a nose focused on mainstream popular gourmands. This perfume is for someone who enjoys being the most interesting person in the room. Last but not least, I found the perfume more autumnal/wintery, truly unisex and can easily be worn day and night.

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.

This stuff is fabulous, and I want to thank the Fragrantica reviewer who covered this perfume (Sergei maybe?) around June 23rd. (I haven't figured out how to find reviews of this type that are no longer listed in the homepage, or I would know exactly who reviewed it.) Until I read that review, I was totally unfamiliar with this brand, and a little hesitant to order. But they shipped immediately apparently (they didn't email me when they shipped) and it arrived today June 29, which is excellent Paris-US. It's wonderful. Cuir de Russie has plenty of the deep woodsy violet I always look for, with absolutely nothing cloying here. Those violets are in a deep forest and within maybe an hour are taken over by the leather and patchouli, in nearly equal measure. More for men than for women, and probably best in fall and winter, but I loved it today in 70 degree heat anyway. It disappeared after maybe 4 hours, but I really need to test it better. I got really busy and lost track of what I was smelling for awhile. And this label has a good price range too. You don't have to commit yourself to a big bottle, but you don't have to settle for a 1ml sample either.

I sigh every time I spray this! So beautiful and cold, like a spring morning. A bright opening with the aldehydes and lime, but I really like the citrus notes here, more elegant than loud. And when the violets take the stage... genuinely dreamy. I sigh. Fresh cut violets, subtle but steadfast! I wish they lasted longer than they do, my only complaint. Cuir de Russie reminds me of my favorite book, a retelling of one of my favorite fairy tales, where cursed princesses wander the palace gardens and sharp-witted crones make deals with kind-hearted soldiers. This is not a dark fragrance to me, not at all. It's chilly, yes. But full of the watery morning sun and fog, the cold dew on grass, soft leather dancing slippers.

A cool, brisk and aldehydic violet opens Cuir de Russie that stuns me as it blooms on my skin, and not very long thereafter, a chewy, smoky styrax and powdery cade leather. It's ravishing, and I just want to repeat the experience like one would take the needle on their turntable and bring back to the beginning of their favorite 45. A delicate green mossiness caresses the nose as the leather grows muted and the violet accord grows woodier. There's such an understated elegance to it that seems absent from much of modern perfumery, and I am optimistic of a renaissance of this style in a marketplace destined to fatigue everyone's noses. There is a high snuggly factor here, too.

This is exceptional value and a great masculine. Very nice in the cold, this amber will warm you up and dance like a beautiful Russian ballet but on your skin. You will see the authenticity of the ingredients and it is the right blend between woody, flowery, sweet and i should add - this fragrance has stood the test of time as the original formula is approaching 60 years. 9/10

My new favorite leather. Fresh aldehydic almost sparkly opening with a soapy floral and green heart on a vintage leathery-woody base. Diffuses beautifully into the air, thus concentration is just right. There is nothing spectacular and showy about the particular facets of this fragrance but everything is so well done and measured to perfection...

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.

I don't like leather accords in perfume Never have Until i tried this beauty 😍 Not sure if its the aldehydes or violet that lift it but it's fabulous. Edit: I've now got the candle too which is lovely...in a real limoges porcelain pot which can be re used. 😍

Cold, powdery burst of violet that dries to vintage leather and wood. Ylang-ylang clings delightfully like someone's else's sweat on your skin, turning ozonic. A spring bouquet thrown at the feet of a dancer in point shoes taking their last bow.

So lovely and arguably hard to fault. Very well made a classic but not dated. Could be worn anywhere appropriately. Love it. My partner loves it so totally unisex. Not an aggressive leather, nice violet, not sweet or bitter. Gorgeous.

Absolutely stunning leather fragrance. It is airy and a little powdery. The violet is not cosmetic at all but very outdoorsy. Blended just perfectly.

Since I put on my hand, I can't stop to smell my hand. I find very interesting mixture of Violet and Juniper.

I don’t smell the violets as mush as I hoped. Instead, for me, this perfume perfectly captured an image of a 30-40 y.o. Eastern European woman, who wears those strong feminine scents and always tries to look her 100%. It smells like that perfume my mom would put on when she wanted to appear presentable. I can only smell the base notes of wood, moss, patchouli. To me, it’s a “serious” scent, a bit cold and unapproachable, but soft on the inside. Just like the Eastern Europeans themselves.

the opening of this one is fresh, powdery, and heavy on the aldehydes. The violet in here is so pretty, with earthy woods, and creamy leather rounding everything out. It’s a vintage scent profile, and I think in a way it does smell like an “old lady” but in a good way. It smells timeless, with a powdery tinge of sweetness and rich leathers. This is your favorite aunt with her vintage purse and classic red lipstick.

this opens with violet, lime and a lot of oakmoss for me. it has a slight vintage feeling due to the oakmoss. this is followed by some leather and woody notes. after awhile it mellows out with some styrax and labdanum and it's quite pretty now. the leather is more suede-y here, like a leather bag smell. it doesn't smell like bottega veneta exactly, but it has a similar feeling to me, except it's more earthy.

Very nice: a strong aldehydes/styrax combo in the top, that will calm down to a suede-ish violet afterwards and soften to a more traditional leather/patchouli in the base. Unfortunately, it's quite weak and short lived on my skin (2 hours), so I don't need a bottle. But still, a great fragrance for whom loos for a wearable intimate leather fragrance, with an opening 'zing'.

It’s a really old-fashioned leather: powdery, floral and spicy. I can smell a lot of soapy and “old smelling” aldehydes and ylang-yland as well as spiciness from styrax, which actually smells more like geranium for me. It’s not similar to Chanel at all, Chanel is really bold and smoky, while this one is quite smooth and powdered. My ig: scent.guide

A purple musk in cinnamon with leather accessories. Two green hours, fresh and vibrant with violets, citrus fruits, purple leaves, fleshy ylang and styrax. In this phase the powdery part is mixed with a woody iris lipstick and is still hidden, recalling a retro, dark theater atmosphere with seats, mold and dusty curtains. I have masculine flashes of leather and gasoline but above all a purple, amber and strongly musky patchouli the rest of the time. Unisex and more suitable in cold weather. Cute.

Very vintage. I like it but I wouldn’t wear it. The 1st sniff is lovely but after a second the leather makes my head hurt. Definitely not a safe blind buy. After 30 minutes the leather faded and the smell became nice again, but I don’t like to suffer to get to that point.

For Leather lovers, but a delicate leather. More for a man to my opinion. For an elegant man, it is not a bold scent. For winter and fall, maybe more mature? Atmosphere? Paris, 1920', for day or night. Not my style (5/10), but it is original and inspiring.

Good, soft longevity. A bit too sharp smell for my preference, I'm disappointed those base notes don't come out better.

Back in 1977, Le Jardin Retrouvé introduced this fragrance, yet another titled Cuir de Russie. In this case, the claimed inspiration is nothing less than the leather slippers in which Nijinsky danced for Diaghilev in the Ballet Russe. Though the Russian Leather accord structure has been interpreted varioiusly by different perfumers and brands, its usual signature involves a central leather note with accompanying nuances of smoke and tar. Of course, the amount of tarry smoke present can vary from confrontationally bold to almost anosmically faint. Furthermore, within the genre of Russian-inspired leather fragrances, there dwells a distinct, minority subset: the leather-violet scents. Some more well-known examples of these leathery violets include the intensely leathery (and anisic) Le Violettes du Czar, and the much softer and more violet-centered Violettes Volynka. Le Jardin Retrouvé's Cuir de Russie is another such blend of leather and violet. One that starts with a strong violet, balanced in its green and powdery facets, while later, a fairly animalic and moderately smoked leather accord dominates in the drydown. This gradual transition from violet to leather is obviously the primary through-line of this and most other leather-violet scents. Though here, is accompanied by an array of other grace notes, including fresh citrics, acridly aromatic storax, oakmoss, and other such nuances. In contrast, the Cuir de Russie/Russian Leather fragrances of Chanel, Guerlain, Creed, L.T. Piver, Godet, Memo Paris, Demeter, Molton Brown etc. do NOT possess any listed or otherwise appreciable element of violet. Also it is interesting to read that several consider this Le Jardin Retrouvé scent comparable to Cuoio di Russia by I Profumi di Firenze, ...since that fragrance is yet another Russian-style leather lacking any listed notes of violets.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Understated elegance is really right on the mark. I feel it’s unfair to narrow the description down to ’a leather fragrance’, while leather is not at all dominant. It’s just a name. In reality, it’s of course much more nuanced. The leather plays a humble part, subtly playing along with the beautiful violet, aldehydics, cedar, and very subtle sandalwood. It’s airy in a most beautiful way. For a long time, I thought I disliked leather fragrances, but Cuir de Russie is so gentle, soft and elegant it’s impossible not to like. Truly a gem. Just as beautiful whether you are a woman or a man.

On my skin, this is the unisex light powdery leather others experience, but it’s also pretty floral. I get a lot of Ylang Ylang and violet first on, then a dry down with a powdery old leather, very vintage in style and reminds me a bit of Vol de Nuit, in that it is a bit like medicated foot powder on me. It lasts all day long, but is not something that is my personality at all, and I suspect I don’t like Ylang Ylang. The violet doesn’t last past the first blast, but the soft leather is nice. Perhaps this is best described as perfumed floral leather gloves, maybe. Vintage certainly.

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.

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.

Like everything from this brand, this is an extremely elegant composition with a modern take on vintage violet perfumes. Beautiful and so so mesmerising in the opening. The violet is green and accompanied by citruses in the opening, with a punch from the aldehydes (but not too much), then it settles into violet and sweet woody notes. Do not blind buy but definitely give it a try!

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.

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.

A classic take on Russian leather with a genius touch of softest violets. This suits both men and women equally and definitely has the snuggle factor

Great scent!! Very well done. A gentle leather, with elegant smell, prolonged and excellent silage.