Cuir Fétiche Maître Parfumeur et Gantier 2011

This is not a sado leather as maybe the name could suggest, but more of a polished, classy leather with a feet on Prada Amber Pour Homme boat and a feet on Tabac Blond boat. It has that clean, citrusy, musky and powdery aura of Prada with the spicy, resinous leather of Tabac Blond, softened by a little bit of vanilla-heliotrope at the background of the main leather aroma. I think it's gorgeous and so far one of my favorites from the feminines selection - and also one that could be on the masculines too if they wanted it to be there.

Maître Parfumeur et Gantier, which is now the name of a perfumers on the rue des Capucines, was once the title given to artisans who would supply Louis XIV (d.1715) with scented gloves - and other items that were used by the royal household to keep away the stench of poor hygiene at Versailles.

It's also possible that MPG's fragrant leather Eau de Parfum was inspired by the gloves worn by Louis and his entourage, items that were first made fashionable by Catherine de Medici his distant ancestor (b. 1519).

So, calling this Cuir Fétiche - which can be translated as Mascot Leather - is appropriate because it can be seen as emblematic of the brand's co-opted origins. It's also a good catchy name for the product.

Although it's hard to know what Louis' gloves smelled like, never mind the original ones given to Catherine by an unknown Grassois glove maker, the modern scent isn't without precedent; but it's not quite as grand as all that.

In fact it's a good evolution of Knize Ten (1924) - although it's more complex than that. Enriched with fruity and deeper animal facets, honeyed flowers and powdery iris, the rubbery-bitter aldehydic leather is still there all the same.

Which gives Cuir Fétiche, or - by another translation - Leather Talisman, an old time feel. The name can then be traced back to Medici as well, who knew astrology and was said to be a magician.

A slightly medicinal, smokey, new leather. Touch soapy. Nice ambergris, ylang ylang, and crushed geranium leaves. Mostly dry, slightly sweet, with an occasional fruityness popping up. Lemony jasmine. Earthy, skinlike musk.

Surprisingly strong leather notes on my skin and a touch of sweet starchyness.

From the perfumes I own (or have owned) this is a little like En Avion (but without the carnation).

Use it or lose it? I will definitely be using up my decant.

Decant sample tested January 2016.

With “Cuir Fétiche,” Maître Parfumeur et Gantier creates a women's fragrance dedicated to leather, more specifically glove leather. This results in a signature scent from a house that is both a “Parfumeur” and a “Gantier,” meaning glove maker. The connection between these two crafts goes back to the centuries-old tradition of perfuming gloves. From “gantiers” emerged “gantiers parfumers,” likely for the simple reason of masking the smell of tanning. It is recorded that Charles VIII, the French king of the 15th century, received gloves perfumed with violets. Documents from the 17th century document the trade of gloves perfumed with aromatic oils, musk, amber, and civet by Parisian “gantiers parfumeurs.” The perfume house Rancé had already produced perfumed gloves for the French aristocracy in Grasse in 1795 before focusing on perfumes and becoming the court supplier to Napoleon. Jasmine-perfumed glace gloves are called “gants de jasmin” in France. Maître Parfumeur et Gantier feels committed to this tradition with their new work “Cuir Fétiche.”
The story behind this fragrance, which can be found on various sources online, is quickly told: In preparation for his new glove collection, Jean-Paul Millet Lage made a stop in the small town of Millau, known as the “capital of gloves” in the French Massif Central. He drew inspiration for the fragrance when he entered a shop with leather of all kinds and colors. He wanted to capture this atmosphere in a scent that would combine the sensual and animalistic smell of leather with the vibrant colors of the patterns before his eyes: The scent of mandarin represents the color orange, iris for violet, and jasmine for white.
The name “Fétiche” is explained by the fact that Maître Parfumeur et Gantier - similar to Guerlain with the Guerlinade - has a characteristic fragrance accord, their “fetish”: amber, musk, jasmine, and rose. The perfume house is, of course, well aware that the average customer may not be familiar with this explanation of the name component “fetish.” The accompanying advertising does not necessarily lessen the impression of said potential customers (for clarification, I uploaded the image in the forum thread about advertising posters).
When I consider the advertisement, which exudes a certain burlesque aesthetic, and try to imagine a scent that could match it, I think of an overflowing floral accord, powdery and sweet with an animalistic leather note like Kelly Calèche. The fragrance pyramid would fit, but “Cuir Fétiche” is quite different:
The fruity top note quickly merges with the floral accord of the heart note. This blooms only briefly in full glory until a dominant amber note joins in, tightening the flowers into a rather narrow corset. Woody tones ensure that there is hardly any impression of sweetness. This reminds me very much of “APOM pour homme,” although the scents have little in common otherwise. The musk note is fine, somewhat animalistic, but very subtly woven. Above all, there hovers a very fine leather note. This note reminds me of my black, shiny aniline leather sofa, a through-dyed leather that feels as soft and supple as a glove. Thus, the theme of the fragrance is wonderfully implemented.
Alongside this leather note, amber stands out for me, in a smoky, not too sweet expression. Those expecting a sweet, lush women's fragrance might be disappointed. The contents of the bottle are gold-colored, not pink, quite fitting. The shape of the bottle suits a rather solid, compact scent. Ellena aficionados might find it not airy enough. After 1-2 hours, when the floral notes are somewhat toned down, I perceive “Cuir Fétiche” as wearable for men, despite jasmine and ylang-ylang. The longevity is good, but not outstanding.
Is the scent erotic? The name and advertising suggest this. The fragrance pyramid also looks as if everything that was within reach of the perfumer and is said to have an aphrodisiac effect has found its way into the bottle. I find it hard to comprehend what pleasant shivers might run through the inclined leather fetishist when sniffing the fine leather note. As mentioned, it reminded me of my leather sofa, which I associate with coziness, perhaps a sensual touch, but no wild fantasies.
I do find “Cuir Fétiche” quite sensual. For me, it captures the mood of two people in front of a warming fireplace. Little is said. Two pairs of eyes meet. Both know how the evening will end. But it is not time yet …
Those whose first association with the fragrance is leather corset or mini skirt may find a different approach.

When you stand with "God himself" at the Maître Parfumeur et Gantier booth and, after an interesting conversation... well, I was listening... are asked if you would like to write a comment about this fragrance, you really have no choice. Sorry, that had to be said and should be seen as a compliment to a truly great perfumer who has impressed me many times with his knowledge and made some purchases inevitable.

My first contact with Maître Parfumeur et Gantier was rather unpleasant. "Route de Vetiver" is not an option for me, and my interest in further experiences of this kind was, to put it politely, not really present... but fortunately, there are other options there.

To add something to the first comment would be, to say the least, presumptuous. So I will only express how the fragrance develops on my skin. In summary, I mainly perceive... Iris, like in "Infusion de Vetiver," and there is leather... the finest leather. The fragrance does not undergo a proper development for me, and the notes listed for the top notes have more of a particle-like character. After two hours, unfortunately, the fragrance begins to fade, which is a shame in itself, especially for an Eau de Parfum, but it does not diminish the experience in any way.

Since I have always chosen a prominent wearer for women's fragrances, I will not make an exception here and borrow the incredible Audrey. Whether she actually wore leather gloves could not be researched, which is not so bad, as in my imagination they would have been more fawn brown than black... the dress would of course be appropriately matching.

For those who are still unsure whether a sample is worth it, here are a few personal assessments regarding the wearer. A certain, not to be underestimated, expectation is placed on appearance and wardrobe. No, they don't have to look like Audrey, but they must be able to convey a certain puristic elegance. It's really not for anyone under 30, as the fragrance carries a lot of life experience, which could correlate with actual age.
It is a very classic women's fragrance, stylish and perhaps a bit old-fashioned for the untrained... when I think about it, it would be incredibly intriguing to sniff this fragrance on someone under 30...