Suuhl

MEMO Paris' African Leather was an immediate buy for me and from there on became one of my signatures. It is a dry, spicy chef-d'oeuvre with a surprisingly broad appeal in the public despite its distinctly niche profile. Its blast of tempered, warm cardamom is so wondrously unique and intoxicating. The interplay of this cardamom with saffron, patchouli and geranium is what makes MP-AL so addictive to me. 


The leather accord is fairly tame, though over time I did start picking it up more confidently. It is definitely more in the suede category, or perhaps animal hyde - which would definitely fit the whole savannah narrative that the house is ascribing to this fragrance. And with that in mind, what makes MP-AL even more interesting for me is a subtle hint of a funky, almost sulphuric (but not in any way off-putting) animalic note. In my mind it conjures up a scene of a carcass in an early state of decay, potentially from a synergy of the leather accord with cumin and oud. Wilderness takes us all into its embrace eventually.


For me this is great for any time of day, also for all seasons, sans the hottest days. It has a really good projection and longevity, and you keep catching these whiffs of your own trail of it as you move around, where you’re reminded of how incredible you smell. Wore it today, received no less than two compliments.

There's something hard to resist in fragrances that can pull off being everything at the same time without coming off as trash. Sweet and fruity - woody - leathery - spicy - hint of gourmand - touch of screechy soapiness - dash of ultra-sour candy - inkling of bug repellent. Monkey Special is all of it. It works and it doesn't. One day I am enchanted, the next day I want to flush it.

Though Xerjoff is indubitably a behemoth of the fragrance universe, their pretty juices generally do not mix well with my sensibility and personality. Monkey Special is the only one I am able to pull off. The passion fruit, bergamot and rum play so well of each other in the beginning (I also get caramel right off the bat), giving way to subtle leather and patchouli. The musk and ambergris that join the choir at the end of the drydown really do it for me.

If there's anything I particularly dislike about this fragrance is that at times it smells predominantly like PEZ candy on steroids. The price tag is also not something to hold in high regard.

I would find it hard to understand why someone would pick "Leather Forever" over De Gabor's "Leather Forever - Arabian Edition" masterpiece. The latter is considerably more enjoyable and multifaceted, while still being a through-and-through leather perfume more than anything else.

This one here has an abundance of leather, a high quality black car seat leather. Gabor's leather accord is one of the most realistic I have come across in the industry. But other than that this juice needs more pizzazz. Moreover, it has this oily 'latrine' note which to me personally makes the whole mix slightly off-putting. The lovers of unapologetic animalic scents might fervently disagree.

What happens in St. Peter’s Basilica confession booth stays in that booth. At least until an underpaid immigrant cleaner wipes it off early Monday morning.

As a first impression, I would have thought the intended audience for Fetish pour Homme would surely be fallen Catholics. The fact that frankincense is not listed as a note makes me think this fragrance was not intended to be centred around religious shame. However, this smoky frankincense-like presence - which could simply be an olfactory experience resulting from a mash of vetiver, charred leather, dirty animalic musk, oakmoss…? - is driving this vehicle (Popemobile?) from start to finish.



To a certain degree, I would agree with the British fragrance virtuoso Aaron Terence Hughes: this may be a misnomer, as this concoction does not primarily associate in one’s mind with the notion of fetish. That’s not to say that this is not a solid fragrance. It’s just that even when it’s dirty, it’s clean enough. Especially since the drydown gives it more warmth and harmony rather than any perceived/anticipated tension, edginess and unpredictability. 

I do very much enjoy the beautiful mild notes of fig and jasmine mid-way through.

The longevity and projection on this are mammoth. EdP might suffice for a lot of people just as well, as it would likely get you noticed right away. If the perfume version is what you have, 1-2 sprays please. It will more than do.

This may not be the best fragrance out there by any means. Nor will it be the best Tom Ford fragrance - not by a long shot. But it will always hold a special place in my heart, as it was the first fragrance I ever bought at a store, 14 long years ago. The first one that I tested and instantly wanted it by my side. In fact I bought it several times afterwards as every so often I would want to trigger and relive that experience.

If milk-white was a smell, it would be this brew. White Patchouli is a chypre-style white floral concoction, it smells very clean (thank you coriander?) and there's something invigorating in it from the get-go. Definitely a daytime perfume. I love putting it on on spring or fall mornings, I used to go to work wearing it and have gotten several compliments. Not many people thought it was genuinely a fragrance, rather an aftershave or a gorgeous shampoo or fabric softener.

I've seen people call the patchouli note in here everything from overly dirty to clean and demure. One reviewer said it takes all the fun out of patchouli for her, because all of its intrinsic 'skank' has been stripped from it. Personally I have not made my mind up here. Despite the name, I don't think of patchouli when I think of this juice. It's all about the peony, rose, jasmine, coriander, musk and bergamot that sticks with me.

Can W.P. come off acrid like many claim? Definitely. I noticed that this correlates with evening time and warm, humid weather. But I still find the 6.9 rating quite low and surprising.

For purely sentimental reasons, I truly hope this does not get discontinued.