When large collections have interesting sub-collections it is usually because the creative team is inspired. Ever since 2013 the Cuirs Nomades collection at Memo has been that kind of exploration of the versatility of leather accords. I am fascinated at how each perfumer creates a leather accord. I’ve always thought it is on the fashioning of such an abstraction where the artistry of a perfumer shines through.
Throughout the Cuirs Nomades creative director Clara Molloy has placed those leather accords in the center of the perfumes. That changed with last year’s Moroccan Leather which was a give and take between intense green notes and orris with the leather in a supporting role. It was an excellent departure, but I was wondering if this was going to be the next generation of Cuirs Nomades. Memo Oriental Leather answers that question affirmatively.
Clara Molloy
To not feature the leather in a perfume with it in the name means the other half of the name better produce something compelling. In the case of Oriental Leather the choice is to lean into the benzoin and spices which are characteristic of Oriental perfumes.
The spices are on fire, literally, at the beginning. Pimento and cinnamon go the red hots route. Before it gets all Halloween candy-like, coriander and anise bank the confectionary flames smoothing it out into a more traditional spice accord. Lavender provides an herbal tinted floral enhanced with clove. It is here that the leather makes its appearance as the transitory effect from the spices to the warm benzoin in the base. That rich benzoin is matched with an earthy patchouli and enough vanilla to sweeten without becoming cloying.
Oriental Leather has 12-14 hour longevity and average sillage.
This is an Oriental fragrance without the leather anywhere near being a focal point. It reminded me of a shaman who showed me his leather bag of herbs and spices. It didn’t smell like this perfume but when I did smell it all that came through were the contents and not what the bag was made of. Oriental Leather is also a magic spice bag fragrance.
Disclosure: This review is based on a sample provided by Neiman-Marcus.
–Mark Behnke
