MEMO PARIS
INDIAN LEATHER
2024
PERFUMER
Juliette Karagueuzoglou
cypriol heart
rose absolute
jasmine absolute
frankincense
vanilla co2
patchouli
styrax
oud
‘A fragrance that celebrates an Indian Leather, at once extravagant and delicate, expressing the splendour of a unique land. This perfume wraps the memory of maharajas, the presence of sacred animals, the tradition of offerings, and the aura of the Taj Mahal as a symbol of absolute love. (…) India, its vastness. It is experienced by seizing a pigment, a leather accord that unfurls around a cypriol heart: this plant with its potent, rich, smoky note is the friend of the Indian rivers. Associated with romantic success, it was used as a ritual fragrance on women’s saris and looked after men’s hearts. It also evokes the spirit of the rickshaws, the heavens, the colours, the offerings, the smiles, the lights, the dishes, the millennia, the animals, the palaces, the landscapes. From Mumbai to Kochi, from Kolkata to Bangalore, there are sensations as far as the eye can see. The journey is paved with the infinite, with wisdom, with wood and flowers, its rhythm marked by oud essence, frankincense and styrax resins, and rose and jasmine absolutes. Everything in it is magnificent, as though time and space made an extraordinary pact with the help of Ganesha the elephant-headed god. Vanilla pod extract and later, patchouli, from north to south, every vision takes on a new sharpness, a tangible thickness, a denser movement. It beckons us back over and over again to celebrate the eternal surprises it holds, as we never stop savouring its scent.’ – Memo Paris
To me, Indian Leather has very little to offer, unless this very distinct ‘oudish’ accord is to your taste.
It instantly reminds me of the ‘oud’ (cypriol more so) used in Amouage Silver Oud and some others. It’s a typical style and very recognizable. Earthy, slightly bitter, almost chewy in texture. Whereas fragrances such as Maison Crivelli Oud Maracuja or Amouage King Blue pair it with a great citrus opening, here, it falls flat into the drydown straight away. Not much progression or variation from start to finish.
It’s also not nearly as powerful as any of the ones mentioned above; which is kind of its saving grace to me. If this was much stronger or harsher, I would get annoyed by it. As it stands now, it’s just not really my thing. The only transition that stood out to me on first impression is that it gets way sweeter as it dries, and therefore somewhat more mass appealing. But there is not much of interest going on if you ask me.