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Upon first wiff, Cuir de Russie is an olfactory time machine that transports me to the turn of the 19th century as the Russian Revolution was heralding the end to an autocratic empire. The imperial government collapsed and the royal legacy of mother Russia came to an end. However everything Russian at the turn of the 19th century was high fashion in Europe. Cuir de Russie is a time capsule for the “Russian Leathers” worn by the Romanov dynasty.
Coco Chanel had a transfixion with Russian style and it influenced her aesthetic. Chanel worked with the brilliant perfumer Ernest Beaux in 1927, to create a truly liberating fragrance for the modern woman. This fragrance is very much like Victor / Victoria – its dark, leathery emanations straddle the paradigm of sex and defines the allure of a mature woman that is in command of her sexuality.
Cuir de Russie is not for the neophant, it takes a seasoned nose to appreciate its smoldering notes and intense tobacco chords. I would not say it is a pretty fragrance, but burns into a refined luxury aromatic reminiscent of Connolly Leather and Burl Wood in a vintage Bentley Arnage, layered with fine cigars and sweetened by cognac.
There is a common top note thread between Chanel fragrances. Cuir de Russie is unmistakably Chanel. It shares top notes with No.5, the same sparkling dry Aldehydes, Citrus, Jasmine and Rose accords. That’s where the similarities end and the Russian dinner party begins. This fragrance is tailored for a specific type of women. This aristocratic perfume requires a dynamic presence and maturity that adorns her charisma to beguile.
Cuir de Russie feels a bit old fashioned but everything good has it renaissance. The fragrance drydown enfolds into rich Animalic notes of Dark Leather, Smoke and Musk. The heart expands with Tunisian Orange Blossom, Calabrian Bergamot, Sicilian Mandarin, Albanian Birchwood, Iris, Rose, Ylang-Ylang, Cedarwood, Vetiver, Amber and Vanilla. If you can get your hands on the parfum grab it, although you may need to take a trip to Paris. Otherwise the EDT will do.
Now I feel like I need a shot of frozen Stolichnaya to toast my Russian heritage. Nastrovia!
Cuir de Russie 6.8 oz. $210.00
www.chanel.com
Fragrance Notes: Leather, Smoke, Rose, Jasmine, Ylang-Ylang, Amber, Mandarin, Vetiver, Vanilla
Fragrance Family: Leather, Floral
Recommended Season: Fall, Winter / Evening
Sex: Unisex
Launch Date: 1927
David Parker
Perfume Aficionado
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