Rose & Cuir
“Rose & Cuir by Frederic Malle is a Leather fragrance for women and men”
The Quick Read
Respected, if divisive — a fresh spicy, aromatic composition with a rose undertone. Voted best for spring and fall wear — and genuinely unisex.
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Jean-Claude Ellena crafted Rose & Cuir for Frederic Malle in 2019, bringing together the freshness of geranium and black currant with the warmth of leather and vetiver. This unisex EDP opens with a spicy kick from Sichuan pepper before settling into a heart of rose and cassis, adding depth and complexity. The composition is grounded by woody notes of cedar and vetiver, giving it an earthy finish that feels both lasting and modern.
Composition & Character
Notes Pyramid
How It Wears
Application Tips
Apply this fragrance in light sprays to allow its complex layers to unfold gradually. The spicy top notes are vibrant but fleeting, while the base notes of leather and vetiver will linger for hours. Best worn during cooler weather when the warmth of the composition can be fully appreciated.
Jean-Claude Ellena
Founding perfumer · 104 fragrances · French
As a disciple and close friend of the legendary Edmond Roudnitska (creator of “Le Parfum de Thérèse”), Jean-Claude Ellena began his career with a minimalistic approach to perfumery. Since then, he has developed this approach into his own distinctive style, which is continually informed by his elegant and quiet way of being, and has been compared by his contemporaries to watercolor sketches and chamber music. Jean-Claude says that a perfume must be like “a soft caress; nothing must shock, nothing must shout”.Jean-Claude Ellena was born in Grasse into a family of perfumers. His training began at age 17, in the most prestigious laboratories – in Grasse, Paris, New York and Geneva – where he always saw himself as self-taught. Roudnitska’s minimalism never left him, however, and his compositions remain focused around a single ingredient, avoiding repetition.
Also created
Designer Frederic Malle
More from Frederic Malle
Edited by Scentsation Editorial
The story behind the bottle.
A well-worn leather-bound journal left open on a desk, where the scent of fresh rose petals mingles with the rich aroma of aged pages and warm wood.
Fig. 01 — Rose & Cuir, Frederic Malle
Where to buy.
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