Let me start off this post by saying that it’s not my intent to offend. So please forgive me if I do! OK, given that…
WHAT I SMELL: Back in the mid-to-late 90s a group of my friends would head down to New Orleans during the Labor Day holiday season. At that time of year, the heat and humidity are oppressive. Combine that with small bars that are packed to the rafters mixed with sweat and alcohol, our group line was that “New Orleans smells like ass!” Hard Leather “smells like ass.” Yes, the opening is about as fecal as I have ever smelled. It smells like the back of a dirty bar where the mix of leather, urine and all other kinds of debauched happenings are going on. Does that mean that Hard Leather is horrific? No, it’s just real. After around 20 minutes a light honey comes out which helps to break the “hard” from the hard leather. But don’t get me wrong, this is all leather, it’s just not quite as dirty as it was. After that, Hard Leather get’s just a tad sweeter with the inclusion of some vanilla. But just when I thought the progression was over, Hard Leather becomes dryer, rather smoky and it loses any hint of sweet, but it still remains all leather, there is no doubt!
From the LM Parfums website:
This fragrance opens with a masculine soaring of rum associated with leather tonalities. The heart reveals the elegance of iris supported by the intoxicating honey.
The rich and spicy base notes of sandalwood, cedarwood, oud, frankincense, styrax and vanilla exude strength and Styrax,Vanilla depth .
Top Notes: Rum, Leather
Heart Notes: Iris, Honey
Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Oud, Frankincense, Styrax,Vanilla
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A hot sweaty dance floor.
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE HARD LEATHER: semi-tough, strapping, potent
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT HARD LEATHER: Kafkaesque
BOTTOM LINE: This is a Saturday night guys night out on the town kind of fragrance. I’m not sure where else I would wear this unless I added a layer of my favorite feminine floral fragrance on top to make it my own personal “angel with a dirty face” scent!
- Bone Rating: 3.5 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Leather
- Classification: Masculine
- Expense: 295 Euros or approximately $400 for 100ml Parfum Extrait
Thanks to Kafkaesque and LM Parfums for the 10ml bottle I received via a Kafkaesque sample draw.
The Scented Hound 
March 3, 2014 at 11:04 am
SNORT! You, my dearest Hound, are too much!
As for Hard Leather, I thought that was what I smelled 😉
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March 3, 2014 at 2:02 pm
LOL. It’s not really what one would expect. But there you go!
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March 3, 2014 at 1:14 pm
The ad picture is ridiculously terrible! And your description of Hard Leather effectively repelled me from trying it. Thanks for warning.
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March 3, 2014 at 2:03 pm
If you’re like me…if something repels me, then I kind of want to try it even more. Go figure. It’s a surprise of a fragrance, but the drydown is much more tame Lucas.
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March 3, 2014 at 4:06 pm
Dearest Hound
“New Orleans Smells Like Ass”: now why don’t you try and sell that to the tourist board as their new tagline?
Intrigued by this.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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March 3, 2014 at 4:25 pm
My dear Dandy – I can only imagine the crowd that a tag line like that would attract!
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March 3, 2014 at 4:31 pm
Dearest Hound
Well, they often have quite large disposable incomes and love to spend. Every ad man and tourist rep’s dream!
Or nightmare.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
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March 3, 2014 at 4:41 pm
I’m soooo torn here!! Your description of this scent kinda horrifies me but, BUT, I’m a sort of person who get compelled to do something totally opposite if someone says no…
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March 3, 2014 at 4:58 pm
LOL. I hope I didn’t make it sound worse than it is. It starts off like a lion, but ends up rather benign. I think this is a case of chemistry because some people think it’s the sexiest fragrance. Me, not so much. Different, but not sexy.
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March 3, 2014 at 6:38 pm
I nearly spit out my tea laughing. I’ve been to New Orleans and yes, there are certain parts at certain times of the year that do smell like ass. I wonder if Hard Leather would rock my world or send me running for the soap. I tend to think it may be a bit too rough for this poodle. Like you say, it has a lot to do with skin chemistry, but I am not a fecal fan. I worked in an animal shelter and a vet clinic and also was an EMT so I’ve spent many a day smelling of poo and I tend to not want it as a dominant note in my perfumes. I love some skank in my scents but don’t want to smell like I’ve had an accident.
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March 3, 2014 at 6:48 pm
Oh, my dear petite Poodle. The fecal note thankfully does not last for the perfume’s entirety but since it is obvious at first spritz, it’s probably like spritzing eau de poo on oneself. From the marketing materials that LM Parfums has promoted this fragrance with, my assumption is the fecal note is one that they are very aware of. I keep meaning to get you a package in the mail…Hard Leather will be part of that package!
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March 3, 2014 at 7:39 pm
Eeek, I have a 20 mL decant on its way to me and if the box smells like ass, there will be zerobchance of me trying it. I should have listened to Kafka that this is not for me! Loved your telling it like it is review.
I have never been to New Orleans but I heard it is such a foodie place that I really must make it there one day soon.
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March 4, 2014 at 11:03 am
Hajusuuri…if you really like a very manly leather, you’ll like this. If not, I’m not quite sure. As for New Orleans, I defy anyone to not have a good time there. It really is a wonderful place and you’re right the food is out of this world. I could go for a beignet right now!
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March 3, 2014 at 10:52 pm
I’m curious about this one. I imagine it is one of these concept fragrances that are great pieces of art but totally unwearable. I imagine it is something like Masque’s Montecristo – not that it smell similar but that it is very interesting and very hard to wear.
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March 4, 2014 at 11:05 am
I think from the marketing materials that one would not expect this to be office wear and I’m probably not avant garde enough to want to wear something like this on a normal basis. But there is no doubt a market out there. I have heard of Montecristo, but have never sniffed it. Hyrax huh?
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March 5, 2014 at 8:47 pm
Thank you for the very honest review. I’ve been to New Orleans and I’ve smelled that smell many times. It’s enough for me.
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March 5, 2014 at 9:30 pm
It seems that many people are familiar with that smell. It’s OK experiencing it when you’ve had a few cocktails, but not sure I want to smell like it. Well, to be honest it really is just the first 30 minutes or so where you get that fecal smell. After that it does tame considerably. Thanks for stopping by Katherine!
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March 18, 2014 at 8:50 am
OMG you made me laugh with this lively description! 😉 😉 🙂
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March 18, 2014 at 5:44 pm
😉
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May 1, 2014 at 9:47 am
Hahaha! I’m trying this today and didn’t get the “ass” smell at all. In fact, the perfume that to me “smells like ass” is Mugler’s Angel. I mean, like dirty ass–I was mildly traumatized. Hahaha. Hard Leather just smells… like leather (to me). Definitely animalic in the beginning but then it softens. I run in the other direction from Angel but with Hard Leather it’s like, come to mama. So I’d encourage people to try it. And I’m a girly girl! Didn’t think I’d like it or it would work on me but I’m intoxicated… 🙂
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May 1, 2014 at 11:49 am
LOL. Angel’s aren’t supposed to smell like ass! I haven’t smelled Angel in such a long time, now I’m intrigued to go smell it again. Wait…that would mean that I want to smell ass. Oh well! Thanks for making me laugh today 🙂
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May 1, 2014 at 2:35 pm
Right?!?! Something about the patchouli/cocoa combo just went “dirty poo ass” on my skin, and then it lasted forever and would not scrub off. Utter torture! Hahaha. Glad I could make you laugh–your review did the same for me. 🙂
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