Cabochard Gres for women

When reading about Cabochard I was afraid this would be a nosepunching scent, but its not. Warm, soft and stays close to my skin. Great. Some leather, some tobacco, some musk, a hint of flowers - not sweet - this flowers are deep and adult and wonderful. A think this scent is a bit vintage. Wonderful!

När jag läste om Cabochard så trodde jag att denna skulle knocka mig helt. Men icke, det är en varm, mjuk doft som stannar nära huden. Superhärlig. Lite läder, lite tobak (eller rökelse) lite musk, en aning om blommor -inte modernt söta utan djupa, vuxna blomnoter. Denna doften tycker jag är lite vintage. Härlig!

I was born in the late eighties, I came of age in the last decade and I’m therefore free of nostalgia for the “classics.” (Excepting the Chanels, which my mother wore.) Smelling Cabochard today, I am spared the “Planet of the Apes” moment old fans must feel, when like Charlton Heston, they cry in despair “You took out its BRAAAAAAAAAAINN!” This is the sad truth, my friends; whatever it was, Cabochard just isn’t anymore.

I got a complicated, but stale, jasmine floral with a base that was more musk than leather. It has a sort of face powder and tobacco accord as well. I wouldn’t say it's bad, but whatever perfect balance of lush floral, tobacco smoke, and rich leather that gave Cabochard its magic is disturbed and gone. Today it smells like the bottom-of-the-purse deleterious of a chain-smoking woman.

Not a big fan of this leather. For the first hour, it's terrible on me, there's a screaming floral note that annoys me, then the leather appears but it is clouded by the dirty tobacco note. muffled leather, dirty tobacco, and horrid floral opening. extremely dry and dull. The ending drydown is a little nicer, but not enough for me to purchase this again.

Al fin lo tengo y es maravilloso la salida es un poco diferente pero el secado me regresa a mis 20 añitos. es tan acojedor y tan intimo.Tiene un cierto grado de masculinidad pero de exquisita manera, tambien es sumamente sensual. y dura largo tiempo.

Amazing. This is very similar to Chanel No. 19 EDT although Cabochard is more masculine and more herbal. It is not "feminine" by any standard if you compare this to perfumes launched in the mainstream the last 10 years. But, I find this simply divine, so seductive. I'mnot sure who said this in one of the reviews, but this is Marlene Dietrich of perfumes--it's that ultra femininity you get when you pair a beautiful woman with something ultra-masculine, like Marlene in her tuxedos.

Older style chypre that starts strongly french with soft powdery florals underneath and dries ultimately to a over-powdery galbanum on my skin. Pass.

Sadly, leather's do not appear to be my thing...

This one and Fendi smell like nothing but stale tobacco to me. I keep trying to get past it but I'm not finding anything pretty at all here...what am I missing?

All I can think of is the overly tan wrinkly skinned diner waitress in her polyester uniform with bee hive hair and a deep gruff voice from smoking too many cigarettes on her break...hack, hack...

So I think I will try layering this one with something sweet and floral and see if I can't raise beauty from the ashes.

Wish me luck!

Love it - reminds me of Lentheric's orignal Tweed.

This is a perfect scent for fall and winter!!! What a find.

Finally, I got it. I was so curious (blind buy). Wow. It opens with a burst of leather that almost knocked me out. So so strong, not like a leather bag or a pair of new shoes, but a real leather workshop. More masculine that anything I've ever had.So different, and so "huge".
The leather note goes on all the way, even all through the drydown. Actually the drydown seems to develop too constantly during the more than 8 hours it lasts on me. Impressive longevity for an EdT! Good sillage as well.
This is not for any mood. I find no sweetness, only little tenderness when it dries down.
I know it's from a later decade, but it gives me associations of 1930'ies nightclubs, gamblers and bootleggers, big cigars and hidden guns - arrogant mafia mistresses with a dark aura of mystery and class.Or a film noir based on a Raymond Chandler novel.
A very adult perfume, not old, but with a sense of experience and strength.
Cabochard is magnificent. Don't wear it with a light flowered summer dress.
Love it.

Tobacco, vetiver, sandalwood...after an aggressive opening. Need to be patient with this one.

Eventually settles down into something intriging on the skin, but never tame. This is easily a unisex fragrance. Sexy but not tender. A little goes a long way: a dab on the wrists and in the base of the throat. And this is EDT! I have to be in the mood for this one, but have had it in my collection for a long time. I reach for this one when I don't want to smell ladylike, and I'm bored with sweet smells. Kind of an acquired taste but one worth developing, as it can satisfy these needs well. I think Cabochard teaches that beauty is not necessarily "pretty", and that satisfaction need not be "sweet". Cabochard is a darkling of the perfume world. One well worth cultivating, too.

Another bargain from Parfums Gres, Cabochard is well worth dabbling with if you care for chypres or leathers. It comes on strong: one part "don't trifle with me", and another part "you know you want me". Let it dry down thoroughly before deciding whether you like it, as the opening can be a bit brash. Once dry it goes all smoky and leathery with an undercurrent of spice and the chypre effect of oakmoss and patchouli with a hint of floral. Smouldering is the word here...Leather-covered pillows, a fur rug, shared cognac glass, and a hot fire -level smouldering. I wish that it had a projection and duration to match its personality---I'll try over-applying it next to see if that helps, and I will probably order the EdP at some point to test drive that too. Nota bene: if, like me, you adore Chergui, but find it financially punitive to keep on the shelf, give this a whirl as an alternate; it's not identical, but can do a decent stand-in, especially if you layer it with something creamy. Upsides: very affordable, lasts a long time on skin and especially on fabric. Downsides: over time the composition gets a little ragged, with the smokiness going off into a stale cigarette direction.

I wanted to like this one!! She didn't like me, though. Even my husband, who usually has no comment on my perfume -other than "it smells good" or "it smells like vanilla" :)- said it didn't smell very good on me. I love it in the bottle though. It's a classic, elegant fragrance, but definitely not ordinary which I love in a perfume. PM me if you're interested in a swap. She's too good to go to waste!

Expectation works against Cabochard, poor dear. Many compare it in its current form to a vintage model. I’ve never smelled vintage Cabochard, so that expectation isn’t an issue. My expectation, and I’ll own it, comes from Cabochard’s family resemblance to Aramis by Aramis and therefore to Estée Lauder’s Azurée. All are leather chypres originally created by Bernard Chant. I have versions of Aramis and Azurée bought within the last five years---ostensibly current issue. They are spectacular in recipe and ingredients, and can be compared head to head (to head) with any other leather chypres, whether niche or designer. Cabochard, sadly, cannot. Not to be simply judgmental, I’ll say that Cabochard is like a grainy, blurry photo of either Aramis or Azurée. I can see that the topnotes are meant to capture the same strong, dry bitterness as found in either of the other two, but it comes off as both shrill and thin at the same time. And it falls apart so quickly! Within five minutes it becomes clear that Cabochard won’t venture down either the leather or chypre paths, instead becoming a disorganized but harsh dry woody fragrance.

I won’t flog a dead horse. I’ll just say that Aramis proves that Cabochard need not be so bad. The Cabochard dilemma makes me consider a few angles on the difficulties of reformulation. I know that reformulation has always occurred in perfumery. This current quandry, though, due firstly to restriction on ingredients and then the meanness of the companies ordering the reformulation, seems to be particular to our time.

Some thoughts.

Zombie or Ghost?
I’d call Cabochard the unequivocal zombie, dead but still lurching among us. The name is the same, the bottle is a knock-off of the original, the juice is a cheap, cynical reformulation. Cheap, since clearly no quality ingredients were harmed in its making. Cynical, as it rides on the longstanding reputation of both the vintage perfume and the perfumer, but doesn’t offer either quality or creativity in the reformulation.

There are quite a few ghosts out there, but who they are will depend on your perspective. I find the current Vetiver by Guerlain sensational. I vaguely remember Vetiver back as far as the 1980s, and while the current rendering might be different, it is still my favorite vetiver by yards. For many, though, it is fallen just enough from its former state that they won’t wear it. Vintage Vent Vert is universally acclaimed, the 1990 version by Calice Becker was apparently a welcome ghost, and the current version is generally panned (zombie.)

Quality Reformulation
Whether done covertly (Mitsouko? Chanel 5? Habit Rouge?) openly (Cuir de Lancome ) by full-on resurrection (Azzaro Couture, Robert Piguet’s Baghari) or some combination of the above (Aramis Gentleman’s Collection) quality, money, consideration and talent pay off. (Quick note, of the acknowledged reformulations that are highly praised, it is startling how often the names of Becker and Aurélian Guichard come up.) Restrictions on the use of classic components is a drag. Fortunately, though, innovations in chemistry and botany give us powerful new tools.

Maintain the Quality of your Heritage Products
Sounds like a simple strategy but I don’t imagine that it’s necessarily easy, with changing access to botanicals and year to year fluctuations. Some make solid efforts in this direction, Chanel and Guerlain being good examples. Others, less so. I’ll leave it up to you to identify these houses. Special mention should really be made here of Estée Lauder’s success. It’s heritage products (eg. Azurée, Knowing, Alliage) continue to be available and at remarkable prices (take that, Guerlain Derby.)

Die a Good Death
There are so many vintage perfumes that lived great lives, were a gift to those who wore them, and then went away, whether remembered today or not. I’m all for preservation, and recognize that the art of perfumery remains largely undocumented and without theoretical consideration in the formal sense. There should be as many institutions like Osmothèque as there are modern art museums. The Theory of Perfume should be an elective in mainstream universities. (I’m not kidding.) But I also recognize that perfumery is an art that, like dance, is experiential and temporal. In fact, this aspect of both dance and perfume is both desirable and noble. It helps me to feel alive to be in the midst of something beautiful that will in fact end.

Simply, Change
Robert Piguet’s line is a good example of the value of multiple strategies. Bandit, Fracas, Baghari, Futur---reformulate to the original specs as best you can with good intentions, quality components and creative talent. But then there’s Visa. What a simple, smartly executed notion: keep the name, allow a great perfumer (again Guichard) to reincarnate it. No deception, no lie, no marketing sleight-of-hand. Visa isn’t an attempt to recreate the original. It takes the qualities and intentions of the original and then gives us something novel. Piguet’s latest, Douglas Hannant, a straight-up new fragrance, is an equal member in the line with the icons Bandit and Fracas.

Find a New Solution
Sure, there are whole categories of fragrance that are new—candied gourmands, aquatics, transparent orientals. But there is also an attempt to reinterpret a genre that’s been stymied. I’ve never tried 31 Rue Cambon, but I respect its statement of intent: to recreate the chypre without oakmoss. Successful? Not? I’ll leave it up to you who wear it. What I appreciate is the attempt to deconstruct the chypre, step away from it, weigh its abstract qualities, and reconsider them with a different construction. There is something intriguing about this approach. The perfumer must be passionate about a form, yet disinterested in the analysis. I have faith that this will give us some great perfumes.

OMG this is like putting your nose into a leather tobacco pouch, when its reeking with a pungent mingling of the two scents. It's as tough as whiplash and as intense as a smouldering Cuban cigar. Cabochard is so in-your-face butchy smoked-leather that I can't believe its sold as ladies. It's several notches up the gender-bending scale from Bandit and Jicky. It clings for ages. And all for a bargain basement price. If that floats your boat, no reason not to give it a go.

It is a leather dry fragrance with extra portion citrus and lemon. Sharp and without sweetness in it. Very long lasting fragrance and a nice scent for the Dorothy and Sophia characters from the "Golden girls".

Cabochard has character and an unrelenting presence: very green, smokey, Moroccan leathery, and tinted with spice. I never thought of it as a floral, and the rose is meek, softening the edge of the more powerful notes. I love to wear it in autumn, no idea why, and when wearing boots and pants and a tweed jacket. I didn't know there was a new formulation - I still have a little more than one out of three original bottles left, I've worn it for decades. Not a young or shy woman's fragrance.

Oh Cabochard, you are a heart breaker.

This is such a sensational fragrance.
Not for the weak of heart, shy, or the unconfident.
This radiates as someone who is assured of themselves and comfortable in their own skin. They aren't afraid to be who they are and and very confident in their sexuality.

On the first spritz you are taken by surprise with its sharp spiciness. Later, the dry down turns into sexy leather with the slightest hint of tobacco on my skin. There is a slight softness to counteract the complexity of the dry down. Maybe the sandalwood?

No matter what the notes are, this one is a classic.

Edit:
I've had this fragrance close to a month and the more I wear it the more I fall in love. With time, it seems that I have picked up on more of the warmness in the perfume.
I tend to grab this for nights out, for work when I'm feeling feisty, or even when I'm snuggled with a book and a glass of wine.

It is a scent that enhances the mood when you are self assured.

I just scored a vintage 100 ml EDP today, at a tiny, tiny rundown perfume shop for about $20!!!!! Isn't this bargain of the century of what? Yes, it's leather, leather, smoke and more leather... But what an intriguing fragrance!. Very sexy, like the scent of Aston Martin DBS interior leather. Must wear this with thick, black cashmere sweater and leather pants.

I never had the chance to smell the original Cabochard yet, but I've to say that the current formulation still smells pretty good. It opens with a bitter green accord while extremely pitched citruses float around. Floral patterns make their appearance together with animalic leather notes adding body and complexity to this extremely influential fragrance.

A point of strength of this composition is the appearantly "simple smell" that makes of it an easy option for leather beginners as well as a satysfying experience for the most trained noses. I trust more aknowledged reviewrers than I, that current Cabochard has almost nothing to do with the vintage version, but IMO it still smells much better than the majority of today's mass market fragrances.

While Cabochard is anything but aged, it still has a remarkable old-fashioned vibe that works as a reminder of its status as a classic leather-chypre. Definitely unisex. A mandatory try!

Rating: 8/10

Cabochard has been a permanent part of my perfume wardrobe for several years, but I have to be in the mood for it. Even so,the actual pure parfum (if you can find it) is quite a unique fragrance and significantly different from the Eau de Toilette which is no more than a pale shadow of the Cabochard soul. A few drops of the pure parfum goes a very long way indeed and is at its best in winter.
I recall one freezing winter evening, when somebody opened the door to let me in for a dinner party and immediately went, "Wow! What's that perfume?"
The fact that I was in a black chiffon sari must've added something to the general feeling of this scent...they knew what they were doing when they packaged it in a black and gold box.

Excellent perfume with a strong leather aroma. I love Cabochard

Superb! And for such a reasonable price. As a lover of leather scents I wouldn't call it cloying or heavy. It is rather deep for me. Very affordable and not casual the same time. Must try and must have. Impressive sillage and longevity even for EDT. Thank you, Madame Gres.

oh, this used to be such a fascinating fragrance for me during my teens, as it was the signature fragrance of my mother at that time. very powdery, dry and aldehydic, though so elegant, crisp and subtle ... although I wouldn't wear aldehydic perfumes myself, I would rate this 5/5, as a fragrance of its type. Highly recommended, I believe.

I have just got my delivery today-Cabochard Gres. It is really strange, I am not sure I like it, my first feeling was that is too flowery, after 20 min too much sage... I thought that will be similar to Fendi by Fendi but is compleatly different... but is nice, a little bit sharp. I think that in a couple days I will know. Or maybe I know already?

Aaah Cabochard. It's been one of my favourites since the 70s when it was part if a miniature set of five I was given including Capricci, L'air du Temps, Joy and Antilope. (All outstanding classics.) Cabochard is like nothing else. It's been re-formulated, but I still love it. Every so often the Cabochard bug bites and I just have to buy another bottle. I'm never disappointed.

The favorite of my grandmother, an elegant woman, with refined preferences! Indeed, it was with her I learned to love perfumes.
Dry and chypre.

This EdT, presumably the reformulated version, is basically a classic aldehydic chypre that starts out bitter, greenish, and not too sweet or floral. As it dries down, it takes on some all-purpose floral notes as well as a dusty, musty, woody scent that I assume is from the iris and leather accords that were used. It doesn’t last very long, maybe 3-4 hours, but that’s OK since it’s not something that I’d want to spend a whole day with. Having tried this new EdT, I’m curious to try an older version.

It's a "love me or leave me" perfume: dark rough smoky leather, very sharp and dry chypre. You don't wear it for someone, you wear it just when the mood is right: femme fatal-ish, angry-sh, heartbreaker-ish.

No way, this can't be perfume!!! It is soooo strong and stinks. If you want people to run away from you, you can be certain this perfume will achieve exactly that. It amazes me to see so many good notes in the composition of this perfume, and yet the result is a strong leather-tobacco kind of smell which is so harsh it can almost kill you.

Thanks to Yamba1 for the sample. I found this to be a really uncomfortable perfume to wear, it felt "scratchy" and harsh. The molecules in it seemed to be made of sandpaper and offended my nose somehow. Because of its popularity I know it is my chemistry, not the fault of the perfume. I can't think of any social occasion to wear this - it really takes a big, strong woman to carry this one off. Pass.

This is not Katie Perry. This is not even Madonna.

This is Marlene Dietrich, wearing a leather bustier and a top hat with a trailing black veil, impatiently tapping her silk-wrapped riding crop against the top of her high leather boot. Her face is in profile, but you know she is appraising you from the corner of her eye. She will either pour you tea, or whip you to ribbons...she hasn't decided yet.


Just don't put too much on at once, unless you are willing to wait several hours before you leave the house. I put one good spray on my wrist right before I went out, and that was almost too much of a good thing.

I got the big one. Well, it is too strong, gives me a headache. At first I hated it. But! In several hours the scent changes and I start liking it. I try to spray my clothes in the evening and wear it the next day. Kind of strange way of using perfume.

Just received my big bottle and I am very unsure about this one. It almost has a "dirty" edge. I know I smell the leather and tobacco. This one is even more powerful and naughty than Habanita. In fact "naughty" is too cute a word. This fragrance is extremely aggressive.

I am going to do what birdofparadise reommended. I just layered it with Escada ML and so far it smells amazing. Cobachard has so much muscle I am afraid it will blot out the beautiful Escada ML. I will let you all know.

For now, I will experiment layering it with other sweet fragrances. Alone, it is just too savage for me.

Update: I swapped this to Nyoka because I think the Patchouli disagreed with my breathing. For some reason, Patchouli really amplifies on me.

This one is intimidating if you are not a strong personality. Uncompromisingly leather - I had to try it out in the absence of others in case they objected too strongly. Another power fragrance for me - one, which when I wear it, I don't feel I have to be "nice" to people. However, I layered it with Juicy Couture the other day and Oh My Goodness the blend of the two is out of this world. All I could do was just stay still and breathe it in - the moment was magic. Soft and Strong and Beautiful and Complex - I've found a perfume alter-ego.

The dark leather, smoothened by sandal and amber, is contradicted by fresh light fruits in the start and equally fresh and feminine jasmine in the floral heart. Herbs and greens that could be percived as sharp in the initially blast softens and are adding a fresh airiness.
This wide accord I percive as dark yet very light, truly complex.
The androgynous effect is like putting a suit on an curvy well-groomed female. I consider this a most sensual sophisticated classic, but Im disturbed by the flat recent version. The original is unforgettable.

I have a little bottle sitting for ages in a bathroom shelf, a handout from my mom. None of us can wear it. It is just too harsh. When I was younger I actually thought it was a men's cologne so I didn´t even bothered to try it after sniffing it. When I learned it was a women´s perfume I forced myself to try it but decided never to wear it because the first stage is just unbearable to me.

This is Huge Strong Perfum for night time I think. Staying power is very good, not going away eaven when washed ;)
Not sure how this would work out on summer warmth skin.

was very lucky to find this in a 50th anniversary ltd ed. just tried it out today. ive completly fallen for this. sassy and real "it girl". its a great composition of citrus,herbal with a very slight hint of leather. luckily it suits my chemistry really well. definatly a new love for me.

Cabochard was my first "grown up" perfume, still have a bottle and has luck has it found a local chemist who still sells it.

Cabochard EDP is such a contradiction in terms on me -- it's an aggressive, masculine, bitch-goddess perfume, loaded with leather and rich tobacco, dark and smoky and sharp. But on the other hand, tobacco is sweet, smoke is warm, and when you combine tobacco and leather it gives me fond memories of my father's leather tobacco pouch back when I was a little girl and he smoked a pipe. Add it all up, and that is a powerfully comforting scent -- warm, sweet, cozy, cuddly nostalgia. In stiletto heels.

So, is it sexy and kinky and domineering and a little mean? Or is it a comfy cocoon like a cashmere blanky? It's both, by turns, and it's lovely -- so far out of the current fashion that bypasses "dated" and simply smells beyond the cutting edge, a scent too chic and daring for the herd. No one will ever guess you're wearing something you can get for well under $20 in a tacky bottle with a frosted-glass bow.

Looking at the notes -- coconut???? Are they kidding?

The more I wear it, the more I love it. When I tried Cabochard for the first time, I felt it was too strong for me. And it had to wait for some time. Cabochard has the asafoetida note, which is a little bit unpleasant for first few minutes, but this fragrance quickly develops into something wonderful, cozy and warm. I'm enchanted and delighted by its beauty.

it is the first perfume i've smelled when i was younger...it's a leather...and i do get: leather and also on me i get the : rose,coconut,sage,lemon a little, spices,ylang ylang,and the smokey leather...with powder...nice one! I love it! Love leather...

Cabochard is my another blind buy based on the fact that it contains leather. And it's love at first sniff. Honestly I cannot single out the notes, all I know is that it is very leathery, sharp, brisk and sophisticated. There is something masculine about it, since each time I wear it my husband accuses me of stealing one of his scents :) It can easily function as unisex. I have an EDT and it lasts very long, and it is not necessary to refresh it, but still I like to reapply it at the end of the day, for the sheer pleasure of it. This is a treat!
I really hope it will not be discontinued, anyway I have stored a back up bottle just in case. Great stuff for fans of classic, sharp and a bit "masculine" notes. Perfect for elegant and casual outfit, but not for sport clothes, as this would be a desecration.

I like it. Warm en yet fresh.
I am not crazy about his head notes,
but the heart and specially the base
notes are beautiful, powerful, warm in a fresh way. Difficult to explain, may be is the vetiver (just a hint, otherways the fragrance should be too dry)that makes the fragrance fresh.
While the head notes are just heavy, not
pleasant to my nose.

Eu não gosto desse perfume, tem algo que me incomoda e me faz ter dor de cabeça.Comprei sem conhecer e dei para minha mãe, que gosta dele.Muito masculino,melhor esperimentar antes de comprar.

I feel admiration for this perfume. Bought it without having tested it and have only used it once. It is as if I suddenly would put on leather clothes, driving away on a motorcycle. It's just not me, but I can stand from a distance and admire all these cool people on their bikes. Another world. Oh if only I had fitted in there. In my opiníon this is a perfume with strong attitude, suitable for both men and women.

Based on reviews, I think I will have to try this a couple more times before forming a final impression.

My first impression. It opens with the base notes! It begins with leather, musk, sandalwood and patchouli and that is where it stays. It's odd because I didn't get any aldehydes, fruit or floral. It just went straight to the base.

So as it stands, it is dirty leather by way of patchouli. I am not a patch lover to begin with and the patch in this is very strong.

Overall the perfume is quite strong so use caution when applying, a little goes a long way.

Hi it is exactly a year since I've written a review on this perfume. Well I bought one today. Yes it has been reformulated and it is not what it used to be. But I like the smell of leather and the drydown is masculine with a little subtle sweetnes to it.As I've written before it was one of my favourite scents years ago.It's very original and sexy.There is still that cabochard uniqueness about it.Dark sharp even strange in a chic kind of way.All in all skin chemistry has to be right.

This review is for the EDP
This fragrance starts with a blast so dreadful I thought - Oh god, why did I order this without sniffing it! I think it's maybe the asfoetida and the cheapening of the formula. HOWEVER the middle notes and drydown really do soften into a very comfortable ambery leather. I detect more sweetness than smokiness in this concentration. It's initially a bit similar to Azuree without the citrus and I feel it's not as good in the beginning. The drydown lacks Azuree's patchouli note, which I personally love and ends instead on a definate jasmine which makes it less 'difficult'. I think it's really feminine in the mid to late stages and not a bit masculine - johnny Depp might suit this but not many others! I'm comparing it to Azuree as it's Bernard Chants other and most similar, leather fragrance.
Ive had to edit this bit as I'm finding this stuff quite addictive. I have to pour it on and it stays fairly close to the skin, but it's a lovely thoughtful, quiet 'Autumn' fragrance which suits the leaves drifting from the trees. It's more melancholy than Azuree without the citrus but that's good - the serious sister, perhaps!

I feel always so smart while wearing Cabochard. It's for the clever lady.
The masculine "Aramis" is similar but sweeter. So it's a "smoky" borderline fragrance.Not for everyone.

Very french...very warm with so many nuances.....I love it :o)

Like Castor and Sissi put it....to me also it's a young man in crisp white shirt smoking a cigarette after a shower.....or a girl in black shiny strappy leather...for me the most easily acceptable unisex...(I dislike masculine lady's frags) I like that it's non-peppery, non-citrus, non-synthetic....sultry and smokey with a veil of rose-petals

Catbiscuit I loved your review! It was awesome. But I would definitely wear this out. Live a little, and step outside your comfort zone.

I just bought this blind and I have to say that it's almost identical with Miss Balmain. I don't know if it is my limited perception of notes but everytime I put this on, I feel like I'm wearing Miss Balmain which I love but would have preferred something a little different.

Edit: I've come to think that its opening strongly resembles Cristalle also...

I blind bought a bottle of cabochard based on the intriguiging reviews. At AUS$12 it wouldn't be the end of the world if it was a disaster. Luckily, I was very pleasantly surprised. Not the bold, headstrong fragrance I was expecting. I'm a huge fan of Bandit, but I believe Cabochard is a different beast. This is a gentle, alluring dry chypre with a hint of leather. Drydown gives me a strange sense of calm and wellbeing. Perhaps it is the lack of sweetness, but this has got me hooked.
Anyone looking for a signature scent that is totally different from the modern florals, please do yourself a favour and give this classic a try.

When I was a wee young'un, my Dad used to make wallets and belts and handbags from hard, pale leather pieces & leather thread. He would stamp the skins, carve out patterns & paint them. I was allowed to play with the scraps in his dark, dusty, cold, greasy, spicy smelling garage. My mother rarely went in there which added to the appeal. It was such a peaceful place.

My recent leather quest was in search of this olfactory memory. And the current release EDT has captured this magnificantly, right down the acrid chemical fumes of leather staining.

This is a cool, dark, hidden kind of perfume. Musty spices, raw leather, car tyres, a certain unidentifiable oily sweetness. The scent of concealed hideous shoes I vowed never to be forced to wear again. Booby magazines unsuccessfully hidden on the highest shelves. The youthful problem solving involved in reaching those highest shelves without getting caught. The mysteries of my father's hobbies and masculinity itself. I find it extremely soothing and cathartic.

I cannot imagine wearing this out anywhere. It is more of an indulgence for me, when I want to hide in the dark, filled with secrets.

Wow, Cabochard reminds me of a foreign palace somewhere in the middle east or India. Full of incense, smoke and veiled dancing girls. Opium pipes and black leather whips in the harem room causes one to wonder what kind of activities are taking place here.
If chocolate is the queen of gourmand perfumes, then smoke and leather are the kings of dry florals.
It is to die for.

Who knows which reformulation I own, but whatever it may be, Gres CABOCHARD edt is to me a likeable and even endearing fragrance.

My first leather experience, CABOCHARD seemed at the time when I acquired it daring and androgynous. Now, after having reviewed hundreds of perfumes, I still believe that this composition holds its own. CABOCHARD has carved out a niche in the vast, ever-expanding olfactory sphere, and is rightfully a reference for other leather perfumes.

CABOCHARD edt is a lightly floralized, slightly chypre-y, entirely wearable leather fragrance which every perfumista can afford. Despite its bargain-basement price, this composition is still better than many niche leather creations, IMNSHO. Give it a try--you have nearly nothing to lose!


And now for a mini-rant:

It may well be that this reformulation pales in comparison to the original perfume, but I cannot really trouble myself with lamenting "the good old days" back when I wasn't even alive. Yes, I am aware that hamburgers used to cost a nickel and a gallon of gas a quarter. (Et alors?) This is the twenty-first century, and this is the CABOCHARD which today you can easily buy. Could it better? What really could not? It is what is, and it's not what it's not.

LOL @River... I looked it up immediately upon waking and found that meaning :) On the first whiff, I did feel a certain connection to it. I must admit that I'd be a less complete person if I lived without ever smelling Cabochard. It has an unnerving aspect to it, which works in favor of the one wearing it... and a smouldering undeniable sexiness. I highly doubt that this scent could be ignored. I find it much nicer mixed with a plain Gardenia scent. Having recently become a non-smoker, I'm turned off by too much tobacco and leather.

I would never have imagined in a hundred years that I would enjoy leather-based scents. The thought of leather makes me cringe, however when I come to smelling leather scents, I am suitably impressed.

Cabochard, along with Bandit by Robert Piguet, are the essential, classic leather fragrances. From this fragrance I get a lot of dry, smokey and powdery leather and woods.

There are many floral notes in this composition that keeps Cabochard from becoming too masculine. The way that this fragrance has been presented, makes me think of a strong, independant woman that appears tough on the outside but is loving and feminine on the inside.

Cabochard summed up in my own words is a sexy scent with attitude. Interestingly I was nearly going to say that Cabochard smelt like an elegant, black leather handbag. It just so happens that after leaving the perfume store, a few doors down I walked past a store that sold handbags and as I walked past I inhaled the aroma of leather. In no way does Cabochard prove similar to that shiny, brand new, leathery smell we all know and love.

I'm not sure as to how much this fragrance differs from its pre-formulated, vintage self, however the Cabochard as it is now is very wearable and certainly unique.

Dear Miss Piggy, maybe your subconsciousness is trying to tell you something considering that cabochard is a french word for headstrong,lol. The name definetely suits me as much as perfume itself. And I adore Cabochard.

It's pure avant-garde in a bottle. Even fifty years later it's still ahead of time. Bitter herbs, delicate flowers and rough leather are blended together in perfect harmony. It's strong,fullblooded and with an attitude but it's never "in your face".

Of course, you need to love leather to love this beauty. I know I do.

Funny thing... I had never heard of this consciously, but dreamed about it. More specifically, in my dream there was some mention of "Cabochard" and "Fragonard". I knew it had to do with perfume. I bought a bottle of this unsniffed later that day. IDK what I can say about it that hasn't been said in the other reviews, so I'll just say that I neither like nor dislike it. What I find most interesting is how I came to buy it, since it's been said that dreams mean things...

Eternal classic, absolutely gorgeous and elegant. French style for independent, intelligent and stubborn women.

I love it and it makes me so confident and happy and pampered whenever I wear it. I don't think it is heavy for day time wear, it is quite close to Chanel No 19 (they have the leather in common)

Leather, tobacco, and a drink in front of a real fireplace, somewhere north west of Scotland! This is where Cabochard will take you :-) You will feel and smell unique, not another clone from the street's scents.

Thank you Madame Gres for giving us the Cabochard! A true masterpiece!

A guy could easily wear this fragrance, not to mention that it's on par or even stronger than some other men leather scents out there. This should be marketed as Unisex

I hate this! Too much leather, it's gaggy and strong and smoky. At least I know now never to buy a scent with leather--
my daugher, who is 35, also tried this--same reaction, she ran to wash it off but couldn't get rid of all of it.

I'm not altogether sure about this so far...

I bought it because I wanted a new perfume that I'd never tried before, because I always had floral fragrances...

I've had it on for about 30 mins... It's very strong...

i get straight smooth syrupy leather. i like it a lot more than Bandit which feels too dry, but still feel a little out of place wearing it. trying layering.

First I thought it was too masculine and had plenty of patchouli.. I couldn't find in it the sexiness and seduction that Sisi was talking about. I found it to be a heavy and tiring fragrance. After a few days I sprayed some on my wrist and forearm and I think that actually might like it.
Quite pretty and smoky. Rather heavy, but nice!
It isn't suitable for everyday use and not for everyone.
Latest update: I think I will give it away. It has become too masculine...

Wish I could find the EDP. Been searching for it for years in the USA; not available. Just caved in and bought a bottle of EDT online. There is still the (desirable) smell of leather and tobacco, but it is much harsher than the Eau de Parfum I was accustomed to using. Perhaps I should spray a little sparingly!
Has always been my favourite fragrance. But I don't think my dog likes this (for him) new perfume on me! (He will have to get used to it, poor boy).

Sex in Leather i whoud put it
a suduction in bed a Black Leather
Lingerie and her long black leather gloves caresses his hairy chest.
and the bed is pure white with black
satin bows besides the ben and her
long black hair and black penetrated eyes this perfume gives me that image

I CANNOT STAND THIS PERFUME! It smells so much like Aramis for men that I can't tell the difference actually.

the new formula is a shame...now, it smells like a coloured water ...it completely loosed its soul...as so many old fragrances.

This is very different , and I'm loving it! Cabochard has an edge to it, kind of a tough cookie type of gal but at the same time very earthy, and warm with just the right kind of femininity .

Leather, flowers, smokey, moss on the forest ground - yes, very earthy! This has just enough of a fresh,natural sweetness to it also.

Applying a non scented lotion before putting on this EDT made it last for a surprisingly long time throughout the day. I'm really loving this scent.

what is difference between Cabochard Eau de Toilette and Ambre de Cabochard? My 85 yr old mother wants some for Christmas and I don't know the difference. She wore it for many years and thinks it is unavailable so I'd love to surprise her with some but want to get what she used to wear. The Ambre is more expensive!

This unique fragrance - it's my favorite perfume. It is not like any other, not with any other fragrance obfuscate. But I think that the "properly" already mature woman. Do not use it only on hot summer days.

When I opened my husbands briefcase after he died I found it full of this wonerdful scent that he was keeping in a secret place to surprise me now and again!! What a story -hey what?

Was a favourite of mine couple of years ago. I recently decided to buy a new bottle of this grand perfume and was very shocked at how different it smells when I tested it.It does not smell the same like it used to.Or maybe I;m getting older and my skin chemistry has changed.smells like petrol on my skin.Used to smell leathery and powdery , dry and a little floral.A very sexy fragrant.

Love it. Love it. I wear this fragrance for the leather and tobacco in it. Also; I love this scent because it is not a floral and it is not sweet.

I love this scent. So many of the new and more commercial scents are overwhelmingly flowery, citrusy and with too much vanilla. I find these scents distracting and not compatible with the natural musk of a person's skin. Cabochard is more naturally a scent which would blend with a human's oils and not cover up with flowers. I like it and will always find a scent like this more to my liking. Interestingly, the dry down has a scent of roses. When I emerge from bath, I put on it and then my robe. When I come home at night my robe smells like roses and not at all like the original scent left on my skin.

I absolutely love this scent. My only complaint, is that it packs a whollop for the first ten minutes, then all of a sudden, it seems to disappear! Does anyone else have this problem? I seem to be spraying it on myself evey half hour. I even drenched my pillow in it with five sprays an hour before I went to bed. I left the room, and came back an hour later, and when I smelled the pillow, it smelled soooo faint. Am I nuts? Or does this stuff not last?

Cabochard is an old gem. I read the reviews, and many seem to see this one as a femme fatale type of fragrance, but strangely enough, I like to wear mood scents such as this while I am hiking or working outside. No stilettos there! But you definitely could wear Cabochard with chic outfits. If you own enough bottles of perfume, which I think most of us do on this site, then my feeling is to wear them where you feel like wearing them to enhance whatever you are doing at the time, and don't feel like you can only wear them in certain situations.

Girlfriend (GF): "Nice, is it Aramis?"

Me (M): "No, it is Cabochard, by Grès".

GF: "Are you using a womens scent?"

M: "Yes, so what?"

GF: Sniffing again... "Oh! I can't hardly tell the difference. What's the deal?"

M: "Well, it has some flowers in it, but yes, they are very alike... Blame it on Bernard Chant."

BTW: Replace the top notes with lemon and keep Cabochard's basenotes and you've got Homme de Grès: a classy chypre launched in 1997 that seems it has been launched in the 1950's.

Unfortunately, it has been discontinued. If your are into classics or contemporary classic-like fragrances, get it while you can.

My mom has wore this one for ages, I remember she use to have the octagonal bottle that came with a glass bow engraved on it. Anyway, she bought a new bottle a couple of weeks ago and it came in a new presentation, a taller, rhomboidal-shaped bottle like the one of the first picture of this article, but without the glass bow on it, plus it smells a bit different. She paid full price in a perfume store for it, but I'm concerned that it might be a copy. Does anyone in this community know if Cabochard has been reformulated?

A strong, sensual, true leather chypre, Cabochard has been sadly neglected as super sweet florals have gained in popularity. For those of us who love the smell of leather---ah, that early morning aroma of the tack room at the stables or the smell of your vintage Chanel Grace Kelly purse---Chabochard captures that scent of masculinity that a truly feminine woman can wear successfully.

Spicey top notes give way to delicate middle floral notes that slightly subdue the leather notes, and on my skin, there lasts a lingering deep mixture that keeps me sniffing at my wrist all day long.

Once you see Madame Gres' gorgeous couturier designs, you'll understand more about her philosophy of clothing beautiful women; that is also the heart of Cabochard.

I bought this without testing,and i did not like this at all.I think it smells like a bad perfume for men,sorry.Now i`m stuck with a 50 ml bottle of it..
If anyone wants to swap something with me just pm me..

Cabochard is a timeless leather chypre. Beautiful and sophisticated, it suits elegant women in black dresses and high heel shoes.

Leather and tobacco dry notes leave a magical trail in the air. Some other strong chypres(like Bandit, for example) will let me suffering from migrane.

But instead, I feel sexy and beautiful whenever I wear my lovely Cabochard...

I bought it without testing, total bargain, about 6pounds. I was amazed, if you like leather and tabacco go for it. Warm and very sexy!

I am a chypre fan and this is among my favorites. I have been wearing this lovely fragrance for 30 years. As a teen, I was not cognizant of what it was that attracted me to this fragrance. Now I realize that my love for tobacco and leather along with the notes of a classic chypre are what has made me a devotee to this fragrance after all these years. It is quite lovely and quite different from what you will smell on the average man or woman.

Cabochard is not for the faint of heart. It is a tough, proud, strong scent that would be right at home on a self-made woman who rocked stilettos in a board meeting. It smells old-fashioned and uncompromising, which it is. The leather and citrus dance around each other, with a hint of musky, wilted floral and the scent of dry earth rounding out the composition. I wear this one when I want to be taken completely seriously, but still want to feel a little sexy.

I wear Cabochard every day,but I didn't guess it's secret till now.I've got it and sniffed only at home.Lovely,original bottle with ribbon was intriguing.And the first impression was-"nonsense".About two hours I felt dense,a little bit heavy fog of citrus.Suddenly delicate,subtle floral scent appeared-maybe iris?And soon leather and tobacco joined.Yes,of course,it reminds "Bandit",but "Bandit"is more leathery,sharp.Cabochard is my second skin now.I use edp.Subtle,unique scent.

Cabochard is such a warm, cozy, sexy scent. It practically screams, "Cuddle me!" It has a pronounced leather scent on my skin, and gradually dries down to a salty patchouli musk. I can detect just a whisper of fruits for the first few seconds after application, and none of the florals bloom for me, but that's just fine.

This is a beautiful classic chypre, more wearable than "Bandit" but in a similar vein. If "Bandit" is your nighttime scent, this sister scent would be a perfect daytime alternative. If you're a fruity floral lover, try Cabochard for your evenings and cooler weather. The EDT is an affordable classic that is worth a try for every woman.

I wish the EDT lasted longer--I got about 4 hours out of it--but I like the scent well enough that I'll seek out an EDP or Parfum next time.

Lovely!This type of scent is one of my favorite scents...not floral, not oriental, not sweet, not sharp, not really anything in particular...it just smells so unique. I Love it! And I also agree that fragrance is not really a masculine/feminine thing, I wear whatever I like, regardless of what someone else thinks it smells like. Perfume should be for you, not for someone else. Plus, to me the right way to use perfume is very lightly so that only you can really smell it...well, and anyone that you let get close enough!

Cabochard opens with a strong blast of a juicy notes that does not indicate the deep powdery comfort to come. Almost immediately the real Cabochard emerges; dry- dusty almost- musty, delicious. Not at all sweet but not overpoweringly leathery. (I also wear Bandit, so Cabochard seems very mild after that pungent funk!) I keep sneaking sniffs of it all day; it must look very suspect to onlookers, me suddenly sticking my nose down my blouse!
This is my current favorite perfume, along with Chanel Sycomore. In fact the two of them layered is stunning! I am thinking of trying the same add-some-vetiver-for-kicks trick with Geurlain Vetiver/Cabochard if I can't pick up more Sycomore soon.

I wore this chopping wood yesterday and it kept me calm and feeling like a goddess wielding my axe among scented clouds!

Beautiful, original, warm chypre. It is very natural, beacause in it nothing sintetic scent. When I have Cabochard on my skin, it is part of me as in jazzstandard: "I've got you under my skin"...Legendary, magnificiently smell.

I find it hard to name the notes in this one (not peeking at the list). In fact, I have trouble listing what Cabochard is. I can more easily say what it is not. It is definitely NOT A COOL AQUATIC, nor is it a typical FRUITY FLORAL. It's definitely not something that's currently being worn by a lot of people. It's not something that everyone will like, as not everyone likes darkness, muskiness, and water hyacinth-tuberose-y smells.

This is super leathery, dry and masculine on my skin ... but all I've tried is the EDT, need to try the parfum which I hear is very chic.