Cuir Pleine Fleur / Fine Leather
Heeley (2008)

Cuir Pleine Fleur by James Heeley - gone but not forgotten. I was very impressed with this one, for a couple of reasons. First, for a leather fiend like myself to stumble upon a unique and unconventional leather scent (mind you, this one came out in 2006) is very rare. Second, I was not expecting to smell a Jean-Claude Ellena in a Heeley bottle.

Now, don't be fooled by the note breakdown with this one. People see violet leaf paired with leather, and shout "Fahrenheit," in the same way they see fruity-chypres featuring peach and shout "Mitsouko," and so on. This perfume smells like nothing I have tried. It takes bits from here and there, but as a whole, it is unique. The only thing that rings familiar to me is the aesthetic, its execution. In that regard, it strongly reminds me of Hermessence Cuir D'Ange, and overall, of Ellena's style. If someone told me this was created by Jean-Claude, I would believe it. And then, some critics claimed James Heeley to be the next Jean Claude Ellena, so there's that. I admit, I'm not familiar with the house, so I can't offer an opinion on that, but there's a strong resemblance to Ellena's style in this perfume.

As for the composition itself, this is steering more into Agrestic territory than Leather, although there is a clear presence of the latter. The leather accord behaves much as the one in Cuir D'Ange, while the rest of the perfume smells entirely rustic. It brings to mind perfumes such as Greco's Œillères, Providence Perfumes Moss Gown, and small bits of Prin's Haxan. I'd say more readily the first two. If you'd strip Œillères of its sweaty leather accord, or add a gentle leather touch to Moss Gown, you'd get a good impression of Cuir Pleine Fleur. However, there's a bit more to it, besides that - a very subtle honey note and a quite assertive cinnamon touch that sticks around for quite some time.
From the listed notes and accords, I get the violet leaf, cinnamon, hawthorne, leather, honey, and vetiver. Violet leaf and cinnamon open the way, a burst of ozonic green accompanied by the fiery-spicy kick from the cinnamon. Then, the bucolic landscape begins to shape the fragrance on a suede leather canvas. The hawthorne is prominent with its bitter-green and powdery touches, reminiscent of how it complements the leather accord in Cuir D'Ange. But then I get several "phantom accords" that, albeit not listed, are very tangible to me: hay and chamomile. It might be the way the ingredients and molecules interact, but what I smell is without a doubt a dry, grassy, and herbal heart where hay, chamomile, hawthorne, and the lingering violet leaf pave the way for the leather. The latter is a soft, suede-like take on the accord. It bears the minimum amount of smokiness and animalic twang. In the base, it goes into a creamy musk direction with hints of dry and aromatic vetiver. This is a subtle take on leather that works great during Spring and Summer, but can be worn all year round.

If Ruade is the rugged leather saddle you ride on and Œillères is the rustic waistcoat imbued with the sweat of a day's work in the fields, then Cuir Pleine Fleur is the elegant pair of leather gloves you match to your tweed suit while taking a road trip to the countryside for a breath of fresh air. It is Cuir D'Ange's rustic cousin.

IG:@memory.of.scents

For the non-Francophones (like myself), “cuir pleine fleur” means “full grain leather,” so Heeley’s play on words is with “fleur.” Cuir Pleine Fleur’s leather isn’t all that floral—it’s not a true Cuir de Russie—but it does have some floral softness courtesy of the rose and mimosa, with the latter contributing to the hay note some detect.

There’s also a good dose of violet leaf, which alongside the leather contributes to the similarity many have noted to Fahrenheit. Even with the birch tar and castoreum, though, the leather is so soft it reads more like Suède Pleine Fleur. Not a Fahrenheit clone, then, but perhaps an upscale tribute, however unintentional.

I’m loving this stuff. Alas, Cuir Pleine Fleur has been discontinued, and it isn’t plentiful in the aftermarket; so, while I can easily praise it, I can’t as easily recommend it to non-collectors. A solid thumbs up as I lament its passing—and the passing of my sample, dammit.

A lovely soft and smooth leather blended with violet florals. Very wearable and elegant, but not too formal. This is Tom Ford's Tuscan Leather done properly. Sorry Tom!

This was the first Heeley frag I've tried and definitely made me want to try others. Other times that I tried a spray, I didn't seem to get much leather, but trying this now for the fifth time the leather and suede notes are really there- they don't project as much as the grassy hay notes though. One of the more complex frags I've tried without that complexity making it difficult to enjoy. I'ts the first truly nice spring day here in california, and this frag is simply perfect for this weather. A real winner!

One of my favourite leather fragrances, but a ‘green/yellow' floral leather rather than a dark animal-y leather. I definitely get a leather that's got a clean fresh hay scent, with grass and something that smells a bit like daisies. For me this is very much a daytime scent, for less warm summer or autumn days, and perhaps even for when it's raining and you want to remind yourself of a summer late-afternoon in a field, relaxing in the last of the sun, in a fleece-lined brown leather jacket. It's more niche than versatile but a lovely fragrance to have for the occasions you want to use it.

Stardate 20170625:

This reminds me of Or Black.
Green Soapy sweet floral.
I don't get leather but then I did not in K10 either so that must be me.
Or Black is dry and austere while CPF is sweet and floral and perhaps more wearable

A thumbs up all the way