I confess, Ombré Leather is one of my go-to gifts for a man, especially if I'm not very familiar with his fragrance experience. I also recommend this scent to young men who are relatively new to perfumery and uninterested in it—it's so compelling. The fact that it's popular doesn't diminish its value as a high-quality and instantly recognizable fragrance. The magic is that Ombré Leather smells like genuine leather, without any additional additives or embellishments. It's a very relatable scent—anyone will immediately recognize it as leather, and excellent quality!
In stores, you can choose between Ombré Leather Eau de parfum and Parfum (I've written about the newer Eau d'Ombré and don't recommend it as highly as these two). Incidentally, I love how Tom Ford effortlessly blends French and English: "leather" doesn't sound as perfume-y as the simpering French "cuir," and it smells like leather, not like a leather-themed perfume, which is what makes it so appealing to the general public.
I like both versions of Ombré Leather, and I find them quite similar; the differences lie in the details. Incidentally, both scents are roughly equal in strength and longevity; the changes have affected balance, not concentration. Smelling both versions side by side, I'd say the EDP smells more like genuine leather than the Parfum. But that's just a first impression; each has its own merits.
The release of the perfume seemed to be merely an excuse to improve the balance of the scent without causing outrage among its loyal fans or killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. That's what I thought when Parfum came out (before the release of the vague Eau d'Ombré Leather, which means they finally ruined the goose).
I love the EDP, but I can't help but notice that the leathery structure doesn't really settle in until the final phase of the fragrance, as if the scent momentarily loses its conscious direction and flies on autopilot or at random, a little disoriented, relying more on its own charisma than on a thoughtful execution. At this point, I feel a little uneasy, but I'm willing to forgive this minor omission in an otherwise beloved fragrance.
The fragrance develops flawlessly. As I mentioned, the Parfum version doesn't smell more concentrated. It even seems lighter and airier to me, but at the same time more lasting and precise, confidently delivering its message right to the finish.
Ombré Leather Parfum has a light, fruity, and floral heart. The opening is slightly less spicy, and the wonderful warm cardamom EDP is less pronounced in the Parfum. But the lack of a resinous-spicy opening is compensated for by a beautiful, fresh, invigorating violet leaf, light jasmine, and a more pronounced iris. We smell them in both fragrances, but in the Parfum, they serve a slightly different purpose: they lift the scent, add a transparent greenness, and soften the skin without any unwanted lipstick or creamy phantoms. The same leather, but more refined. I love how carefully the perfumer handled the iris and violet leaf: they are effective, yet elusive. The Parfum unexpectedly becomes less powdery toward the end (in the EDP, I smell more cedarwood powder), it also becomes cleaner and fresher. It lingers softly on the skin for a very long time.
Ombré Leather Parfum is more refined, as if Sean Connery's 007 had shed his black camouflage suit and revealed a tuxedo underneath. Ombré Leather Eau de Parfum is slightly rougher and drier, with a mossy undertone, warm and spicy, yet more lively and spontaneous, less long-lasting and a little more intimate. You can't go wrong if you just pick either one off the shelf without looking.
When I smell Ombré Leather, I find it very masculine, and when my husband smells it on me, he says it suits me very well. I would call Ombré Leather a fragrance that emphasizes your gender, male or female. Confidence and even a touch of bravado are its main characteristics, not to mention its sexuality.
