Quick answers
History
Cuir d’Iris 14.1 is an eau de parfum by Pierre Guillaume Paris, composed by Pierre Guillaume, founder of the house based in Auvergne (France). It came out in 2007 under the house’s theme N°14, iris, in the Numbered collection. The house files it as spicy woody and sums it up in three notes: cardamom, iris old black, leather.
Cuir d’Iris was born in 2007 and has established itself as a classic of the leather family. The perfume starts from a simple, precise image: an « iris dust » laid over leather. From that starting point Pierre Guillaume draws a composition of great staying power that showcases the house’s own savoir-faire.
Its signature lies in a rare material, Old Black Iris, a black iris with facets of grape and dark chocolate. It is this iris that powders the leather, softens it and makes it racy, where so many perfumery leathers stay dry or smoky. Cardamom brings its spicy freshness on top, patchouli and cedar close the base on a woody warmth.
Filed under theme 14, the iris, Cuir d’Iris holds a place apart in the numbered catalog: a powdered, elegant, timeless leather that helped cement Pierre Guillaume’s reputation in this demanding register.
Fragrance notes
Cuir d’Iris opens on cardamom, black iris and leather, then settles on a woody base.
The through-line is that « iris dust » powdering the leather and lifting it in an ambery vapour.
Scent profile
Cuir d’Iris is a powdered leather rather than a raw one. Old Black Iris gives it a velvety softness, glints of grape and dark chocolate that round the material without sweetening it. Cardamom on top, cedar and patchouli in the base, frame this leather of sober elegance.
Its staying power and legibility make it a timeless leather, at ease across all genders. It is a perfume of bearing, with a refined trail that is never aggressive, faithful to the idea of an author’s leather. The house calls it “the leather of the iris”: the leather facets of a black iris.
Key characteristics
When and where to wear
Cuir d’Iris is a mid-season and winter scent, for day and evening alike. Its powdered leather suits everyday wear as much as dressed-up occasions. A discreet yet elegant trail.
How to wear it
Seasonal fit
| Season | Fit | Critical notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spring | ★★★☆ | Pleasant in mid-season. |
| Summer | ★★☆☆ | A little warm in the heat. |
| Autumn | ★★★★ | The powdered leather blooms. |
| Winter | ★★★★ | Its season of choice. |
Context fit
| Setting | Fit | Wearing advice |
|---|---|---|
| Office | ★★★★ | Elegant and legible. |
| Outings | ★★★★ | Assured bearing. |
| Everyday | ★★★★ | A wearable leather. |
| Evening | ★★★★ | Refined. |
| Sport | ★★☆☆ | Too dressed-up for exertion. |
Similar perfumes
The powdered leather has its references; Cuir d’Iris offers a black-iris reading all its own.
| Perfume | House · year | Why it is close |
|---|---|---|
| Costume Liquide 14.2 | Pierre Guillaume Paris | The neighbouring variation of theme 14, where iris is shaded by pepper and peony rather than leather. |
| Felanilla 21 | Pierre Guillaume Paris · 2008 | Another house scent built around iris and saffron, in an ambery register. |
| Cuir Venenum 3 | Pierre Guillaume Paris · 2004 | The house’s other great leather, orange blossom and honey over leather; sunnier and more floral, where Cuir d’Iris powders its leather with black iris. |
Frequently asked questions
See also
Sources
- Pierre Guillaume Paris catalog 2025-2026 (English edition)
- Official Pierre Guillaume Paris Company Profile
- Pierre Guillaume Paris, official Cuir d’Iris page
- Pierre Guillaume Paris, 14.1 Cuir d’Iris product page (French site): « Thème N°14 : Iris », spicy woody, « Le cuir de l’iris », created in 2007, Numbered collection, 50 and 100 ml, from 120 euros (accessed 5 November 2026)
- Parfumo, 14.1 Cuir d’Iris (German edition), year 2007, perfumer Pierre Guillaume; Parfumo also lists 14 Iris Oriental, the first fragrance of theme 14 entry: longevity 7.8/10 (40 votes), sillage 6.0/10 (39 votes), as of 5 November 2026