Our take
What does Cabochard smell like?
Grès launched Cabochard in 1959. Madame Grès, a couturière known for her draping, gave the brief to Bernard Chant. The name means stubborn, and the scent lives up to it. It opens green and sharp with aldehydes, bitter galbanum, bergamot and a slightly dusty sage. The heart lets some air in. Ylang-ylang, rose and jasmine pass quickly while iris leaves a powdery trail. Then the leather arrives and fills the room. It is dry and lightly smoky, laid over oakmoss, vetiver and patchouli. Musk rounds the corners without hiding them. It is often called a wearable cousin of Robert Piguet's Bandit, which Germaine Cellier composed in 1944, and you can smell the family tie. Current bottles are reformulated and much tamer than vintage ones. The leather is never butch. It smells like a well-kept handbag lined with powder and moss.
When to wear it
Wear it in cold weather on a jacket or wool coat. One spray is enough for dinner.
It belongs to the Leather family. Cabochard is one of 3 creations by Grès in our encyclopedia.
