Last night in one of my “rabbit hole” research about Errol i ran into a mystery. It is believed that he wore Creed Cuire de Russie created for him..well it was created in the 18th century..
It is also believed that he wore Chanel Cuire de Russie. Created by Chanel in 1927
Do we indeed know what he used?
— Selene Hutchison-Zuffi
Gentleman Tim
May 21, 2020 at 4:20 pm
I looked into this years back Selene and learned that Errol is believed to have been the first non-royal/aristocratic male celebrity to have a perfume or cologne specifically blended and made for him. It was by Creed in 1938. Creed had previously made perfumes for King George III and Napolean III, in the 1700s & 1800s, respectively.
The exact formula is either kept secret or perhaps no longer known, but it was a Cuir de Russe, which is a scent used by multiple companies, thus allowing you to create your own variation of the formula. The “Private Collection” formula sold today, though top end, is NOT believed to be of the same quality nor scent as what Errol used.
The Real Person!
May 21, 2020 at 11:16 pm
I emailed Creed today and they did say that it was private collection and in a vault. Sad.
I guess we will never know..Chanel Cuire de Russie is probably not close to Creed variation.
Gentleman Tim
May 21, 2020 at 11:26 pm
Great job contacting them and great news that they have maintained the exact formula, Selene. I’ve read that the variation available to the public these days (pictured below) is not so great.
[img]http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7060/1573/200/CreedCdR.jpg[/img]
“Cuir de Russie was created by Creed in 1938 for “swashbuckling hero” Errol Flynn. I am not sure whether the perfume used to be bolder and more intense and was eventually slightly reformulated, as have so many scents; I do not notice much outward swagger and romantic macho masculinity in this rather understated, “gray” leather fragrance.
Like many leather scents, Cuir de Russie starts with a citrus accord; it is an elegant and dry blend of bergamot, lemon and neroli. Practically immediately the leather note becomes evident too, and it is a tricky note to figure out. It seems rather subdued, not too smoky, not too forceful, but underneath that aloof, cold, silvery-gray noble surface lurks something a little dirty, a little animalic, a savage dressed up in exquisite clothes. The leather note is accompanied by a strange “salty” accord; it is so salty that I have to fight an urge to lick my wrist, where I applied Cuir de Russie. I do not know what causes that saltiness, but, whatever it is, it makes me think that this fragrance might have been an inspiration behind Christophe Laudamiel’s very salty leather scent, S-ex.
Creed’s Cuir de Russie is not necessarily one of my favorite leather scents, but I find it intriguing. The odd leather note, that beast in aristocrat’s clothing, is what keeps me re-visiting this fragrance.”
perfumesmellinthings.blogspot.com…