The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
David Seth Moltz has always been drawn to leather as a fragrance category. It's bold, a bit dangerous, running the gamut from equestrian elegance to biker culture to something more transgressive. Moltz wanted to make a leather that worked differently, not heavy, not suffocating, but transparent and modern. Leatherize arrived in 2022 as that answer: a modern transparent leather that could layer over other fragrances, transforming florals into rawhide, adding weight to lighter scents.
White leather, cade oil, cypriol, cubeb pepper. Iris and saffron in the heart. These materials build something unusual: a leather that bridges rather than dominates. The innovation is in the function, the leather acts as a medium that other ingredients pass through, altered but not overwhelmed. David Seth Moltz approaches composition like a musician, and it shows. Each material has its role. The whole becomes transportive.
The evolution
The opening arrives sharp and immediate. Butterscotch sweetness meets the white leather, softening everything into something worn and familiar. Cubeb adds lift, a peppery bite that keeps the top from going heavy. As the butterscotch fades, cypriol comes forward with tar-like earthiness and a medicinal-bitter edge that the iris pallida attempts to sweeten with powdery elegance. Cypriol and saffron anchor the heart, their presence steady and bold, creating a rich tapestry of warm, resinous notes. By the fourth hour, the drydown settles in. Cade oil's smoky juniper character arrives, then myrrh's dark resin, then the castoreum. The animalic edge gives this leather smell like the real thing, a worn jacket, an old saddle, something that's been lived in. The castoreum outlasts everything. It anchors the drydown for hours while the other notes settle into something quiet and close.
Cultural impact
Leatherize arrived as D.S. & Durga's contemporary take on modern transparent leather, a fragrance that moves away from heavy, worn-in leather conventions in favor of something cleaner and more wearable. The Brooklyn house built its reputation on scents that feel lived-in and narrative-driven, and Leatherize continues that tradition. Its above-average longevity makes it a practical choice in a market segment that often prioritizes statement over subtlety.
