The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Leather has always been about contradictions. Soft and strong. Protective and dangerous. DS&Durga's David Seth Moltz has spoken openly about his fascination with leather as a material, its range from equestrian elegance to biker rebellion, from the polished to the transgressive. Leatherize emerged from that long obsession: a transparent leather that could work with the house's other compositions, layering over florals to transform petals into rawhide, or standing alone as a statement. The 2022 release arrived with a specific intent, not to add another heavy leather to the market, but to offer a modern interpretation that felt new.
What makes Leatherize distinctive is its transparency. The butterscotch in the opening prevents the leather from reading heavy or aggressive. The iris Pallida in the heart adds a powdery softness that tempers the cade oil's smoky intensity. Cypriol oil contributes earthy, woody depth that grounds the composition without darkening it. The combination of cade oil and castoreum in the base creates a leather that feels worn-in, not harsh, tar and something almost human, but refined. Myrrh adds sticky balsamic sweetness that extends the drydown for hours. This is leather that evolved past the traditional associations.
The evolution
The opening announces itself immediately. White leather is clean, bright, warmed by butterscotch sweetness and the fresh green of cubeb pepper. Labdanum adds sticky, resinous depth that keeps the sweetness honest. The first hour moves quickly, the butterscotch fades as the heart opens. Iris Pallida arrives with powdery elegance, a soft violet sweetness that tempers the leather's bite without softening it entirely. Saffron threads metallic warmth and slight medicinal quality through the heart. Cypriol oil adds earthy, woody depth, grounding the florals. The drydown is where Leatherize earns its name. Cade oil brings smoky, juniper-like intensity, darker and more complex than typical leather notes. Castoreum emerges: warm animalic leather, hints of tar and something almost human. Myrrh anchors everything with sticky balsamic sweetness that extends the drydown.
Cultural impact
Leatherize represents a modern approach to leather that sidesteps traditional associations. Rather than heavy, aggressive leather, it offers something transparent, warm but approachable, with butterscotch sweetness and powdery iris softness tempering the smoke. The 2022 release joined DS&Durga's catalog of distinctive, concept-driven fragrances, appealing to those who want leather's depth without its intensity. It's versatile enough to layer over other compositions or wear alone.
The House
DS&DurgaD.S. & Durga is a Brooklyn-based fragrance house founded in 2007 by husband-and-wife team David Seth Moltz and Kavi Ahuja Moltz. David Seth Moltz, a self-taught perfumer and former indie musician, composes all the house scents while Kavi handles visual design. The brand creates immersive fragrances inspired by specific feelings, places, and cultural moments, ranging from the American West (J. Crew Homesteader's Cologne, 2013) to historical periods (Beverly Hills 1985, 2010) and abstract emotional states (You Kill Me With Silence, 2018). D.S. & Durga is notably a perfumer-owned house, giving the founder creative control across the entire brand. Their catalog spans chypres, colognes, and aromatic compositions, with later releases including Royal Purpure and King Majesty Bergamot Chypre (2024). The brand operates from Brooklyn, New York, and has developed a following among fragrance enthusiasts drawn to its narrative-driven approach.
The Creator
David Seth MoltzSelf-taught and deliberately unconstrained by classical training, Moltz favors an unconventional palette that includes unconventional materials alongside traditional ones. His fragrances tend toward the narrative and atmospheric, often featuring sharp contrasts: sweet against…
