The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
So Suede started with a single material obsession: suede that never felt heavy. Rodrigo Flores-Roux took on the brief in 2023 as part of the house's INGREDIENTS collection, where each fragrance takes its name from the raw material at its center. The concept plays on a familiar contrast within that lineup: suede, not the black leather that defines another entry in the series, but the soft, almost velvety version that holds warmth differently. The name came last, after the formula did. They'd built something genuinely about suede. Calling it anything else would have been a lie. That naming logic is the spine of the whole project. Every INGREDIENTS release is built around the raw material it borrows its title from, and So Suede follows that rule without compromise.
What's interesting is what Flores-Roux left out of the equation. The leather accord relies on a black leather and beige suede harmony, backed by oakmoss absolute and cedarwood essence Atlas upcycled from a by-product stream. There's no animalic shortcut. No screech. Just a material reimagined through quieter means. The interplay between those two suede and leather accords gives the composition its central tension. Black leather contributes depth, a slightly smoky density, while beige suede pulls everything back into a powdery softness, almost like suede just under the finger.
The evolution
The first fifteen minutes belong to clary sage and thyme, herbal enough to clear a room, then artemisia adds a bitter green edge that reads almost medicinal. It feels like an apothecary at dawn. Around the thirty-minute mark, styrax arrives heavy, a resinous sweetness that could go syrupy but doesn't, because iris concrete and osmanthus are already threading cool, leathery florals underneath. What surprises is how much the suede softens the transition. Where you'd expect smoke or tar, there's fabric. The base settles within two hours into something that smells less like perfume and more like a well-worn coat collar. Cedarwood dries the edges, oakmoss roots it, and the suede stays the longest, haunting clothes the next day with a faint powdery warmth. As the hours pass, the composition continues to compress.
Cultural impact
So Suede treats the material as more than just a leather softer. The wearer isn't trying to smell like a biker or a saddlemaker. They're choosing something quieter, closer to skin, the kind of scent that rewards patience over projection. It sits comfortably alongside other material-first compositions from houses that prioritize texture and composition over statement. The black leather and beige suede accord at the center is what sets the tone. Where many leather compositions lean heavy and overt, this one pulls inward, offering a version of leather that behaves more like a second skin.
The House
WilgermainWilgermain emerged from a meeting between industry veteran Francisco Gratacós and master perfumer Rodrigo Flores-Roux. Their shared vision: a luxury niche house that speaks to contemporary sensibility without chasing trends. Every fragrance in the collection carries Flores-Roux's distinctive hand, creating a cohesive world where craftsmanship and character intertwine. The house operates entirely from Mexico, where each scent takes shape under their watchful direction.
The Creator
Rodrigo Flores-RouxFlores-Roux gravitates toward bold, characterful compositions with strong sillage and distinct personalities. He excels at balancing opulent florals against warm woods and resins, and has a particular gift for citrus and neroli interpretations that feel neither precious nor fl…
