Leather
Notesblack pepperincenseleathermadagascar vanillapink peppersmokevanilla
Tags
#savory
#sexy
#smoky
Style
unisex
A kinky take on vanilla that laminates the complexity of no less than three different Madagascan vanillas with a slick pleather coating. “Carbone” is French for “carbon”, and here the black stuff is conjured with leathery labdanum and the vanilla vinyl of styrax. Vibrant, dynamic and beautifully weird.
Perfumer: Natalie Gracia Cetto
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
A close conversation after the room has quietened, with a glossy black jacket still on: Vanille Carbone suits an intimate but deliberately provocative presence. Its vanilla offers warmth, while leather, pepper and smoke keep that warmth from feeling soft or sugary.
How to wear
Start with one or two sprays on skin in cool or mild weather, allowing the peppered opening to settle before adding more. Cooler air suits the contrast between warm vanilla and smoky leather; in heat or close indoor settings, use a lighter application to keep the resinous character measured.
Who it’s for
For those who enjoy vanilla’s depth but not dessert-like sweetness, and who gravitate toward patent leather, incense and pepper. Its appeal lies in the tension between warm raw material and a glossy, slightly synthetic-feeling surface.
Release year
2025
The nose
Natalie Gracia-Cetto is a Givaudan perfumer whose work spans designer and niche perfumery. Her compositions often explore contrasts between familiar ingredients and unexpected textures. For Vanille Carbone, the complexity and animalic character of a real vanilla pod inspired her to pair deep vanilla with leather, using pepper to introduce brightness rather than additional sweetness.
Collaborators
Founder Véronique Le Bihan shaped the creative brief, asking for a vanilla that emphasized leather and spice rather than sugary gourmand effects. Her monochrome visual concept—matte against shine, darkness against light—provided a framework for Natalie Gracia-Cetto’s composition.
Atelier Materi’s story
Atelier Materi builds minimalist, contemporary fragrances around individual natural raw materials, revealing unfamiliar facets through contrast. Its approach links perfumery with craftsmanship, extending from ingredient sourcing to bottles and packaging. Brittany’s mineral landscapes and modernist design inform the house’s restrained visual identity.
Vanille Carbone’s concept
Vanille Carbone began with the ambition to take vanilla beyond dessert associations. The complexity of the pod itself became the starting point: three Madagascar vanilla preparations supply depth, while patent leather, incense and contrasting peppers draw out its darker character. The composition translates a visual study of matte and glossy surfaces into scent.
Extra info
The three vanillas are three preparations—absolute, CO₂ absolute and tincture—not three botanical species. “Carbone” is French for “carbon.” The apparently black bottle is actually deep blue, and Vanille Carbone was a 2026 Fragrance Foundation France Best Niche Perfume finalist in the iconic independent brands category.
Notesblack pepperincenseleathermadagascar vanillapink peppersmokevanilla
Tags
#savory
#sexy
#smoky
Style
unisex
A kinky take on vanilla that laminates the complexity of no less than three different Madagascan vanillas with a slick pleather coating. “Carbone” is French for “carbon”, and here the black stuff is conjured with leathery labdanum and the vanilla vinyl of styrax. Vibrant, dynamic and beautifully weird.
Perfumer: Natalie Gracia Cetto
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
A close conversation after the room has quietened, with a glossy black jacket still on: Vanille Carbone suits an intimate but deliberately provocative presence. Its vanilla offers warmth, while leather, pepper and smoke keep that warmth from feeling soft or sugary.
How to wear
Start with one or two sprays on skin in cool or mild weather, allowing the peppered opening to settle before adding more. Cooler air suits the contrast between warm vanilla and smoky leather; in heat or close indoor settings, use a lighter application to keep the resinous character measured.
Who it’s for
For those who enjoy vanilla’s depth but not dessert-like sweetness, and who gravitate toward patent leather, incense and pepper. Its appeal lies in the tension between warm raw material and a glossy, slightly synthetic-feeling surface.
Release year
2025
The nose
Natalie Gracia-Cetto is a Givaudan perfumer whose work spans designer and niche perfumery. Her compositions often explore contrasts between familiar ingredients and unexpected textures. For Vanille Carbone, the complexity and animalic character of a real vanilla pod inspired her to pair deep vanilla with leather, using pepper to introduce brightness rather than additional sweetness.
Collaborators
Founder Véronique Le Bihan shaped the creative brief, asking for a vanilla that emphasized leather and spice rather than sugary gourmand effects. Her monochrome visual concept—matte against shine, darkness against light—provided a framework for Natalie Gracia-Cetto’s composition.
Atelier Materi’s story
Atelier Materi builds minimalist, contemporary fragrances around individual natural raw materials, revealing unfamiliar facets through contrast. Its approach links perfumery with craftsmanship, extending from ingredient sourcing to bottles and packaging. Brittany’s mineral landscapes and modernist design inform the house’s restrained visual identity.
Vanille Carbone’s concept
Vanille Carbone began with the ambition to take vanilla beyond dessert associations. The complexity of the pod itself became the starting point: three Madagascar vanilla preparations supply depth, while patent leather, incense and contrasting peppers draw out its darker character. The composition translates a visual study of matte and glossy surfaces into scent.
Extra info
The three vanillas are three preparations—absolute, CO₂ absolute and tincture—not three botanical species. “Carbone” is French for “carbon.” The apparently black bottle is actually deep blue, and Vanille Carbone was a 2026 Fragrance Foundation France Best Niche Perfume finalist in the iconic independent brands category.