Which of these has leather? Bel Ami or Equipage?

Bel Ami is all about leather. On basenotes it is ranked way up in the leather ranking.
Personally I despise it. It's nauseous with that herbal leather mix.

I haven't tried Equipage so I can't speak about it.

Bel-Ami is the one.

Yes, that would be the Bel Ami--an amazing scent.

Actually, I believe both have leather notes.

I agree with previous posters, though, that Bel-Ami is more obviously about leather, especially with its tenacious castoreum base note.

Agree with others - Bel Ami has the more obvious leather feel.

Equipage has a softer spiced green tobacco/woods feel. Both are quite masculine.

These are both birds of a feather, but I think Bel Ami has the more pronounced leather. IMO, Equipage is more of a floral/spice.

Bel Ami for sure!!!
One of the best!!!
Gary

Although different, which one reigns superior in your drobe?

Bel Ami ( Leather - Spices )

I've got to say that right now, Bel Ami is one of my favorites. As much as I love Helmut Lang's Cuiron for leather, I think Bel Ami may have surpassed it for me.

I prefer Bel Ami by a longshot (My Equipage is vintage, my Bel Ami is the new stuff). The other night (It's a long story and I'm leaving a lot out of it), I ran into a very hot girl at random who just happened to be passing by in the hallway and she wanted somebody to have a drink with right then and there, so she asked me to hang out with her (I'd seen her coming and going a few times before). At the time, I was dressed a bit shabby and was wearing no fragrance-- I excused myself to my apartment to grab a light jacket while she waited). I had about 20 seconds to swish some mouthwash and grab something from my drobe-- something to impress this girl. I was really under the gun and had to grab something fast. I decided to go with Bel Ami, and I gave myself a few solid shots of it too. It was a good choice. Turns out this girl liked it and complimented me on it. She also told me that everytime she'd ever seen me and gotten into the elevator with me, she noticed how great I always smell-- so guys, sometimes you may not get compliments everyday, but trust me, people notice!

Equipage just leaves me a little cold. Bel Ami on the other hand is one of the best. Also a few weeks ago I wore it to work and got some nice compliments on it. Funny--I'd bought my bottle a few years ago and probably wore it ONCE in those two years before really discovering its awesomeness a few months ago and giving it some serious skin time.

I recently sampled vintage Bel Ami and it smelled nothing like the sample I've had for a while, so beware the reformulation. If I wanted a leather frag I would not even consider the reformulation !

Indie Guy

Ahh, I live vicariously through your experiences lol. Great story as always and leaves me wanting some Bel Ami.

Bel Ami

Bel Ami is the prize of the two in my collection, but I think I've worn Equipage much more. I'm a bit of a fool that way, saving the best so that it stays special and best in my mind/nose, but Equipage is the more workable daily scent of the two for me.

As to the original question, whatever their leather ingredient balances, I find Equipage to be more about carnation than leather, and I love that about it.

Two super greats for sure. My bottles of each are vintage, but I've tried the currently available Bel Ami from testers at fragrance counters. I find the current stuff wonderful and no detraction in delight at all from the bottle I've had for many years.

Is that what it is, the herbs? I thought it might be curry, onions, sulfur or mud. Still, it's a neutral rating for me. I can't bring myself to give it a thumbs down. I think it was an attempt to make Equipage more "80's"

(FYI gupts, Equipage has a touch of tobacco and is much mellower. You might like it)


IMHO, Eau de Hermes is the best of the Hermes leather Triad, though as the OV posted, not exactly for everyday wear.

Moreover, according to the esteemed Hillaire--whose reviews usually rock--it's a cumin bomb nowadays and someone somewhere was thoughtful enough to post a picture of the vintage bottle, which if memory serves, was inconclusive, looking too much like the new. ( Was it? I can't really remember and I can't find the post. Indeed I'm in the prime of my senility)

Sorry if I'm hijacking this thread a bit, but I would like to try the vintage EdH.
Besides, let us give praise to Hermes. It's made some of the most creative juices ever invented!

(At least until they get reformulated )

Yes, you smelled Bel Ami.

Cheers,

Mario

I sampled Bel Ami yesterday at the Hermes boutique here in Madrid.

My first impression was Root Beer. Seriously, fizzy and sweet. Then it became black licorice. I thought I was imagining things or my nose just isn't up to it but my helpers confirmed this. I got no leather

Bel Ami is marvelous in both formulations. I may prefer the new stuff, actually. The older masculines from Hermes are great and greatly underrated.

Indeed both

I mentioned that on another site once and people thought I was crazy! There's a note near the top that smells like a candy we have in the US called root beer barrels.

To me, they both represent a leather fragrance. Personally, I prefer vintage Equipage over vintage Bel Ami, but that's simply preference.

Bel Ami, vintage if you can grab a bottle. If not, the present day formulation is more restrained than the former.