Leather
Woody
Notesbergamotcardamomjasmineleathermuskosmanthusroseturkish rosevetiver
Tags
#sexy
Style
unisex
Perfumer: Pascal Gaurin.
Your ardor outweighed my reason. I can recall those dark streets where we lingered, the sensual gleam of the urban neons caressing our skin. I remember you slipping an osmanthus flower into the open front of my dress.
Addiction of the senses. A perfume offering the forceful contrast of violence and sensuality. The exploration of another continent. A smoked longjing tea combined with the modern leather notes of natural osmanthus conjure an invitation to dangerous, romantic games. Vetiver creates imperceptible fluidity. Bergamot, cardamom, Turkish rose and jasmine nurture the intrigue. Many musks and leathery nuances intensify the mystery.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
An evening spent walking narrow streets, the conversation growing quieter as the distance between two people closes. Smoked tea and leather give Kar-Wai an undercurrent of tension; osmanthus and musks soften it into intimacy. Its sensuality feels deliberate rather than decorative.
How to wear
The smoked tea, leather and woody facets suggest a natural fit for cooler days and mild evenings. Start with one or two sprays on skin, allowing the floral and musky nuances to settle before adding more. In warmer weather, a lighter application should keep the leathery character from dominating.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to textured leather fragrances with floral nuance rather than overt sweetness. Kar-Wai suits a taste for smoky tea, dry woods and restrained spice, with osmanthus providing a softer counterpoint to its darker character.
Release year
2019
The nose
Pascal Gaurin, a perfumer at International Flavors & Fragrances, works with contrasts of texture and modern fragrance materials. For Kar-Wai, he interpreted Carine Roitfeld’s desire for transparency with strength, setting smoked tea and leathery osmanthus against fluid vetiver, flowers and musks. His familiarity with Hong Kong helped connect the composition to its imagined setting.
Collaborators
Carine Roitfeld shaped the fragrance’s creative brief, drawing on her admiration for Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love. She asked Pascal Gaurin to capture the contrast between Hong Kong’s small streets and polished elegance, seeking a fragrance with strength without sacrificing transparency.
Carine Roitfeld’s story
Carine Roitfeld approaches perfume as an extension of her fashion sensibility: sensual, audacious and personal rather than universally pleasing. Her genderless fragrances turn imagined encounters and cities into olfactory portraits, with an emphasis on the memorable trail a wearer leaves behind.
Kar-Wai’s concept
Kar-Wai represents Hong Kong within the debut 7 Lovers collection, whose lovers are fictional characters rather than autobiographical relationships. Inspired by Roitfeld’s admiration for In the Mood for Love, its narrative evokes neon-lit streets and an osmanthus flower slipped into a dress. Smoked tea and leather translate that charged intimacy into scent.
Extra info
The name references filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, an inspiration rather than a documented endorser. Natural osmanthus supplies leathery facets alongside smoked Longjing tea, and the official formula notes include a material called Saffiano captive. The brand presents a combined note list rather than a conventional top, heart and base pyramid.
Featured in edits and sample packs
2025 Bestsellers | For HimAwesome OsmanthusBestsellers of 2024 | Unisex
Also featured in
Gender-Bending ScentsLeather & Suede
Notesbergamotcardamomjasmineleathermuskosmanthusroseturkish rosevetiver
Tags
#sexy
Style
unisex
Perfumer: Pascal Gaurin.
Your ardor outweighed my reason. I can recall those dark streets where we lingered, the sensual gleam of the urban neons caressing our skin. I remember you slipping an osmanthus flower into the open front of my dress.
Addiction of the senses. A perfume offering the forceful contrast of violence and sensuality. The exploration of another continent. A smoked longjing tea combined with the modern leather notes of natural osmanthus conjure an invitation to dangerous, romantic games. Vetiver creates imperceptible fluidity. Bergamot, cardamom, Turkish rose and jasmine nurture the intrigue. Many musks and leathery nuances intensify the mystery.
All about this fragrance
Vibe check
An evening spent walking narrow streets, the conversation growing quieter as the distance between two people closes. Smoked tea and leather give Kar-Wai an undercurrent of tension; osmanthus and musks soften it into intimacy. Its sensuality feels deliberate rather than decorative.
How to wear
The smoked tea, leather and woody facets suggest a natural fit for cooler days and mild evenings. Start with one or two sprays on skin, allowing the floral and musky nuances to settle before adding more. In warmer weather, a lighter application should keep the leathery character from dominating.
Who it’s for
For those drawn to textured leather fragrances with floral nuance rather than overt sweetness. Kar-Wai suits a taste for smoky tea, dry woods and restrained spice, with osmanthus providing a softer counterpoint to its darker character.
Release year
2019
The nose
Pascal Gaurin, a perfumer at International Flavors & Fragrances, works with contrasts of texture and modern fragrance materials. For Kar-Wai, he interpreted Carine Roitfeld’s desire for transparency with strength, setting smoked tea and leathery osmanthus against fluid vetiver, flowers and musks. His familiarity with Hong Kong helped connect the composition to its imagined setting.
Collaborators
Carine Roitfeld shaped the fragrance’s creative brief, drawing on her admiration for Wong Kar-wai’s In the Mood for Love. She asked Pascal Gaurin to capture the contrast between Hong Kong’s small streets and polished elegance, seeking a fragrance with strength without sacrificing transparency.
Carine Roitfeld’s story
Carine Roitfeld approaches perfume as an extension of her fashion sensibility: sensual, audacious and personal rather than universally pleasing. Her genderless fragrances turn imagined encounters and cities into olfactory portraits, with an emphasis on the memorable trail a wearer leaves behind.
Kar-Wai’s concept
Kar-Wai represents Hong Kong within the debut 7 Lovers collection, whose lovers are fictional characters rather than autobiographical relationships. Inspired by Roitfeld’s admiration for In the Mood for Love, its narrative evokes neon-lit streets and an osmanthus flower slipped into a dress. Smoked tea and leather translate that charged intimacy into scent.
Extra info
The name references filmmaker Wong Kar-wai, an inspiration rather than a documented endorser. Natural osmanthus supplies leathery facets alongside smoked Longjing tea, and the official formula notes include a material called Saffiano captive. The brand presents a combined note list rather than a conventional top, heart and base pyramid.
Featured in edits and sample packs
2025 Bestsellers | For HimAwesome OsmanthusBestsellers of 2024 | Unisex
Also featured in
Gender-Bending ScentsLeather & Suede