Review: Merve Parfums Vibrant Leather (and Happy BOS Birthday to Me!)

Tony Longshore

5h • New Releases & Reviews 📝

Vibrant Leather Fragrance Review

Size: 3.4 oz

Retail Price: $65/ $39 on website (40% off) or buy two at $70

My Price: Free (Thanks Temu)

Release Year: 2025

Perfumer: Purvi Jain; CEO of Sawai Fragrances & Merve Parfums

Accords: Spicy, Woody, Leathery

Fragrance Notes

Top: Bergamot, Black Pepper, Rosemary

Middle: Cedar, Citrus, Geranium

Bottom: Ambergris, Leather, Musk

Classification

Type: Spicy, Amber, Oud — Artisinal

Occasion: Evening / Daily wear (website suggestions)

Season(s): Autumn/ Winter

Audience: Unisex (leans more into masculine)

Background on Merve Perfume:

Founded in 2023 as the child of Sawai Fragrances, Merve takes its name from the French merveilleux—meaning marvelous—and reflects a vision of modern perfumery built on simplicity and high-quality raw materials. At its heart is the belief that life isn’t about ownership, but about savoring the small, profound moments that truly matter. These fragrances invite you to slow down, breathe deep, and appreciate the richness found in life’s simplest pleasures.

Merve Parfums is led by CEO and master perfumer Purvi Jain, the granddaughter of Sawai Lai Jain, the founder of Sawai Fragrances. Building on her grandfather’s legacy, Purvi now carries that heritage forward while guiding both Sawai Fragrances and the newer houses of Merve Parfums and EZE Perfumes. Under her leadership, the tradition of craftsmanship continues while evolving into modern perfumery.

My Take

I received this yesterday after watching my Temu credit completely wipe out the full price. Merve Parfums is a bit of a social-media darling right now, and with the colder weather here in Silicon Valley, this leather release felt like the right pick. It’s definitely powerful. The first spray at 6 p.m. immediately reminded me of a fragrance I’ve never cared for; there’s a heaviness in the opening that strongly echoes Sauvage EDP, and it hit me in that immediate “scrunch my nose” kind of way. A little goes a very long way with this one.

I headed to work at my bar and I could tell the edges softened and the scent began to settle. I picked up a few compliments from the sillage, though my mind kept circling back to that Dior similarity. To give myself some peace with it, I layered a light spray of Bharara King from my travel atomizer behind each ear, which helped round things out.

By closing time at 1 a.m., the fragrance had shifted into something closer to what I wanted: Leather. Even at 7:24 a.m. as I’m typing this, I can still smell it on my skin — a spice-forward opening that dries down into a leathery, musky oud tone. It’s not my favorite purchase of the year so far, but it’s not a total disappointment either. During a late break outside with a cigar under the cold full moon, the scent finally turned into the leather profile I was hoping for, especially with the layering — and in that moment, I smiled. I’ll revisit this in October, which should allow maturation.

My Rating

Scent: 7 of 10

Durability: 8 of 10

Sillage: 8 of 10

Although the brand lists it as a unisex fragrance suited for everyday wear, date nights, or the office (“workday elegance”), it leans more masculine to my nose and feels better suited for a date night setting. The character of the scent feels more occasional than daily, especially given how powerful it is — a little truly goes a long way. When I layered it with something fruity/ sweet, the profile shifted nicely and took on a subtle gourmand/ definitive leathery quality.

Merve Parfums

Sawai Fragrances

EZE Perfumes

Submitted for your approval, Merve Parfums’ Vibrant Leather. As usual, your sillage may vary; fragrance discretion is advised.

Oh—and today marks my BOS birthday. Two years ago I joined Brotherhood of Scent, and the experience has genuinely changed my life in the best way, enriching my lifestyle more than I expected. I’ve made some incredible friends here, and while a few who were around when I first joined are no longer part of the group, I still celebrate the moments and memories we shared.

I’m also closing in on that Level 9 gap, and when it finally happens, I’ll be able to say with a smile… I did it my way.

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