(Racy-raunchy topic, probably not to everyone’s taste, but not actually into sexual organs or man-on-man sex.)
From the annals of commercial naming: today’s entertaining ad flashing by me on Facebook, for Leather Daddy cologne:
(#1) [ad copy:] “Dominate your day with a scentsational blend of Leather, Scotch, Vanilla, & 18 Erotic Spices 😈”
A narrowly targeted product with a carefully chosen name: not just leather, referring to a scent widely perceived as both erotic and highly masculine (so used in colognes and after-shaves from all the high-end men’s fragrance companies — Tom Ford, Ralph Lauren, Cartier, Fendi, John Varvatos, Giorgio Armani, Christian Dior — and plenty of others besides); but leather daddy, evoking the BDSM world of rough, commanding daddies (in their leather gear) and their subservient boys. That’s Way Gay that you’re soaking in, Blanche.
(Note the photographer: allthingsgayandleather is (according to his Instagram page) an “Aspiring Photographer / Barista Day Job” based in California.)
The scent of leather. From my 4/10/22 posting “Further annals of remarkable commerce”, about Fort Troff’s Leather Scented Oil and a device for sniffing it into both nostrils at once:
The scent of leather is attractive to most people, seriously erotic for many people (of various sexualities), and intimately linked to raw animal maleness for some (and culturally associated with BDSM practices, horses, much more). So it’s worked into tons of body fragrances and other scenting products (you can buy leather-scent spray for automobiles, for example).
Nevertheless, recreational leather-scent sniffing isn’t a practice familiar to me; I think you should assume that the leather oil is just a screen for poppers [inhaled volatile fluids used to enhance sexual encounters].
Meanwhile, in the world of fragrances for men, the classic American leather scent is named English Leather (and was previously called Russian Leather; now, Tom Ford offers a fragrance called Tuscan Leather; where are the fragrances Kentucky Leather, Preakness Leather, and Belmont Leather? Or just American Leather?) From the Dana Classic Fragrances, Inc. site:
English Leather was originally created in the 1930s by the Vienna-based MEM company. Because the scent was similar to what Russian saddlers used to tan leather, it was originally called “Russian Leather”. In 1949, the scent was introduced in the United States as “English Leather” because of the Cold War with the Soviet Union. This rich, sensual scent is the signature fragrance for those bold enough to express their own unique style.
(#2) Fragrance Category: Citrus • Aromatic • Woody; Top Notes: Italian Bergamot, Kaffir Lime; Mid Notes: Leather, Oakmoss, Vetiver; Base Notes: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, MuskVibrant citruses highlight this full-bodied complex of aromatic woods and mosses. The distinctive Leather signature is expertly woven throughout. Classic and authentically masculine. Pair with the After Shave and be one man with one great scent! Wear English Leather or Wear Nothing at all!
(My dad’s after-shave when I was a kid, so I can’t judge it rationally; as far as I’m concerned, it smells like solid nice guy.)
The Leather Daddy. Two views from many. First, from my 9/19/17 posting “Disney meets Tom of Finland” (about depictions of Disney’s Seven Dwarfs as muscle daddies), Tom of Finland leather daddies on the cover of a ToF documentary:
(#3)
And then, in an image from the Dark Entries site, a leather daddy in a harness and assless chaps, with a boy at his feet:
(#4) [seller’s description:] Oversized postcard Leather Daddy Contest Postcard at CHAPS at 375 Eleventh St [San Francisco], (the current DNA Lounge) one of SOMA’s [the South of Market district’s] infamous leather bars, opened in the Fall of August 1983. Looking For the Leather Daddy illustration by Robert Uyvari.
In my (admittedly rather limited) experience of actual leather daddies, their smell of choice is raw male sweat and not any sort of commercial fragrance, even one called Leather Daddy.
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