The Smell of Leather

One of the sensory pleasures that Suze and I both enjoy is that of fresh leather. It’s a pretty natural smell (OK so I suspect that while the chemical process used to tan leather is less based on urine than it was chemical, it’s still the same process) and one that elicits an instantaneous, visceral and involuntary response. It’s pleasurable and while maybe not directly sexual in the way that would characterise an actually paraphilia its associations with sex and sexuality are ingrained in us both.

So, imagine our pleasure after a wait of around two months the new sofa was delivered to the new house. Acres of leather, new, pristine, virginal even. Every pore of the skin from those unfortunate bovines who gave their life to cover it exuding one of our favourite smells.

Sitting on it is like being immersed in a gorgeous multi-sensory hug. Comfortable, comforting with its new cushions and springing but also tantalisingly erotic from the scents it emits. Scents amplified as the body heat imparted by just sitting on it releases the aromatic chemicals within.

They don’t tell you that in the sofa commercials!