Pernoire Kama Extrait de Parfum

What it smells like

Pernoire Kama is a sweet, sensual leather fragrance that the house describes as a seductive blend of berries, musk and leather. It opens with dark, juicy blackberries, immediately paired with birch tar, a smoky, tarry material traditionally used to create leather accords in perfumery. Violet and orris, the prized, powdery material from iris roots, add a soft, cosmetic elegance that contrasts with the smoke.

The heart is where Kama shows its playful side. A cotton candy note brings airy, spun-sugar sweetness, which sits against smooth leather, earthy cypriol and dry amber. The contrast between sugary softness and smoky leather gives the fragrance its tension: comforting and sweet on one side, dark and textured on the other.

In the base, moss adds a slightly green, earthy depth, musk gives a warm, skin-like sensuality, and a cashmere wool accord provides a soft, fabric-like cosiness. The drydown is intimate and enveloping. As an extrait de parfum from Pernoire's Anima line, made at 25% concentration, Kama offers long wear and a noticeable but smooth trail.

Who made it

Kama was composed by Andreas Wilhelm, the Zurich-based Swiss perfumer credited on every fragrance in Pernoire's current range. Wilhelm began in perfumery at Givaudan, trained at Luzi, and has run his own studio, Wilhelm Perfume, since 2008. He creates Pernoire's fragrances together with founders Robin Dünner and Nico Mannino.

Kama was released in 2024. Its story is about desire and the pursuit of pleasure and connection, encouraging a fuller life beyond routine. The name comes from the Sanskrit word for desire, and the bow and arrow on the bottle symbolise attraction and seduction.

Who it’s for

Kama is for people who enjoy leather fragrances but want them softer and sweeter than a traditional, dry leather. If you like berry notes, cotton candy or powdery violet alongside smoky leather, it is an excellent fit. It is unisex and suits wearers who want a sensual, attention-catching scent with a playful twist.

It is also a good introduction to leather perfumes for those who find classic birch-tar leathers too harsh, because the berries, sugar and musk make it more approachable.

When to wear it

Kama is at its best in autumn and winter and on cool evenings. It is ideal for date nights, evenings out, dinners and special occasions, where its sensual warmth feels most at home.

During the day it can work in cooler weather with light application. In hot summer conditions, the sweetness and leather can feel heavy, so save it for evenings if the weather is warm.

About the house

Pernoire is an independent Swiss niche perfume house founded in Basel in 2020 by childhood friends Robin Dünner and Nico Mannino. The house creates fragrances as expressions of personality, each beginning with a story and marked by a symbol on its bottle. All Pernoire fragrances are unisex extraits de parfum in 50 ml flacons. Kama belongs to the black-bottled Anima line, made at 25% concentration. Pernoire Kama Extrait de Parfum is available at Redolia Perfumery as a full 50 ml bottle.