When his try and safe an internship on the Paris Opera Ballet School was unsuccessful, Francis Kurkdjian turned to his different ardour, perfumery. Since then, the world has turn into his stage all the identical – as ‘the nostril’ behind some of essentially the most iconic fragrances of our time.
(Image courtesy of Nathalie Baetens)
He may be well-known for over 40 fragrances created for some of the most important style and beauty manufacturers on the earth – the likes of Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab, Burberry, Versace, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Nina Ricci, Narciso Rodriguez and Elizabeth Arden – however in the event you ask grasp perfumer Francis Kurkdjian what his proudest achievement is, he doesn’t hesitate for a second. “My olfactory installations. The greatest to this point was within the gardens of Versailles, the place I created out of doors scented candles, scented cleaning soap bubbles and scented water for the fountains.”
Expressing his craft by way of creativity – and in essentially the most unique and surprising method – is on the core of Francis Kurkdjian’s being. “A inventive thoughts is an important requirement for changing into perfumer. The relaxation is about working laborious, and coaching even more durable,” says the person who as soon as recreated the (final) Queen of France, Marie Antoinette’s favorite fragrance. In 2003, Francis additionally partnered with up to date French artist Sophie Calle to create the odor of cash, and in 2014, for the Nuit Blanche up to date artwork competition in Paris, adopted a collaboration with Syrian artist Hratch Arbach to create the odor of blood.
Francis Kurkdjian (Image courtesy of François Roelants)
Born within the japanese Parisian suburb of Gournay-sur-Marne to Armenian dad and mom, Francis remembers a life surrounded by artwork, music, ballet, and numerous sorts of sport. He discovered to learn music, performed the piano, and attended the native ballet college. “I owe to my dad and mom and my grandparents an amazing schooling, a way of household, and issues I think about to be nice values, comparable to humanity and kindness,” he says.
His earliest childhood reminiscence in terms of fragrances, scents or smells are additionally attributed to his household. “The scents of my childhood are positively related with my household, with every member having one thing distinctive about them,” Francis remembers. “My grandfather used to dilute his personal cologne. I by no means found the recipe although – I simply bear in mind him mixing issues and creating his personal mix. I used to be so fascinated by that, and he was a hero to me. My grandmother was an actual grandma: caring, loving. She coated me with kisses, and of course her perfume, Femme by Rochas, which might be imprinted on my pores and skin.
“My late mom had totally different fragrances. She was very fashionable for her era. From contemporary fragrances comparable to First by Van Cleef & Arpels or Fidji by Guy Laroche, to Mitsouko or the primary perfume by Karl Lagerfeld. My father wore Kouros by YSL.”
Francis grew up inquisitive about every little thing and developed a love of handicrafts. After a short-lived profession as a classical ballet dancer, he tried his hand at style design. But it was at age 14 – after studying a chunk within the pages of a shiny French journal about legendary perfumers like Jacques Polge, Françoise Caron, Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Annick Goutal – {that a} seed was planted. “It was a revelation,” he remembers. “A 12 months later, after I was 15, my thoughts was made up. I’d turn into a perfumer.”
In 1990, Francis entered the Institut Supérieur International du Parfum, de la Cosmétique et de l’Aromatique Alimentaire in Versailles, and after graduating in 1993 he joined Quest International in Paris. All the whereas he continued his research, acquiring a Master’s diploma from the Paris Institute of Luxury Marketing.
What adopted was an illustrious profession that might see him create a quantity of iconic fragrances for some of essentially the most notable style and beauty manufacturers; together with Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier, which might go on to turn into one of the world’s best-selling perfumes. Throughout this time, the individual that he singles out as a job mannequin – somebody he revered and regarded as much as – is Edmond Roudnistka, the perfumer behind Eau Sauvage by Dior. “I love him for the way in which he raised the artwork of fragrance to a better degree.”
Then, in a serendipitous second, his path crossed with that of French-Lebanese businessman and former Ernst & Young companion, Mark Chaya. “We met in 2003, and with time, we turned associates. We realised that we shared the identical imaginative and prescient of life-style and definition of luxurious. Plus, we had complementary skilled and inventive abilities,” Francis says. “We co-founded Maison Francis Kurkdjian in 2009. His imaginative and prescient and sense of enterprise has been one of the important thing factors of the success behind Maison Francis Kurkdjian. I’m very proud of what we now have constructed collectively over the previous 12 years.”
And so he ought to be. Today, the area of interest fragrances of Paris-based Maison Francis Kurkdjian – what Francis calls a “wardrobe” of greater than 15 collections – may be present in over 500 high-end boutiques and department shops internationally, in addition to stand-alone Maison Francis Kurkdjian boutiques. Notable creations embody Aqua Universalis, Amyris (femme and homme), Aqua Vitae, Baccarat Rouge 540, Petit Matin, Grand Soir, and Aqua Celestia. He was additionally awarded the distinguished Prix François Coty in 2001 for his lifetime achievement.
A staunch defender of the heritage of perfumery, Francis is at first a free-spirited inventive thoughts and a pioneer in some ways. Through his creations, he conveys his up to date imaginative and prescient of the perfumer’s career and its interpretation in totally fashionable fragrances.
When questioned in regards to the course of of creating a brand new perfume, the grasp perfumer admits that there’s first a time of reflection throughout which he would envision the inventive territory he needs to discover. “At this stage it isn’t in regards to the scent itself, it’s about its function, its that means. Perfume is really a mirror of our time in a really distinctive sensory method,” he explains.
“Once I’ve gathered my inspiration, I seek for a
identify. The identify of the perfume at all times comes first, and earlier than the scent itself. It sums up what I need to say – the emotion I really feel and the story I need to inform. It’s just like the title of a guide or the identify of a portray. Then I begin writing the components, utilizing the uncooked supplies as phrases. When I’ve a transparent thought on the identify and what to do, the place to go with my feelings, I create the components within the lab. Although it’s a workforce effort to fabricate and launch a product, the primary inventive steps are relatively lonely.”
Inspiration, he readily admits, is drawn from tradition, artwork, style, couture, and his personal private experiences and imaginative and prescient. “Inspiration is the invisible half of creation. So far, my inspirations haven’t been pushed by uncooked supplies or particular notes.”
And how did the time period “perfume wardrobe” come about? He explains: “The thought of the perfume wardrobe is a picture and a parallel with couture and style. Our perfume collections have been created in the identical spirit, as an actual perfume wardrobe. Our Aqua assortment stands for a vital piece in a single’s wardrobe, a bit like a white shirt, you could put on for any event. It is contemporary, versatile and genderless. Then there may be the ‘straightforward to put on’ phase with very informal but elegant scents comparable to Amyris, Pluriel or À la rose. Our night requirements embody extra dressed-up scents like Grand Soir, our OUD assortment, or Baccarat Rouge 540. Each perfume has its personal olfactive signature for every character.”
The most predictable and apparent of all questions – his favorite and least favorite issues to odor – will get essentially the most uncommon reply: “My favourite odor can be the neck of the particular person I really like. It is sort of a refuge. And a odor I notably despise can be like everybody, the odor of rubbish within the streets…”
Being a distinct segment perfume home additionally means the creations of Maison Francis Kurkdjian have attraction for a sure type of discerning buyer. “We should not advertising pushed, we’re creatively pushed,” he explains. “I don’t need to please individuals, I need to seduce them with real feelings which might be distinctive and splendid, by way of extremely qualitative merchandise. I create as a result of I’ve one thing to say. A author writes books, I create scents – it’s my very own option to categorical myself. I’ve famous although that our prospects and I share the identical values: a college to be amazed by easy but lovely issues, a sensitivity to aesthetic codes and a focus to element, a way of stability and high quality.”
Boutique Francis Kurkdjian
When it involves exclusivity, Maison Francis Kurkdjian can be famend for the very unique bespoke fragrances which might be created for personal shoppers, with quotes ranging from a staggering 20,000 euros.
“My mission after I create bespoke fragrances is to satisfy the client’s wants and desires,” Francis explains. “Custom-made scents are the last word luxurious within the perfume world. Creating a bespoke fragrance is a query of belief and confidentiality, as you share intimate moments and recollections. I develop these unique fragrances within the course of brainstorming periods that enable me to evaluate the client’s character, setting, tastes, and recollections.”
Like any artist, the legacy he leaves behind in the future is of utmost significance. For grasp perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, his aspirations are easy. “As lengthy as my creations are worn, I might be alive.”
This May may even see the worldwide launch of a trio of fragrances by Maison Francis Kurkdjian, referred to as the Cologne forte assortment – with “freshness” enjoying the main function in these new creations. According to a sneak peek Prestige acquired of the press materials previous to the launch, “Aqua Universalis Cologne forte is the notion of whiteness pushed to the intense, a pure breath of contemporary air; the sensation, not the odor, of cleanliness. Aqua Vitae Cologne forte symbolizes the solar at its peak with a floral blaze crossed by a surge of sizzling air. Aqua Celestia Cologne forte is the encounter between the blue hues of the ocean and the sky.”
This article was first revealed within the May 2021 subject of Prestige Thailand.
