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South China Morning Post, Hong Kong
September 27, 2012 Thursday
SMELL of success: Fragrances Heady scents are synonymous with perfumer
who dares to be different
by Catharine Nicol
Renowned for his work with Armani, Kenzo, Christian Dior and Jean Paul
Gaultier, Francis Kurkdjian has made a name for himself as a perfumer
who dares to be different. The Armenian-French winner of a Prix
Francois Coty (the Oscar of the perfume world) launched Maison Francis
Kurkdjian (MFK) in 2009.
"Even before having my own company and brand, I always tried to be
different; not just to be different but to bring new ways to look at
things, new ways of doing perfume," he says. "For so many years,
perfume has been restricted to being bottled, the work of the perfumer
restrained to the art of blending."
Kurkdjian is talking about past collaborations such as scenting the
fountain of Versailles, creating the smell of money for French artist
Sophie Calle and a dessert for the Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris, and his
infamous perfumed bubbles that featured in the Shanghai Expo in 2010.
Visit his Paris atelier and you'll also find scented incense paper,
his popular Tour Atour perfumed leather bracelets and scented bubbles
designed for children.
"Installation is a great way to give people the beauty of perfume," he
says. "When you look at the numbers, not that many people use perfume
on a daily basis, especially bespoke fragrances, which are more than
niche."
Despite his laments about the size of the market, the perfumer has
become synonymous with contemporary fragrances, creating an array of
MFK perfumes such as Aqua Universalis, APOM (A Piece of Me), Lumiere
Noire, OUD, Pour le Matin and Pour le Soir. He has even been knighted
Chevalier des Artes et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
Kurkdjian's latest creations, Amyris Femme and Amyris Homme, debuted
this year. Dedicated to his sister, this is his third "couple"
fragrance.
"The first steps are the inspiration and the name." he says. "I don't
write any formulas. It's not about the scent - it's a pitch, a
script."
In this case, the name comes from a tree that grows in Jamaica while
also bringing to mind amyron, Greek for "intensely fragrant" and the
flower iris.
"I smell the different grades of iris I have used," he says, sniffing
the two scents on testing paper. "The magic of this product is that
the more it dries, the more it smells, which makes it unique in terms
of ingredients. What is beautiful is how it resonates with other parts
of the product and how it makes the whole beautiful, nature adding an
extra value we can't bring."
The men's scent suggests smoky tobacco, while the women's blend is
light and floral with a subtle sophistication.
"This third 'couple' fits daily ready-to-wear," Kurkdjian says,
summing up the typical Amyris Femme wearer.
"She works, she's a mum, she's a lover, she has kids; in 15 minutes
her day's preparation must already be complete. Amyris suits that kind
of way of living. No matter what you do or who you are, it will fit
the day."
September 27, 2012 Thursday
SMELL of success: Fragrances Heady scents are synonymous with perfumer
who dares to be different
by Catharine Nicol
Renowned for his work with Armani, Kenzo, Christian Dior and Jean Paul
Gaultier, Francis Kurkdjian has made a name for himself as a perfumer
who dares to be different. The Armenian-French winner of a Prix
Francois Coty (the Oscar of the perfume world) launched Maison Francis
Kurkdjian (MFK) in 2009.
"Even before having my own company and brand, I always tried to be
different; not just to be different but to bring new ways to look at
things, new ways of doing perfume," he says. "For so many years,
perfume has been restricted to being bottled, the work of the perfumer
restrained to the art of blending."
Kurkdjian is talking about past collaborations such as scenting the
fountain of Versailles, creating the smell of money for French artist
Sophie Calle and a dessert for the Hotel Plaza Athenee Paris, and his
infamous perfumed bubbles that featured in the Shanghai Expo in 2010.
Visit his Paris atelier and you'll also find scented incense paper,
his popular Tour Atour perfumed leather bracelets and scented bubbles
designed for children.
"Installation is a great way to give people the beauty of perfume," he
says. "When you look at the numbers, not that many people use perfume
on a daily basis, especially bespoke fragrances, which are more than
niche."
Despite his laments about the size of the market, the perfumer has
become synonymous with contemporary fragrances, creating an array of
MFK perfumes such as Aqua Universalis, APOM (A Piece of Me), Lumiere
Noire, OUD, Pour le Matin and Pour le Soir. He has even been knighted
Chevalier des Artes et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
Kurkdjian's latest creations, Amyris Femme and Amyris Homme, debuted
this year. Dedicated to his sister, this is his third "couple"
fragrance.
"The first steps are the inspiration and the name." he says. "I don't
write any formulas. It's not about the scent - it's a pitch, a
script."
In this case, the name comes from a tree that grows in Jamaica while
also bringing to mind amyron, Greek for "intensely fragrant" and the
flower iris.
"I smell the different grades of iris I have used," he says, sniffing
the two scents on testing paper. "The magic of this product is that
the more it dries, the more it smells, which makes it unique in terms
of ingredients. What is beautiful is how it resonates with other parts
of the product and how it makes the whole beautiful, nature adding an
extra value we can't bring."
The men's scent suggests smoky tobacco, while the women's blend is
light and floral with a subtle sophistication.
"This third 'couple' fits daily ready-to-wear," Kurkdjian says,
summing up the typical Amyris Femme wearer.
"She works, she's a mum, she's a lover, she has kids; in 15 minutes
her day's preparation must already be complete. Amyris suits that kind
of way of living. No matter what you do or who you are, it will fit
the day."