Get to know the man behind the famed Maison Francis Kurkdjian and his newest fragrance for the modern man

THE MAN BEHIND MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN CHATS WITH ANINDYA DEVY ABOUT HIS LATEST CREATION AND THE STORY BEHIND IT

W hile quite a few of us are perhaps aware of the brand called Maison Francis Kurkdjian, perhaps not all of us are quite as familiar with the man behind it, the actual Francis Kurkdjian. For sure, he is one of the most renowned perfumers in the world thanks to the vision that he brings into each of his creations. Recently, the master perfumer debuted l’Homme À la rose where Kurkdjian, in a unique twist, uses rose for a man’s fragrance. We talked to the master perfumer about his latest creation and the meaning behind it.

DAMAN: First and foremost, congratulations on the launch of l’Homme À la rose. Can you share with us the story behind the creation of this unique fragrance?

Francis Kurkdjian:

L’Homme A la rose is the second opus of a story that started a few years ago with a fragrance named À la rose. This eau de parfum has been inspired by a famous portrait by Elizabeth Vigée Le Brun of Marie Antoinette holding a rose—her favorite flower—in her hand. The story behind this painting is very modern even if it was painted more than 200 years ago. Instead of holding the conventional attributes of royalty, the queen stands with a rose in her hand, a true symbol of femininity.

A couple of years ago, Marc Chaya—CEO and co-founder of the house—and I were discussing about our upcoming launch. It was a kind of open brainstorming session and I said: “We made À la rose, l’eau À la rose, so why not l’Homme À la rose?” We instantly fell in love with this name and were convinced it was strong enough to become a story for a scent. When I create, the name of the fragrance always comes first. It sums up what I want to say with my perfume, and l’Homme À la rose is the feminine counterpart of À la rose, but it is a fragrance in itself.

DA: The rose is notably one of the most feminine notes in perfumery. What was it that made you decide to use this feminine touch in a men’s fragrance?

FK:

My vision for this new scent is giving the right for men to wear a rose scent dedicated to them. Women wear roses, why not men? It is about time we move beyond preconceived notions about men not being able to wear rose scents.

Rose is very common in feminine fragrances, but the rose itself does not have a gender.

It’s the way you use it that makes the difference. Historically, rose has never really had a prominent place in men’s fragrances. In many fragrances, rose is included but plays a smaller role and you cannot even smell it as it is hidden behind other notes or blended with darker notes that blur it.

With l’Homme À la rose I wanted to create a rose scent for men that was truly recognizable as rose and define my interpretation of what masculinity means right now.

DA: Now that you’ve successfully put roses in a scent for men, do you plan to use any other flower as well?

FK:

There is a wall between femininity and masculinity at large. However, it moves as society evolves. The choice of perfume is no longer defined or limited by our gender. Our society evolves, so does the way we choose a perfume as consumers. Therefore, as a creator, I believe it is my mission to rethink how I envision femininity and masculinity. Everyone is free to choose a fragrance based on their identity. The concept of women vs. men’s fragrances is very much a Western concept. For example, men and women in the Middle East share more olfactive notes such as rose, flowers, oud, amber, musk or vanillic notes.

DA: What are your thoughts about how across the industry, the distinction between feminine vs. masculine fragrances has lately become increasingly blurred?

FK:

I believe there is a misunderstanding. I am a strong believer that there are scents that suit females or males and there are some others that are gender-free. You have three categories. Through time, fashions and conventions drew traditions in masculine and feminine perfumery. In the Occident, we dedicate flowery bouquets to women and woody ferns to men. However, raw materials don’t have a gender by nature.

DA: What do you see as the next big trends for fragrances? And how do you keep yourself relevant amid these changes?

FK:

I stay away from trends. Instead, I follow my artistic vision and my feelings about the contemporary world we live in. Trends often disappear as fast as they appear. I want my clients to feel different without being concerned about whether they are wearing an outdated fragrance or not. I want to reassure them that they are allowed to wear different things, create their own fragrance wardrobe and selecting a scent to fit a certain mood or occasion. Following trends can wash out creativity and make people feel as though everybody should do the same thing. Trends are good for fashion as the pace for fashion is to outdate what was once fashionable. Scents are based on a different momentum.

“TRENDS ARE GOOD FOR FASHION AS THE PACE FOR FASHION IS TO OUTDATE WHAT WAS ONCE FASHIONABLE. SCENTS ARE BASED ON A DIFFERENT MOMENTUM”