FRANCIS KURKDJIAN

Francis kurkdjian began his young adult life ( age 15) as a fashion designer but discovered that this was not his calling. He was immediately attracted to perfume and at this youthful age decided that this would be his destiny.

To Kurkdjian the relationship between fashion and perfume is a close one. He could dress people in scent just as he would have in clothing.To Francis perfume was not just an aqueous blend of essential oils and alcohol but a an essence which connects with emotion, beauty and art.
By 23 he became a Junior Perfumer at the house of Givaudan and created the now best known Jean Paul Gaultier scent 'Le Male'. From this point till 2009 he created scents for respected designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier, Ferragamo, Guerlain , Giorgio Armani and Elie Saab.

Some of his creations are:
Acqua di Parma
Iris Nobile
(co-signed with Françoise Caron), 2004
Christian Lacroix
C'est la fête
(co-signed with Jean Jacques), 2007
Dior
Cologne Blanche and Eau Noire, 2005
Davidoff
Silver Shadow, 2005
Elie Saab
Le Parfum, 2011
Le Parfum, eau de toilette, 2012
Elizabeth Arden
Green Tea, 1999
Emanuel Ungaro
Apparition
(co-signed with Françoise Caron), 2004
Le Parfum, 2007
Escada
Lily Chic, year 2000 Edition
Ferragamo
F by Ferragamo, 2006
Guerlain
Rose Barbare, 2005
Giorgio Armani
Armani Mania, 2002
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Le Mâle, 1995 - Fragile,1999
Gaultier Puissance2, 2005
Fleur du Mâle, 2007
Eau d'Amour, 2008
Ligne de beauté Monsieur (co-signed with Nathalie Le Cann), 2008
MaDame, 2008
Joop !
Muse, 2004
Juliette Has a Gun
Miss Charming, 2007
Lady Vengeance, 2007
Kenzo
KenzoKi Lotus blanc, 2002
Lancôme
Miracle Homme, 2001
Miracle Homme l'Aquatonic, 2003
Lanvin
Rumeur, 2006
Narciso Rodriguez
For Her
(co-signed with Christine Nagel), 2003
For Him, 2007
Van Cleef & Arpel
Summer and Autumn, 2004
Versace
Versus Time for pleasures, 2002
Jeans couture Glam, 2003
Yves Saint Laurent
Kouros Eau d'été, 2002
Kouros Cologne Sport, 2004.


Francis Kurkdjian took all this experience and knowledge to a higher level and launched his own bespoke atelier and like the fashion designer within him he opened his ready-to-wear perfume line by 2009 aptly called Maison  Francis Kurkdjian.

Francis Kurkdjian and travelling trunk

His 'haute couture' range of scents are for those who appreciate a private sitting with Francis, either to create a personal signature scent or a scent for special occasions. He would bring with him to the appointment his travelling trunk of all things perfume and mix (like an alchemist ) a personal concoction for the respective client.

Francis Kurkdjian treats perfume like fashion. his mood boards are filled with inspiration from anything that attracts him, from the colour of a box to the sound of music or the smell of fresh linen .

Le Luce degli Innocenti, Firenze

His creativity extends to far more than perfume in a bottle. Kurkdjian has combined performance art with perfume.One example is his 'Luce degli Innocenti' in 2011. A pious display of 800 powdery woody fruit scented lit candles on the floor of one of Florence' s most beautiful churches ,St Maria of the Innocent.

Kurkdjian has managed many of these spectacular events throughout his career. His creativity is at a constant flow and never at a standstill. By 2012 he released yet another perfume or 'story' as he likes to describe it,simply names 'Oud'.

The elegance of this modestly named scent is in the well balanced uncomplicated blend.
 Kurkdjian has added elemi (a citrus resin) to the purest form of Laotian Oud. This Oud is not medicinal or overly leathery but softer almost vanilla is tone, cedar and saffron compliment and add to the woodiness of this Oud while a subtle softer patchouli support the structure or heart . It is said that Kurkdjian created this Oud after dreaming of a splendid white palace in the Sahara desert.
Francis kurkdjian's Oud is an exclusively alluring  experience.




written by Lily

Maison Francis Kurkdjian available @ Mecca Myer Melbourne.