With ‘Oud’, Francis Kurkdjian tells us of a star-studded night sky and the fragrant Harmattan wind that leaves traces in the desert sand of the dunes. These images gave rise to an opulent, Arabian perfume that is characterised by a Western sensibility.
‘Oud alone is not enough to create an exquisite, perfect and oriental fragrance. My oud comes from Laos, where it grows in its purest, rarest and most expensive form. On the skin, cedar wood from the Atlas Mountains and Indonesian patchouli merge with the oud. Saffron and elemi resin provide its sparkle and golden, filigree presence.
The bottle is reminiscent of a palace from ‘One Thousand and One Nights’, on which the cap is enthroned like a golden dome, with the starry night above it.
The exclusive packaging symbolises an Arabian, barred window from which one longingly glimpses the facets of sensuality. The fragrance is mysterious, enchanting, intoxicating and overwhelming.’ Francis Kurkdjian
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Paris
For Francis Nourhan Kurkdjian, luxury is in the details. A finish here. A colour there. Things that have an idea behind them and are flawlessly crafted. Luxury is a pleasure that leaves its mark on the memory. The world of Maison Francis Kurkdjian should fulfil all these criteria. Form and function converge in one direction.
‘I decided to put the word ‘Maison’ in front of my name. This is not a stylistic decision, but rather a means of expressing what I believe in: a house has a soul and a history, inhabitants and friends and sometimes children. All the feelings associated with ‘home’ come together in this word and fuel my dream: to create small pleasures and inspire others.
My ‘home’ brings together the various activities that led to its creation. Firstly, my work as a perfumer for major fashion, cosmetics and luxury brands. Then the production of customised perfumes, which I have been offering to a private clientele since 2001, followed by artistic projects in Paris, Versailles and New York. Over time, the olfactory and graphic creations were added, which eventually led to a line of perfumed products under the name ‘Maison Francis Kurkdjian’.’