Renowned French perfumer Francis Kurkdjian grants Tropicana an exclusive email interview in conjunction with the launch of his latest fragrance, 724

T: What is your earliest memory of a scent or fragrance?

FK: “I have so many, from a very early age! Each member of my family had a distinctive scent while I was growing up that I still remember now. My grandfather’s after-shave lotion that he mixed himself, using recipes I never discovered. My grandmother was from a wealthy Armenian family so wearing perfume was not considered as socially acceptable. Nevertheless, I offered her Femme by Rochas, her first perfume, which she would leave on my skin when she covered me with kisses. My late mother had many perfumes; she was very modern for her generation. She used different fragrances depending on her mood. She loved both very fresh creations such as Fidji by Guy Laroche, First by Van Cleef & Arpels and deep chypre notes like Mitsouko by Guerlain or Empreinte by Courrèges. I also remember the smell of the lobby of my grandparents’ apartment, the staircase, the cooking in the kitchen, my grandmother’s pantry filled with spices and salted grape leaves, and the smell of over-ripe bananas!”
  

T: Who has most inspired your career and why?
FK: “I decided that I wanted to be a perfumer at a very young age, thanks to an article about some of the greatest perfumers of that time. By far, the most memorable mentors from the early days of my journey as a perfumer were Isabelle Doyen, the perfumer for Annick Goutal, who taught and trained us to smell natural and synthetic raw materials, along with finished fragrances from the market. André Slagmulder, a perfumer specialising in household products, who taught us how to create single accords. Guy Robert, master perfumer behind classics such as Equipage by Hermès, Madame by Rochas, Dioressence and Gucci scents, and Sophie Labbé from Givaudan, who would come and show us the newly launched fragrances.”

T: What do you like most about being a perfumer? 
FK: “Perfume is my means of creative expression, it’s the way I tell stories to the world. Many people think creating perfumes has something to do with chemistry. Being a perfumer is not being a chemist. Painters are not chemists, even though they play with colours. And I always say I am not a “nose”. Do you call a pianist a “hand”, because they use theirs hands to work and create their art? No, creating a perfume is more about the grey matter, creativity, inspiration; it is an emotional process as well as a creative one. Being a perfumer is like acting. You are given a script and you work with a team. As an actor, you can play in romantic comedy, a thriller in a sci-fi movie or a biopic. At some point, you may want to go behind the camera and write your own story.”

  
T: When it comes to creating a scent, what is your greatest source of inspiration?
FK: “My main sources of inspiration are culture, art, fashion, couture and of course, people. The era we live in, and every part of my own personal experiences translate into my vision. I am a contemporary, urban perfumer, proud of my Parisian roots and fond of big cities in constant motion that spawn inspiring human relationships. I love human interactions and cultural differences, they help you to stay open minded, curious about things and about others. This is very important to me and that is why I find cities so inspiring. Of course, I can engage in conversations with our rose producers or bergamot harvesters, but the urban living and society in general are what inspires me the most in creation. To be relevant, you need to be connected to your time, to the world around you. You must be a chameleon and pay attention to what is happening. Several of my fragrances at Maison Francis Kurkdjian were created with the same approach. Our latest, 724, is an example of that." 

T: What distinguishes 724 from your previous creations?
FK: “724 is a fresh and reassuring eau de parfum, even sincere I would say. Its modernity lies in its sincerity. It gives the sensation of being caressed with a form of infinity, which elevates your spirit and feelings, making you feel like anything is possible. 724 has this kind of optimism, a scent that has the capacity to bring people together, which feels especially good in this particular moment. It is not a scent that captures the essence of a city though. It is the scent that helps you to live in big cities. I wanted 724 to convey a fresh scent of cleanness and purity, kind of a cocoon in a way. 724 is like a protection in the city, the sensation you want to feel when you walk around the city that keeps you away from stress and daily troubles. It is a musky floral perfume, composed of three main accords. A fresh urban accord as top notes, carried by aldehydes and bergamot oil from Italy. This accord is very luminous and slightly metallic. Then in the middle notes you’ll find a floral white accord, driven by white flowers and jasmine absolute from Egypt. Finally, the base notes release something very sweet, even cosy. I call it “comfortable cotton” accord as it feels reassuring to me.”