For the person who has everything, a bespoke fragrance is about as personal as a gift can get. At Maison Francis Kurkdjian, each creation is developed with the perfumer himself, taking shape over the course of a year
Finding a gift for someone who has everything is no easy feat. Another beautiful object hardly seems the answer, while fragrance, for all its appeal, can be tricky to get right. Unless, of course, it’s made specifically for them.
At Maison Francis Kurkdjian, clients can commission a fragrance from scratch or have an existing scent reworked to suit their tastes. The process is a lengthy one, beginning with a conversation about the person who will wear it and culminating in a formula that is entirely their own.
It starts with an initial meeting with the maison, followed by a consultation with Francis Kurkdjian, either in person or by phone. This is where the ideas begin to take shape: the notes they gravitate towards, the scents they love, and the memories, tastes and aspects of their personality that might find their way into a fragrance. From there, a year of research, trials and adjustments follows, with Kurkdjian refining the composition until it feels right. The finished formula is kept in the maison’s archives, under strict confidentiality, and can be created in eau de toilette, eau de parfum or extrait de parfum.
There is also the option of reworking a fragrance from the maison’s existing collection. For someone with a longstanding attachment to a particular scent, this offers a way to make it their own without losing what drew them to it in the first place. A favourite note might be given more prominence, or the composition adjusted to bring out a different side of the fragrance. The process follows a similar course, with a consultation, a creative direction and a year spent refining the final result.
The finished creation comes with its own considered wardrobe. Each commission includes the equivalent of one litre of perfume, presented as eight 70 ml bottles, twenty-two 11 ml spray vials in a Globe-Trotter nomadic case, available in gold or zinc, and a 200 ml bottle engraved with a measuring-tape motif. Designed by Fred Rawyler, the presentation takes its cues from couture, with an emphasis on craftsmanship and detail.
And unlike most gifts, this one can be returned to. The maison retains each fragrance formula and offers refills for as long as the required ingredients and materials remain available. A bespoke composition can also be developed into other scented formats, should the wearer wish to extend it beyond perfume. Special orders require two years, so a little planning is essential.
It’s certainly not a last-minute gift. But for someone who appreciates fragrance, or simply has a discerning taste for things made with care, the chance to work with Francis Kurkdjian on a scent of their own is a rather special place to start.
