Francis Kurkdjian

Francis Kurkdjian is one of the most famous and influential contemporary perfumers of his generation, known for an approach that is at once luminous, precise and resolutely modern. Born in Paris in 1969 to parents of Armenian origin, he trained at the prestigious ISIPCA school in Versailles. His genius burst into the open very early: in 1995, at just 26, he signed Le Mâle for Jean Paul Gaultier, a dazzling global success that lastingly redefined men's perfumery. From then on he became one of the industry's most sought-after noses, stringing together major creations and international best-sellers for great designer houses like Narciso Rodriguez, Elie Saab and Elizabeth Arden.

In 2009 he took a decisive step by co-founding his own haute parfumerie brand, Maison Francis Kurkdjian, where he explores his vision of a luxurious, demanding and refined "olfactory wardrobe". It is within his own house that he composed the legendary Baccarat Rouge 540, a global phenomenon that profoundly marked niche perfumery over the last decade, as well as other masterworks such as Grand Soir and Oud Satin Mood. As the ultimate crowning of his immense career, Francis Kurkdjian was appointed in 2021 Creative Director of Perfumes for the prestigious house of Dior, succeeding François Demachy to imagine the brand's olfactory future while continuing to develop his own house.