The six stories of Maison Francis Kurkdjian

MANILA, Philippines -For things we have no words for, I’ve always thought colors can say the things we can’t really say in any other way. Now we have fragrance to whisper your every mood and yes, even allow you to seduce as you breathe. Marc Chaya, CEO of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, shares the story behind every bottle. Indeed, every fragrance tells a story. So which one tells yours?

Aqua Universalis

“The ultimate sense of freshness, softness, elegance and sensuality.” Known as the signature scent of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, this is an addictive fragrance that creates an olfactory connection between the skin and clean linen, between sheets and fresh air, between men and women. Chaya shares that Francis calls this scent “genderless” and likes to give the image of a white shirt — “a woman can wear a man’s shirt and be sexy in it or a man can wear a more tight or adjusted shirt and still be very elegant.” Opt for the eau de toilette for a delicate waft on your skin. For perfume that vibrates on the skin like gold in summer, go for Aqua Universalis Forte eau de parfum which features bespoke bergamot cultivated exclusively for Maison Francis Kurkdjian and a 40-percent concentration, the highest you can find in the industry.

Aqua Universalis Elixir

“The idea was to go back to the roots of perfume where people would use perfume by applying the essential oil directly on their skin. That gesture has now disappeared to the benefit of spraying and spritizing,” explains Marc Chaya. Forget about the heavy travel spray. He shares women in Paris wanted something light that they can just throw in their purse or in their tiniest pockets. “The challenge for us was to have something feather light but long lasting. Francis formulated one without alcohol; it is true (essential) oil you can apply directly on your skin. It’s like gold on the skin, so powerful you only need a little drop on your skin,” he reveals. “It’s the ideal scent for smelling fresh and sexy. And yes, smelling fresh is one of the sexiest scents.”

Lumiere Noire

Meaning black light or dark light, it’s the opposition between the brightness of a rose and the darkness of patchouli. The inspiration for Lumiere Noire pour femme (for women) was famous French actress Catherine Deneuve. “It’s very glamorous, very chic, very powerful. It’s almost a statement,” declares Marc. “With APOM, you’re wearing a cocktail dress. But with Lumiere Noir, you’re wearing an evening dress and you’re about to walk down the steps of the Cannes festival.” Lumiere Noire pour homme (for men) on the other hand is sensual, contemporary, a bit more fashionable and trendy. Although greener and more masculine, a lot of women, like Kylie Minogue, wear this one. Marc reveals, “A lot of women love it because it has this ambiguity — even if it’s for men.”

Oud

Maison Francis Kurkdjian’s newest scent, Oud is one of the rarest, most expensive essential oils. Although famous in the Middle East and often used in Arabic scents, it’s the first time a perfumer used Oud as part of his Western palette. No one has stepped into taking Oud as part of the realm of Western sensitivity except Francis Kurkdjian. The inspiration? “An imaginary Arabian castle, in an imaginary desert, in the middle of a very warm soft storm where the sand is hitting your skin, the stars are shining and the sky is dark blue,” Chaya shares. “If you try it on your skin, it evolves. All beautiful perfumes, because of the richness of the essential oils, they breathe and they change until they reach their final composition.” The fragrance features Oud from Laos — the purest and most expensive there is in the market. Interestingly, the top note of this unisex fragrance also features elemi gum essential oils from our very own Philippine shores.

Apom

A scent Francis Kurkdjian created for Marc Chaya, APOM stands for “A Part Of Me” — a part of oneself is offered to others. A tribute to the beauty of the men and women in Lebanon and the Mediterranean shore, it’s a scent to be shared reflecting the warm bewitching beauty that one keeps close. “Because of all the trips Francis made to Beirut, Lebanon (where I was born) and where I used to host him with my family, he fell in love with the country and wanted to express this in terms of fragrance,” explains Chaya. “APOM pour femme (for women) is like wearing a cocktail dress by the pool, being very girly, very sensual, very elegant.” The scent starts with a glimpse of sweetness but then the sweetness disappears and gives ground to something very airy and floral. “APOM pour homme (for men) is our number one scent in Paris. To me, it’s very chic, elegant and sensual.”

Pour Le Matin (For The Morning)

“Francis wanted to have a scent that would interpret every moment of the day and how you feel in every time of the day,” shares Chaya. “Cologne Pour le Matin is the sensation of waking up very early, being free, being soft in the morning.” This unisex scent allows you to imagine the lingering, fragrant warmth of your pillow. “The sun is caressing your skin, you go out barefoot on the grass and you just want to have a blast of freshness and aromas,” he describes. Absolue Pour le Matin, on the other hand, gives you a lift. “The journey continues in the day and the sun is now shining to its maximum potential and all the aromas are multiplied tenfold.”

Pour Le Soir (For The Evening)

“The evening collection is inspired by the beauty of the night — by sensuality, by being cocooned and pampered,” Marc shares. For moments when the sun starts to go away and you want to feel cocooned, you want to feel soft, you want to feel sensual, to feel like you’re wearing a thick cashmere sweater or silk on yourself, indulge in Cologne Pour le Soir. Marc also expounds on Absolue Pour le Soir: “Now you’re up for having your nose in the stars and you want to spend a wild night.” Also unisex like Pour le Matin, Pour le Soir Absolue “is like an atomic bomb of aromas, it’s very powerful,” states Marc. “When I wear it in Paris and I kiss people hello, they always say, ‘Oh, you smell so good.’”

All scents available at Adora in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center