Francis Kurkdjian on Crafting the Dior Cuir Saddle

Of the 5 senses, scent is arguably probably the most primal and but probably the most elusive. The physique’s olfactory system is intimately related to the mind’s facilities of emotion and reminiscence, able to evoking the previous and subtly shaping the current temper. Francis Kurkdjian — the visionary fragrance creation director at Christian Dior Parfums — has mastered the artwork of translating creativeness into “olfactory poetry”, however what precisely does this imply? A graduate of the ISIPCA Worldwide Fragrance Institute in Versailles, Kurkdjian first style of success got here on the age of 25 with the discharge of Jean-Paul Gaultier’s “Le Male”. His profession has since been marked by a profound dialogue between scent and artistry — be it by means of collaborations with modern artists or by means of immersive olfactory installations in dynamic places such because the Grand Palais and the Château de Versailles.

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Every perfume Kurkdjian creates for Dior is one other chapter on this legacy. His genius lies in treating perfumery as a couture craft, the place every scent is fastidiously sculpted like a bespoke garment. In “La Assortment Privée” — Dior Magnificence’s signature vary of fragrances — the olfactory “cloth” is thoughtfully chosen and artfully organized, merging the Home’s heritage with fashionable sensibilities and surprising twists.

Enter the “Cuir Saddle” — Kurkdjian’s most up-to-date creation for La Assortment Privée. Impressed by the emblematic Dior Saddle Bag, the perfume transforms the traditional leather-based accord — usually smoky, musky and animalic — into one thing luminous and sensual. Floral sides soften the leather-based, whereas suede-like textures and musky, woody undertones create a fragrance that feels each intimate, like a second pores and skin. In “Cuir Saddle”, Kurkdjian challenges the conventions of leather-based perfumery whereas celebrating the Maison Dior spirit of being unapologetically expressive.

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Kurkdjian’s start line was the saddle bag itself. “The form of the saddle bag may be very natural and really near the physique,” he explains. “For this reason I imagined a scent that mainly melts on pores and skin and turns into a part of your self.” Leather-based, he notes, is a necessary ingredient of the perfume portfolio and the beloved bag offered a story bridge between trend and fragrance. “After that, translating the saddle right into a scent was an awesome story to inform,” he says.

“Cuir Saddle” will not be designed for a single gender or persona. Kurkdjian emphasises that fragrance doesn’t bestow character: “A fragrance is the extension of what you wish to convey about your self. It isn’t since you’re sporting a fragrance that you just grow to be horny or recent. Fragrance accompanies you, however you must resolve who you might be. As a substitute, the perfume captures an emotion and a tactile expertise, echoing the best way the bag itself interacts with the physique.”

A key innovation of the “Cuir Saddle” is the modernisation of conventional leather-based accords. The place classical leather-based fragrances typically relied on heavy, smoky or spicy notes, Kurkdjian sought a lighter, softer expression. “Leather-based historically may be very darkish. My concept was to infuse the leather-based word with an overdose of musk, white clear musk and white summary floral notes,” he explains. These components create a way of luminosity and transparency whereas retaining energy and presence. The result’s a leather-based accord that’s directly delicate, creamy and sensual, but distinct from historic templates.

Kurkdjian additionally highlights the position of expertise and craftsmanship. “Know-how is a part of perfumery due to the aroma chemical substances we use. Because the Eighteen Eighties, each fragrance has mixed pure substances with expertise. I reshuffled Dior’s IT programme to have one thing extra updated, nearly futuristic, concerning the prospects to create a scent.” Past the instruments, nonetheless, the method is in the end about perspective and interpretation. “Innovation will not be essentially a few new ingredient. Innovation is the way you have a look at issues and the way you interpret them,” he says.

The perfume situates itself inside Dior’s heritage whereas responding to modern sensibilities. “We have been lacking a leather-based perfume inside La Assortment Privée and my concept was to fulfil that hole,” says Kurkdjian. He’s additionally clear so as to add that the perfume doesn’t observe exterior tendencies. “We aren’t taking a look at tendencies. We’re making tendencies at Dior. The Cuir Saddle story is related as a result of nobody else has a saddle bag. Making a leather-based word due to this story is a part of who we’re.”

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Cuir Saddle additionally displays broader shifts in how customers interact with fragrance. “Some shoppers search extra complexity as they grow to be educated in fragrances. It’s like classical music or ballet — the extra , the extra you search nuanced experiences,” Kurkdjian observes. The fragrance is due to this fact designed to be each accessible and elevated, interesting to connoisseurs whereas providing a brand new lens on a well-known class.

To deal with the query posed earlier, Kurkdjian interprets creativeness into “olfactory poetry” — remodeling summary concepts, feelings and reminiscences into tangible, wearable scents that unfold like a narrative on the pores and skin. At its core, the perfume is a translation of tactile and emotional expertise into scent. Kurkdjian describes it as “delicate, lukewarm, very sensual, but not too darkish, with a drive. It’s about one thing very near the pores and skin, one thing natural. Leather-based right here is not heavy or authoritative; it’s intimate and supple.” The form, really feel and physique of the bag inform the olfactory structure of the fragrance, producing a novel leather-based language for Dior that enhances the present assortment whereas signalling a recent evolution.

In Kurkdjian’s imaginative and prescient, “Cuir Saddle” is a bridge between custom and modernity, heritage and innovation, trend and perfume. It reaffirms Dior’s capability to reinterpret its iconic codes and set its personal course in luxurious perfumery. “Fragrance may be very easy,” he concludes. “Individuals put on it as a result of they get pleasure from it. Every little thing else is secondary.”

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