Fragrance, they say, is timeless. In this exclusive Q&A, we sit down with the legendary perfumer Francis Kurkdjian to explore the rebirth of APOM, a fragrance beloved since the Maison’s founding in 2009. Known for his mastery of blending tradition with modernity, Kurkdjian has reimagined APOM—now a single, gender-neutral scent that embodies both the feminine and masculine variations of its predecessors. Join us as we dive into the creative process behind this olfactory masterpiece, where Kurkdjian shares how he merged sunny sensuality with elegant addictiveness to create a timeless fragrance for all. —Noa Nichol
APOM is described as “A Part of Me.” Can you tell us more about the personal significance of this fragrance to you?
I am very excited with this new scent, and how we envisioned the launch and its activation worldwide. Firstly, I love the name of this scent I have first created in 2009. Sometimes when you look back to a creation that is 15 years old, you might think it’s old-fashioned, and passé. Here, it’s just the opposite. I love the name of this scent, it’s meaning, how it resonates. This acronym is so unique, its evocation is so unique, so personal and so right for a perfume. I love its history and its accord. In my Maison, the name of the perfume always comes first, the composition comes after. There is something in the name APOM, a certain roundness. It is simple and it is beautiful because it is simple. I was inspired by this name and the emotion it arouses. APOM, A Part of Me, a part of oneself that we leave to others; that is ultimately what a perfume is.
How did you approach the challenge of merging the original APOM pour femme and APOM pour homme into a single, unified fragrance?
The woman and the man were born from the same olfactory matrix, a floral base with a soft, luminous amber base. I then built the two signatures as parallels… I went back to the sources of my initial, original inspiration. An orange blossom-lavender-sweet amber accord that I then adapted for men and women. For this new APOM opus, I’ve just taken the best of both versions to rediscover the feeling of feminine and masculine, and to weave the links between the two versions, I’ve kept the best of both. For example, I took the roundness of orange blossom and the ylang-ylang of the feminine version, and the aromatic fusing of lavender, present in the masculine version.
You’ve mentioned the concept of pentimento in your creative process. Can you elaborate on how this idea influenced the development of the new APOM?
I went back to the original duo of fragrances and took the very best of the two variations and merged them into one, new fragrance. I exercised pentimento, if you may, like a painter who looks back at their previous work and decides that corrections are needed. Both fragrances were originally created in the same spirit, and technically with the same backbone. I hadn’t any particular gender in mind but just wanted to offer it to people who love, wear and want to share their scent to the world. The starting point was the name itself.
APOM has been described as a “faux-classic” fragrance. How do you balance the timeless elements with modern innovations in its composition?
Through its notes, APOM asserts a lineage with modern perfumery’s major classics. But through its architecture, the scent is resolutely anchored to modern times. That’s what the “faux-classic” is about. Luminous top notes give way to sweet floral core notes. A skillful balance of aromatic, bursting lavender and addictively generous orange blossom is wrapped in vanilla’s warm and delicate sillage. This sensual and carnal eau de parfum, enhanced by sunny ylang-ylang accents, is prolonged in the comfort of white musks. An intimate fragrance that embraces the contours of one’s body as well as one’s personality.
The fragrance features a blend of lavender, orange blossom, and amber. What role do each of these elements play in creating the overall scent profile?
APOM isn’t about ingredients. You latch onto an ingredient when you have nothing else to say. With the new APOM, I took the best of both original versions: the feminine version’s sunny sensuality and the masculine version’s elegant addictiveness.
APOM is designed to be worn by anyone, regardless of gender. How important is this inclusivity to your philosophy as a perfumer?
Gender lives in movement and fluidity and it has echoed in the world of fashion & beauty… it means you don’t have to secluded in one category only. That’s a big move forward. The male-female dichotomy is being challenged, the lines between attributed genders are blurring and people want to be able to define themselves freely. As perfume is profoundly linked to culture and feeling, it mirrors this tendency. That’s why at Maison Francis Kurkdjian, I leave total freedom of expression to those who choose to wear my creations.
You’ve expressed nostalgia for the traditional advertising films of past perfume releases. How does this nostalgia influence your work, and how do you integrate it with contemporary trends?
In some aspect, I found myself nostalgic for the advertising films that would accompany perfume launches back in the day. These films, artistic endeavors in their own right, not only highlighted the artisanal mastery behind each fragrance but also expanded upon their unique narratives. With APOM, I wanted to step away from the ubiquity of short-form videos that dominate social media. I envisioned a five-minutes film in collaboration with Cyril Teste, a friend of mine and visionary capable of translating our invisible creations into a visual lexicon. This project was brought to life by an authentic cinematography team working under genuine filmmaking conditions. It’s a story within a story about APOM — a narrative threaded through and featuring both my work and Cyril Teste’s cinematic expression.
With APOM revisiting and reinventing a part of your legacy, what direction do you see for the future of Maison Francis Kurkdjian and perfumery in general? Are there any scents you are yearning to make, or any ingredients you are longing to try?
Perfume is not an ode to the past but a canvas for innovation. Craftsmanship lays the groundwork — yes, it’s about knowing your notes and blending them beautifully, carefully. But that’s just the start. The essence of modern perfumery is daring to be different. It’s in the unexpected story that leads you to unexpected combinations, fresh contrasts, and those bold choices that make people sit up and take notice. We’re not here to simply repeat history but to make it. Perfumery should be fearless, always searching for that next great scent story. By challenging what we thought we knew about perfume, we create fragrances that aren’t just smells but signatures. So let’s celebrate perfume-making as an art of transformation – one where every drop tells a story of change and every scent becomes a symbol of progress. Because only by shaking up the old can we discover perfumes that resonate with today and captivate us tomorrow.
share:
Be the first to comment