The scent of success

m&k Maison Francis Kurkdjian has become one of the world's most renowned perfume brands. When you and Francis Kurkdjian founded the brand in 2009, what ideas and goals did you have in mind?

Marc Chaya: When I met Francis about eighteen years ago at a dinner party, I asked him, «What do you do for a living?» He replied, «I’m a perfumer.» At the time, I had no idea what a perfumer was—and when I learned that he had created Jean Paul Gaultier’s «Le Mâle,» followed by more than 40 well-known fragrances for various fashion and couture houses such as Dior, Saint Laurent, Armani, Narciso Rodriguez, and Elie Saab—I asked him, «How come I’d never heard of you? You’ve created all these perfumes that everyone wears, but I’ve never heard of you!» What struck me most was that such an extraordinary creative talent had simply been «hidden away» and was only allowed to work under the guidance of—and to meet the needs of—marketing teams. I quickly realized that there is room in the market for a brilliant perfumer who can freely express his ideas and put creativity at the center—as is the case in couture, for example, where designers are the origin and heart of everything.

As a child, I was very creative and sensitive; I had a passion for drawing, architecture, fashion, art, and music. However, the people around me—and especially my father—encouraged me to focus on business. So I clearly missed creativity in my professional life and sought a field where I could apply the business skills I’d acquired while also expressing my innate creative nature. After forming a close friendship with Francis, I left my position at Ernst & Young in 2009. We both felt it was time to try something new. Since then, we’ve been on an extraordinary journey (laughs)! With passion, determination, and joy, we’ve built what is now widely recognized as a leading global player in the market for high-quality and selective fragrances.

«The vision was to give one of the best perfumers of our time the opportunity to give free rein to his ideas.»

What factors did you primarily consider in order to differentiate your brand from the competition?

I’ve already mentioned this briefly: Our «Maison» began with a vision that was disruptive in many ways—to free perfumer Francis Kurkdjian from the typical dynamics of the market and give him the freedom to do whatever he wants. That is our first distinguishing feature and a major difference from many competitors who still follow old structures. We also take a very selective approach to distribution: we’d rather focus on a few high-quality distribution partnerships than on many of lower quality. We offer expertise and an excellent product. Our narratives spring directly from the perfumer’s spirit, and our marketing always serves his creative vision. We believe this is what makes the stories we tell meaningful, authentic, and inspiring.

You mentioned your products. If we stick to perfumes for now: What sets them apart?

The fragrance collection that Francis has created over the years is extraordinary. His creative signature is highly appreciated by our customers. Take, for example, the iconic «Baccarat Rouge 540» or the fragrance «l’eau À la Rose,» which has made the scent of roses—often stereotyped as something only for older women—feel younger and more contemporary. Furthermore, with «l’Homme À la Rose,» we’ve invited men to venture into new olfactory territory. And with «Gentle Fluidity Silver» and «Gentle Fluidity Gold,» we’re leaving gender labels entirely behind—as the names suggest.

You frequently collaborate with other premium brands—such as Fendi. How do these collaborations come about?

For us, these collaborations are never just about «promoting» products or making market entry easier. We are a creative house, and as in any creative field, there are sometimes wonderful encounters that lead to inspiring, surprising results. That was the case with Fendi, where—just like us—they place great value on craftsmanship; we used a special technique to create a fragrance for the iconic «Baguette» bag. And that was also the case with our partnership with Baccarat: collaboration between crystal manufacturers and perfumers has a long tradition, and when Baccarat contacted us to create a bespoke fragrance for their 250th anniversary, we practically had to say yes (laughs). Francis was very interested in exploring how the alchemy of crystal-making could be interpreted in a fragrance. That’s how the fragrance «Rouge 540»—which I mentioned earlier—was born. It was supposed to be a limited edition of just 250 crystal bottles, but the fragrance was incredibly well-received. That’s why we decided to take the collaboration to a new level and launch «Rouge 540» as part of our collection in 2016. Authenticity is essential to the success of a collaboration; otherwise, the whole thing won’t hold up.

A handbag and a perfume: How do you bring together two things that are so different?

The creation of a fragrance begins with a story, an inspiration. When collaborating with a fashion brand, you approach the project from a creative perspective and look for the story and angle that best suit the collaboration and make it meaningful and inspiring. Storytelling and emotions are of fundamental importance to us. That’s how Francis works; he tells stories through his creations, and in this case, the story is about revealing a specific aspect of the fashion house—because a fragrance can’t say everything.

«Authenticity is essential to the success of a collaboration; otherwise, the whole thing won't work.»

Do you feel that the pandemic has intensified people’s longing for beauty, for luxury products, and for little escapes from everyday life—or has it made your business more difficult?

We were not overly affected by the general slowdown in the consumer economy because our customers continue to want to experience our fragrance collection and purchase their favorite scents from the «Maison» collection. After a weaker first half of 2020, we have experienced dynamic growth since the second half of 2020, with the share of digital sales rising significantly. This trend is continuing in 2021, and I expect it to persist well beyond 2022.

So has the pandemic also reinforced the trend toward e-commerce in the premium segment?

The pandemic has definitely amplified certain pre-existing trends, particularly online shopping and the digitization of customer relationships, to which we have responded by strengthening our digital presence. At the same time, many stores have reopened since the beginning of the year, and we’re pleased to have reestablished a foothold at most of our physical locations—particularly in the U.S., which is our largest market. We’re moving toward an omnichannel model, where we aim to deliver an exceptional customer experience at every touchpoint. But, to come back to your previous question: In recent months, we’ve noticed that our customers continue to wear their perfume—even more than before. I believe that perfume is now an integral part of our lives—almost a necessity for feeling good and taking care of ourselves. The need for self-care and positive feelings has, of course, been further amplified by the pandemic, and perfume is an accessory that enhances our emotions and complements our personality, while at the same time being invisible and personal. A pleasant sensory experience that helps us feel more confident and sensual—and, in a way, brings us closer to ourselves. In a year of restrictions, sacrifices, and depressing news, perfume has been a way to create a positive balance and enhance our lives at home—whether by wearing our favorite scents or using home fragrances to create a pleasant atmosphere.

«In a year of hardship, perfume was a way to create a sense of balance.»

Do you feel that perfume creation is generally recognized as an art form and receives the respect it deserves?

It’s starting to happen, and we’ve worked hard to achieve this goal. Perfume-making is a perfect combination of creative genius and technology—though technology is primarily a vehicle for bringing ideas to life, with the method itself taking a back seat. You know, for many years, perfumers were relegated «behind the scenes.» That’s changing now, and the recent appointment of my co-founder Francis as Creative Director of Parfums Christian Dior—while he simultaneously retains his leading creative role at Maison Francis Kurkdjian—pays tribute to this fact. Perfumers are now recognized as creative authorities, and like fashion designers, they can lend their talent to multiple houses at the same time. The history of fashion is full of such examples: Karl Lagerfeld worked for both Chanel and Fendi for decades, and Kim Jones worked for both Dior Men and Fendi at the same time …

In closing, allow me to ask: When—in business or in life—should one choose a subtle fragrance, and when should one opt for a bold one?

The same fragrance can smell completely different depending on the person, so there’s no single answer to this question. For example, I like to wear «Amyris,» «Gentle Fluidity Silver,» or «Grand Soir» as my everyday fragrances, while I save «OUD Satin Mood» or «Baccarat Rouge 540 Extrait de Parfum» for special occasions. However, others in my circle wear «OUD satin mood» and «Baccarat Rouge 540» as everyday fragrances! Perfume is an invisible accessory that boosts our confidence and brings us joy. The most important thing is to be true to yourself!

Marc Chaya is the CEO and co-founder of the perfume house Maison Francis Kurkdjian. Before founding his company, he worked for nearly two decades at the consulting firm Ernst & Young, most recently as Global Head of Telecom Markets. Born and raised in Lebanon, he now lives in Paris.