Francis Kurkdjian Delves Into the Mystical Forces Behind His Perfumery

“The inspiration comes from signs, symbols, and superstition—from mystical things,” says Francis Kurkdjian, each word wrapped in his silky-smooth Parisian accent. “I love signs. Something I often do, especially for very important meetings, is to place a sugar cube in the inner pocket of my jacket, to bring me luck.”

Christian Dior’s perfume creation director is speaking of the influences behind his latest olfactory creation, Bois Talisman. A beguiling unisex scent that artfully blends the sweetness of vanilla with the earthiness of cedarwood, it is the latest addition to La Collection Privée, Kurkdjian’s contemporary fragrance portfolio for the Maison.

Of course, the identity of Dior has been infused with fragrance since the days of its founder, Christian Dior, who was as much a perfumer as he was a couturier. Dior believed that one’s choice of fragrance was more revealing than their own handwriting, describing perfume as the “finishing touch on a dress.”

“La Collection Privée expresses the close bond between Christian Dior and perfume,” Kurkdjian explains. He likens the creation of a La Collection Privée perfume to crafting an exquisite piece of couture: “I shape the olfactory materials to compose a fragrance based on an idea, much like a couturier master’s fabric, to give it a specific, perfect shape. The concept behind Bois Talisman was to create a dialogue between Christian Dior and me. I share many character traits with him: I love life and its pleasures, but I am also incorrigibly superstitious.”

Feeling lucky

During his lifetime, Dior’s fascination with the arcane was well known, from tarot card readings and consultations with clairvoyants to carrying talismans like a four-leaf clover and a gold star. Kurkdjian’s sugar cube ritual goes back to the early days of his career. “I was working on a very important scent and was told that a piece of sugar would bring me luck,” he recounts. “So, I carried it throughout the entire creative process—and it did bring me luck!”