I am very partial to a Francis Kurkdjian fragrance. One of the world’s most recognised perfumers, the designer is bold in his approach to fragrance, breaking traditional boundaries to create sensory adventures.
“My creations are an invitation to choose the scent that suits you daily, because I like the idea that each woman and man can express a part of themselves through perfume,” he says.
Francis composed his first perfume, Le Mâle by Jean Paul Gaultier, at the age of 24. A game-changer, it became an instant international bestseller. Instead of following a traditional perfumer route, he set up his own perfume workshop in 2001, serving top designers and leading fashion houses. By 2003, he was being called on to compose olfactory compositions.
The Aqua Cologne forte collection
A healthy mind in a healthy body is the premise behind the Aqua Cologne forte collection, a range that is all about sunlit places brimming with colour and freshness. Happiness, says the Maison, “lies in the simple things nature provides, like the feeling of sunlight on the face, the contemplation of the sky’s ever-changing colours, or the caress of a delicate breeze on the skin.”
The latest addition, Aqua Media – named for the median point between light and freshness – joins Aqua Universalis, Aqua Vitae and Aqua Celestia, all inspired by the benefits of the traditional eau de cologne. Each Cologne forte has been assigned a colour. Aqua Celestia Cologne forte is the encounter between the blue hues of the sea and the sky; Aqua Universalis Cologne forte is the notion of radiant white light, and pure, fresh, enveloping air. Yellow is the hue for Aqua Vitae Cologne forte, which symbolises the sun at its peak, a halo of warm light. The new gem, Aqua Media, is green – the colour at the centre of the rainbow, and one that embodies balance and harmony.
These really are happy fragrances; scents that give a sense of being enveloped in freshness and joy. Aqua Media is tangy, sparkling, almost effervescent. While one doesn’t expect a “green” scent to be long-lasting, this EDP is that, thanks to the cologne which intensifies the freshness. The top citrus note of Italian bergamot (a common note that runs through the collection) is combined with hedione (a synthetic jasmine). The very green accents – unprecedented in the Maison’s fragrance wardrobe and reminiscent of a cold infusion of fresh wild herbs – are carried through by fennel, a sweet aniseed which is one of Francis’ favourite ingredients, while the base consists of sensual woody musks.
In the words of the perfumer, “Aqua Media Cologne forte smells like happiness and caring, vitality and energy, reassuring in its apparent simplicity. It puts me in a good mood, that’s all. I have nothing else to add, everything is already there, written in the formula.”
Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Media Cologne Forte EDP 70ml (R4225) is available at Skins Cosmetics.
