Ever since he created one of the world’s best-selling men’s fragrances, Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier, at the tender age of 26, Francis Kurkdjian has been reshaping modern perfumery. Whether he’s working on collaborative projects with the likes of artist Sophie Calle or the Palace of Versailles, crafting fragrances for other houses (in 2021 he was named creation director of perfume for Christian Dior) or creating under his namesake brand Maison Francis Kurkdjian (whose Baccarat Rouge 540 became one of the world’s best-selling fragrances), Kurkdjian uses his knowledge of scent history and physiological impact throughout the ages to create fragrances that speak to the zeitgeist.
Never one to do things halfheartedly, Kurkdjian is celebrating some of his best-loved creations for Maison Francis Kurkdjian and debuting new ones in a holiday campaign that pays homage to France’s ‘Grand Siècle'. Working alongside production designer Antoine Fontaine, Kurkdjian created a miniature construction of the era’s famous Théâtre de la Reine, with a trompe-l’oeil papier-mâché stage and working miniature mechanics. A trained ballet dancer before he became a perfumer, he also makes a cameo appearance as a dancer in the campaign film.
Below, Kurkdjian speaks to Wallpaper* about the extraordinary creation of a miniature 17th-century theatre, and the era’s enduring influence on his practice.
Wallpaper*: Do you remember the first time you encountered the Théâtre de la Reine? Why did it feel like an ideal setting for the Maison Francis Kurkdjian universe?
Francis Kurkdjian: I have a longstanding, strong relationship with the Château de Versailles. I’ve collaborated with them several times, up until recently with the Perfumer’s Garden, of which the maison is the patron. I attended perfumery school in Versailles (ISIPCA) while I was finishing my studies of Classical Ballet and Baroque with a company that used to perform [at the palace]. I fondly remember the shows I performed in, as well as the afternoons spent in the gardens, soaking up the history of a place that meant so much for fragrance and for developing the best know-how in French culture.
In 2006, I signed the reinterpretation of Queen Marie Antoinette’s fragrance, imagined from authentic historical documents, at the time of the opening of Marie Antoinette's estate. I spent an enormous amount of time diving into the archives to learn who the Queen was, what she liked and asking myself what perfume I would create for her if we lived at the same time. I presented and launched this perfume on the stage of the Théâtre de la Reine.
So, I’m deeply connected and attached to Versailles, its heritage, its beauty. I imagined this campaign as a tribute to that era and the Grand Siècle, its iconography and lyricism, and created a small-scale copy of it to bring it to life, working with the very best artisans and making the fragrances themselves become the star of the performance.
W*: Can you share more about the creative process behind the miniature theatre? What fascinated you most about the theatre’s original scenographic techniques?
FK: The campaign was designed to be as historically accurate as possible because the idea was to reproduce a mini opera-ballet, where the stars of the show would be fragrance itself. We did not rely on AI at all. I wanted a real set and a real stage. The miniature theatre was created with my friend, set designer Jean-Hugues de Chatillon, who has been collaborating with me for more than two decades.
We asked painter-scenographer Antoine Fontaine to join in creating a replica of the original, as he participated in the restoration of the real theatre of Marie Antoinette. We included the trompe-l'oeil papier-mâché theatre sets, the choreography of the comedy-ballets, and, of course, the highlight of the show: the perfumer in the 17th-century court dress from the engravings of the time, the ultimate reference for me to what the craft is about. The mechanisms of the backstage of a theatre were reconstructed in their entirety and work like real ones. The theatre, with all its elements, required six months of work, about 2,000 hours. It involved 20 craftsmen for a total of about 3,000 single pieces.
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W*: Because Antoine Fontaine had worked directly on the restoration of the Théâtre de la Reine, what did he bring to the project that you could not have achieved through historical research alone?
FK: Antoine has first-hand experience and knowledge of the original theatre. Working on the restoration unlocked its secrets and he brought all of that baggage into the creation of the replica. He was able to bring that vintage soul that was necessary to make this project look real and accurate.
W*: What was the biggest challenge you encountered?
FK: As I mentioned, everything is done by hand, each piece, each detail. The hidden mechanisms that move the products on stage were designed with professional puppeteers. The fabrics were embroidered and fitted for the project. There is an enormous amount of know-how that went into this project. It’s really a celebration of human craftsmanship and creativity. And of course, being on time so we could film the campaign.
W*: If you could go back to the Théâtre de la Reine in its heyday, what performance would you like to see? And, more importantly, what would you hope to smell?
FK: I would love to see one of the intimate performances that Marie-Antoinette enjoyed with her close circle – perhaps a light opera or a comédie mêlée de musique [musical comedy], where the boundary between audience and performers seemed to disappear.
What fascinates me is not only the spectacle itself, but the atmosphere: the sense of wonder created by a place designed entirely for illusion. As for the scent, I would hope to smell a blend of powdered woods from the stage sets, beeswax from the candles, fresh flowers gathered from the gardens, and the delicate perfumes worn by the guests. It would not be a single fragrance but a composition of many impressions, capturing the elegance, creativity and humanity of that extraordinary moment in time.
W*: Why does the 17th century remain an enduring source of inspiration for you?
FK: It was a fascinating period when art and artisanal crafts flourished in France, under the input of the royal court. Among them, the figure of the perfumer emerged, strictly linked to the craft of leathermaking. I often look back at a very famous engraving, very dear to me: that of the Perfumer's Habit, attributed to Gerrit Valck and printed in 1697 by Nicolas de l'Armassin. In the series of trades in Paris, the perfumer is represented with an incense burner as a hat. His test-tube apron presents all of his productions and is a visual representation of his skills: perfumed fans and gloves, soaps, scented waters, essences of all kinds… This very engraving comes to life in the movie, thanks to the help of Marie La Rocca, costume designer of the Paris Opera and the Caraco Couture Atelier. Seven craftsmen with complementary know-how worked with extreme meticulousness to reproduce it for us.
W*: Why did this feel like the right moment to put yourself in the campaign?
FK: It’s not the first time I’ve acted in our holiday campaign. I like to think that perfume can bring joy to people, especially during the holiday season. This movie is special, and I had great fun wearing the Perfumer’s Habit and learning to bow from Béatrice Martel, a dancer at the Paris Opera. Last, this campaign felt different. It tells a story that is deeply personal to me: my relationship with theatre, music, craftsmanship and the history of French perfumery.
A preview of the film can be seen here, with the full video released on Maison Francis Kurkdjian's website on 1 November 2026.
