It was mid-April in Paris, sunny, slow-paced… and I was there for a perfume. But not just any perfume, Baccarat Rouge 540, the Maison Francis Kurkdjian scent that has, over the past decade, shifted from cult favourite to near-ubiquity. The reason for the trip was the premiere of ICON(S): Maison Francis Kurkdjian – The Alchemy of the Senses (on April 14), a documentary episode produced by Terminal 9 Studios and designed to unpack how the iconic fragrance moved beyond the bottle and into something closer to culture, and it didn’t disappoint.
The journey began, as many of these things do, on the Eurostar. We arrived mid-afternoon and headed straight by people carrier to the InterContinental Paris Le Grand – all high ceilings, ornate detailing and a long-standing reputation as a fixture on the fashion circuit (Yves Saint Laurent first presented his haute couture collections there, including the famed 1976 Opéras – Ballets Russes offering). There was just enough time to reset, get some work done and watch a film or two on the silver screen (plus room service: a lobster roll, a cheeky mini Möet and a French onion soup recipe dating back to 1862) before getting ready for the evening.
The dress code was ‘cocktail’, so I wore a Peter Do Helmut Lang LBD with black leather knee-high Miista boots. I was with Alex from Dazed, Eleanor from WhoWhatWear and content creator Andrew Georgiades – a small group, but indicative of the wider mix of press, influencers and industry figures in attendance.
That evening, we headed to L’Olympia in the 9th arrondissement, a venue chosen with intent. “L’Olympia has witnessed some of the defining moments of French artistic life,” Kurkdjian said in an interview. “To show ICON(S) makes sense, this is a documentary about creation, about legacy and about the conversation between artists.”
Inside, proceedings opened with remarks from Kurkdjian and Marc Chaya, co-founder and president of Maison Francis Kurkdjian. The film that followed – part of the Terminal 9’s ICON(S) documentary series spotlighting, you guessed it, iconic creations to have come out of select luxury labels, starting with Bvlgari) took that idea and built it out. At its centre was Baccarat Rouge 540, created by Kurkdjian in 2014 to mark the 250th anniversary of Baccarat. Its name referred to the 540°C required to fuse crystal with 24k gold powder into its signature red – a process that underpinned both the fragrance and the narrative around it. As Kurkdjian reflected in the interview, “crystal is obtained thanks to the alchemy of three components: minerals, fire and craftsmanship… this fascinating process… was at the heart of my reflection around Baccarat Rouge 540.”
Kurkdjian explained the starting point: “It grew from a conviction I have held for a long time: that perfume is an invisible language… I have always been drawn to the idea of translating that invisibility into other forms of artistic expression.” That instinct also fed into the documentary itself, which, as he described, “grew organically from everything that was already happening.”
That translation sat at the heart of The Alchemy of the Senses. The documentary followed the development of the immersive installation first shown at the Palais de Tokyo in 2025 as part of the exhibition Perfume, Sculpture of the Invisible, where Kurkdjian invited a group of collaborators to reinterpret Baccarat Rouge 540 through their own disciplines. “What if we invited artists… to meet Baccarat Rouge 540 on their own terms?” he said. “Not to explain it, but to respond to it.” He expanded on this idea further, noting that the artists “responded to Baccarat Rouge 540 using their own artistic language… their creative interpretations formed the foundation for the documentary.”
The collaborators reflected that approach. Anne-Sophie Pic – the most Michelin-starred female chef in the world – worked through taste, dreaming up a delectable chocolate treat that mirrored the structure of the scent. Composer David Chalmin translated it into sound, joined by pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque who’re longtime collaborators of the house. Kinetic sculptor Elias Crespin introduced movement and geometry, while stage director Cyril Teste shaped the visual and spatial framework.
What came through was the level of commitment involved. As Kurkdjian put it, “each of these artists… could have easily contributed something simple or safe… Instead, every one of them committed wholeheartedly, investing their time and pouring their soul into the process.” He returned to this idea in the interview, adding that “what’s beautiful to witness is their processes, the conversations, and the very personal ways they translated the fragrance into their art.”
Alongside the creative process, the film also unpacked the fragrance itself. Baccarat Rouge 540’s appeal lay in its balance – something Kurkdjian described as “a highly crafted and sophisticated balance between transparency and intensity.” It was both light and persistent, which helped explain its broad reach. “It is a multi-generational scent that can embrace any age or any gender,” he said – a point echoed in his wider reflection that its resonance extends “far beyond the world of perfumery, inspiring musicians, composers, singers and performers.”
There was also detail on materials, including ambergris – a rare ingredient linked to Sperm Whales – and on the Édition Millésime, a limited run of 54 crystal bottles. “Ten years after its original release, I took the inspiration and pushed it to its absolute limits,” Kurkdjian said, describing a design that incorporated Baccarat’s historic “Rouge à l’or” technique. In the interview, he framed it more expansively: “Baccarat Rouge 540 Édition Millésime represents the very pinnacle of what this fragrance can be… a reinterpretation that honours both the artistry of crystal-making and the alchemical spirit of perfumery.”
The documentary managed to balance technical detail with accessibility. It was informative without becoming heavy, with moments of humour that kept it grounded.
After the screening, the format shifted. The screen lifted to reveal the Labèque sisters at the piano, joined by Chalmin, performing the Baccarat Rouge composition live. Having just seen its creation on screen, the transition felt immediate. The full group of collaborators joined them at the end, with a sustained ovation.
From there, it was a short walk to Carré Édouard VII for the reception. The guest list included global press, industry figures and familiar names across fashion and beauty. The canapés were deliberately unexpected – creamed crab eaten with a spoon, savoury bites disguised as sweet – while Ruinart bubbly flowed steadily.
Back at the hotel, the evening wound down more quietly – with, inevitably, more room service.
The following day took us to the Musée de la Musique for Playing with Fire, a separate but connected project developed with pianist Yuja Wang and director Pierre-Alain Giraud. The experience combined live performance, augmented reality and virtual reality, with an olfactory component layered throughout.
It began with a concert staged around a Steinway Spirio piano, before shifting into VR. The environment changed, pulling the audience into a series of visual worlds inspired by Ravel, Stravinsky and Debussy. Figures distorted, spaces expanded and spatial awareness shifted without disappearing entirely. At the same time, Kurkdjian’s scents were introduced in sequence, forming what he described as an “olfactory score”. The effect was immersive without feeling excessive – disorienting at points, but intentionally so. Playing with Fire is on open to experience until May 3.
By early afternoon, it was back into the people carrier, on to Gare du Nord and then onto the Eurostar back to London.
What the trip ultimately clarified was the thinking behind it all. As Kurkdjian said, “Baccarat Rouge 540 has… transcended the bottle and become a cultural phenomenon.” The film, and the wider programme around it, didn’t try to overstate that – it simply showed how it had happened, and what that kind of influence looked like in practice.
‘ICON(S): Maison Francis Kurkdjian – The Alchemy of the Senses’ is out May 14 on Amazon Prime. Photography courtesy of Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
