World-renowned French-Armenian perfumer Francis Kurkdjian, founder of Maison Francis Kurkdjian and Perfume Creation Director at Christian Dior, has been awarded the prestigious rank of Chevalier (Knight) of the Legion of Honour (Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur), France’s highest state distinction.
Kurkdjian shared the news himself saying: “It is with immense gratitude that I learned this morning of my nomination to the rank of Chevalier of the Legion of Honour,” he wrote. “I receive this distinction as a great honor, and I share it today with those who have accompanied me over the years.”
He said the recognition also strengthens his commitment to his two endowment funds.
“This recognition also encourages me to pursue the work carried out by the PerFumum endowment fund in the service of perfume and its heritage, and the Francis Kurkdjian endowment fund, which works in favor of diversity and of audiences kept at a distance from culture,” he wrote.
Kurkdjian closed by turning to his family’s history.
“I have a final thought, full of emotion, for my grandparents, survivors of the Armenian Genocide and refugees in France,” he wrote. “Their courage, their trust in their new homeland, and the values they passed on to me give this honor a very particular resonance.”
One of the most influential noses of his generation, Kurkdjian is the creator of Baccarat Rouge 540, one of the most recognizable fragrances in the world, and of the iconic Le Mâle for Jean Paul Gaultier. He has composed more than forty fragrances over his career. In 2006, he redeveloped Papier d’Arménie for the Year of Armenia in France, bringing new life to one of the most recognizable products carrying the Armenian name.
In 2008, he was named a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by France’s Ministry of Culture, receiving the insignia from Culture Minister Christine Albanel at a Paris ceremony the following February.
