Baccarat Rouge 540 becomes a documentary Inside the creative universe of Maison Francis Kurkdjian
What happens when a fragrance ceases to be just a perfume and becomes a work of art? This is the question from which ICON(S): Maison Francis Kurkdjian comes to life, the first documentary dedicated to the French fashion house that in recent years has redefined the language of contemporary perfumery thanks to the success of Baccarat Rouge 540. Produced by Terminal 9 Studios, the film does not simply tell the birth of one of the most influential fragrances of the 21st century, but explores the creative process that gave rise to L'Alchimie des Sens, the multisensory installation presented at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris in November 2025 as part of the exhibition Parfum, Sculpture de l'invisible. 30 years of creations by Francis Kurkdjian.
A documentary that tells the story of perfume beyond perfume
More than a biography or a making of, ICON (S): Maison Francis Kurkdjian is a journey into the thought of perfumer and artistic director Francis Kurkdjian, who for over thirty years has been working on the border between craftsmanship, contemporary art and experimentation. The documentary follows the transformation of Baccarat Rouge 540 into a collective experience, showing how an olfactory composition can become music, taste, movement, light and matter. The goal is to describe perfume as an autonomous artistic language, capable of dialoguing with different disciplines and creating emotional connections that go beyond the simple gesture of wearing a fragrance.
L'Alchimie des Sens: when all the senses meet
At the center of the story is L'Alchimie des Sens, a choral project born from the encounter between some of the most interesting personalities of the contemporary art scene. Kurkdjian involved the multi-star chef Anne-Sophie Pic, the composerDavid Chalmin, the pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque, the kinetic sculptor Elias Crespin and the theater director Cyril Teste, asking everyone to interpret Baccarat Rouge 540 through their own creative language. The result is a dialogue between flavors, music, movement, scenography and scent that returns a new reading of the fragrance, transforming it into an immersive experience.
Francis Kurkdjian's research
The documentary also highlights the figure of Francis Kurkdjian as a multidisciplinary author. From the creation of Le Male for Jean Paul Gaultier, created at just 24 years old, to the founding of his fashion house in 2009 together with Marc Chaya, the perfumer's journey has been characterized by an approach that has always gone beyond the traditional boundaries of perfumery. Over the years Kurkdjian has collaborated with fashion houses such as Dior, Guerlain, Burberry, Saint Laurent and Lancôme, but also with artists, cultural institutions and international museums, transforming perfume into a narrative tool capable of inhabiting installations, performances and works of contemporary art.
An episode of the ICON (S) series
The documentary inaugurates the presence of Maison Francis Kurkdjian in ICON (S), the series produced by Terminal 9 Studios dedicated to the luxury houses that have helped to build the contemporary cultural imaginary. More than celebrating the commercial success of Baccarat Rouge 540, the film focuses on its creative legacy, showing how a fragrance can become a meeting point between different artistic disciplines and transform into a cultural phenomenon. With ICON (S): Maison Francis Kurkdjian, perfume leaves the bottle for good and becomes a story, experience and art. An invitation to look at - and above all to perceive - perfumery with completely new eyes.
