He’s keeping us waiting. A few weeks ago, Francis Kurkdjian gave us his sort-of first piece of work as in-house perfumer at Dior, in the form of the reissued trilogy of Eau Noire, Cologne Blanche and Bois D’Argent. And now, instead of revealing what his debut, fully-fledged release is going to be at his new place of employment, he’s treating us to an addition to his eponymous range: Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724. Here’s a link to my recent YouTube video about it: Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724 review.
I was rather perplexed about this composition while broadcasting the episode, and I remain perplexed about it while typing these words. Those of us expecting something shocking and polarising from Captain Kurk probably had entirely unrealistic expectations. The vast majority of his compositions for his own brand have been accessible, polite pieces of work, displaying all of the technical skills for which he is rightly lauded. 724 is no exception. But its approachability and familiarity are so extreme (almost taking the concept of ‘safe’ to an unprecedented level) that I fear it may become a victim of its own good manners and fade into the realms of the forgettable. I gather it also bears more than a fleeting resemblance to a discontinued New York exclusive called 754, but as I never smelt it, I’m not in a position to comment.
724 is, from start to finish, an extremely well-constructed, radiant, luminous blend of citruses and chaste white flowers, placed upon a base of pumped up musks. It attempts to capture the buzz and spirit of a modern metropolis, and perhaps, by not shying away from a certain synthetic texture, and by conveying a sense of light reflected off glass skyscrapers, it goes some way to achieving its aim. But it is also dangerously innocuous. As the saying goes, a friend to all is a friend to none, and I wonder if 724 is too amenable for its own good. Time will tell.
Persolaise
[Maison Francis Kurkdjian 724 review based on a sample provided by the brand in 2022.]
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I disagree with the fact that 724 is dangerously innocuous. It is a very well constructed fragrance, which has a beautiful floral fresh start but with a hint of something dirty underneath (it’s probably the musk). I find it very retro, like a vintage Diorella, which I adored in the 1980s. I think it takes a degree of perfume wisdom to really appreciate this scent. When I smell this fragrance, I see myself as a young girl of 17 dressed in a light-blue cotton jumpsuit, a blue ribbon in my hair and white woven leather ballerina flats (I looked like one of George Michael’s backing vocals). I don’t think I’ve ever liked a MFK fragrance more that 724, not even the ever-so-popular Baccarat Rouge.
Thanks for taking the time to write. It’s good to know that 724 has resonated positively with some people.