THE STORY OF BACCARAT AND MAISON FRANCIS KURKDJIAN-BACCARAT ROUGE 540

I think it is safe to say that on December 1st a true festivities season has finally come! For a huge part of the population it is officially 'the most wonderful time of the year' (yes Andy Williams we hear you everywhere), people seem to be friendlier, but also more impatient, cheerful, but a bit stressed out because they want their celebrations to be just perfect. One of the things that truly incarnates this season for me is smells! Odores of vanilla and cinnamon from bakeries, the smell of cold cold dark night when it is pitch black and quiet outside, this amazing scent of pine trees... and of course perfume! It's been a couple of years since I associate this season with one particular perfume because it seems that I can smell it everywhere I go. And I could swear that the city smells of Baccarat Rouge 540 at night. As I pass through a crowded space, I suddenly catch myself looking over my shoulder at the woman who has passed by me and, with a whiff, has left this amazing trail of her perfume. A heady, radiant scent. Caught up in a brief euphoria I smile and carry on walking.
It is probably hard to find anyone who hasn't heard or smelled Baccarat Rouge 540. I am sure it has already encoded these times in a bottle and has become a phenomenon. The dreamed-of, tiny, elegant, coveted bottle adorns many a cosmetic table. This fragrance marks festive celebrations, important occasions, and precious moments, like an exquisite piece of jewelry, enveloping the wrists, décolletage, and hair in the most beautiful moments. More than one person will probably associate various moments in their life with this fragrance, which will come alive at the slightest whiff. Baccarat - that's the short name for a fragrance that drives not only women but men crazy too. Sometimes it seems to me that more people know Baccarat Rouge 540 than the Baccarat crystal house that started the history of this enchanting fragrance.

Baccarat

Baccarat is actually a town in France near Paris. It was here that the Baccarat crystal house was founded in 1764. The Bishop of Metz wanted to do business in Baccarat. Then, with the approval of King Louis XV, one of the most famous crystal houses was founded. It was first a glass workshop, mainly producing elaborate mirrors and windows, and in 1816 it also began to produce crystal products, which were later chosen and desired by more than one nobleman, even by the royal families. The first noble order came in 1823 from the French ruler, King Louis XVIII, and in 1872 Baccarat was the first to produce crystal chandeliers, which made the crystal house even more famous.
The Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul, Turkey, has the world's largest collection of Baccarat crystal chandeliers. The chandeliers for this palace were created between 1843 and 1856. The famous Baccarat crystal staircase also adorns the palace. One of the staircase handrails in the palace is decorated with Baccarat crystal. It is sill possible to visit the palace and see the spectacular crystal chandeliers and staircase which are just breathtaking.
As perfume production increased, the Baccarat crystal house began to produce crystal, luxury perfume bottles, which became one of the most profitable and highly ordered products in 1907. Up to 3 000 crystal perfume bottles were produced per day. The crystal house, which flourished for more than 250 years, is still famous today. Baccarat crystal has retained its special value because the crystal house maintains high standards and its crystal is distinguished by its clarity, sparkle and unique design. All this makes it a sign of luxury, and the precious items created by the crystal house are usually passed down from generation to generation as an heritage

Maison Francis Kurkdjian - Baccarat Rouge 540

The famous perfumer Francis Kurkdjian probably had no idea when he launched Baccarat Rouge 540 in 2015 what a phenomenon it would become. To celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Baccarat Crystal House, the crystal house invited Francis Kurkdjian, one of the most famous perfumers of our time to create a scent dedicated to the crystal house. The perfumer decided to create a fragrance that not only reflects the inspiring 250-year history but also encourages us to look to the future. "Baccarat red", the emblematic color of the House of Crystal, was the basis for this perfume. By heating the crystal at 540°C and adding 24k gold, the crystal changes its color to a distinctive red (rouge in French). That's how "Baccarat red" becomes emblematic not only for the bottle but also for the perfume itself.
Crystal is made with just a few ingredients, so the perfumer decided to also use just a few of the most important ingredients for the fragrance to achieve the formula he had imagined. He chose Ambroxan, which has similarities to grey ambergris, which is extremely expensive and hard to find. The woody notes in the perfume reflect the sand, one of the main ingredients in the production of crystal, complemented by sensual jasmine. Finally, the choice of saffron gives the perfume a sparkling crystal-like color - rouge.



It's not a secret - this scent is not without controversy, some people hate it, some love it, but it evokes an emotion in every single person and has become a scent that kind of depicts our modern times. I am sure sometime in the future, speaking about a period in our life we could just say 'You know when everyone was wearing Baccarat' and one will truly know what period is described. I got to be the person who adores the scent, I just love it when people close to me wear it in the most amazing way. When I heard for the first time the inspiration for this perfume and later on I found out about the history of Baccarat Crystal House the scent appeared to me as one full of symbolism, a scent with a special meaning. Every detail has been thought out down to the last one, capturing the legendary crystal that decorated the palaces of the nobility, sparkling and glowing even in the dark.
Maybe this is the first time you hear the story behind this creation, maybe you adore it too? I kind of feel that this perfume suites the winter season so well. Maybe you guys have a scent that is just absolutely a perfume of the festive season for you?