Francis Kurkdjian was just 25 when he created Le Mâle, one of the most iconic, distinctive and instantly recognisable fragrances ever made. 20 years on, he tells Jo Allen about how he handled his early success and why he has built his career on taking risks
Francis Kurkdjian is a risk taker. After creating the global phenomenum that was Jean Paul Gaultier’s Le Mâle – his very first creation – Kurkdjian believes that taking risks is what he had to do: “After a success like that, you can’t hide or decide to stick to regular perfumery,” he tells ECM. “Yet taking risks is a part of my personality. Boredom and routine scare me a lot,” he says.
As a young boy Kurkdjian gained valuable lessons in life by aiming high and learning not to be afraid of failure. He followed his dreams to be a ballet dancer and auditioned to study at the Paris Opera School of Dance, but was turned down.
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