A noble ingredient among all, oud wood stands out as a true “black gold” in perfumery, whose finest qualities reveal a multitude of nuances: smoky, animalic, honeyed, floral, or even fruity. In 2012, seduced by this precious, ambergris-like natural material, Francis Kurkdjian undertook to explore its richness, trace out its sensual silhouettes, and unlock its secrets.
He introduced into the Maison’s fragrance wardrobes an essence remarkable for its extraordinary olfactory properties: a distillation where every facet harmonizes with the others, whether animalic, honeyed, floral, fruity, musky. As a Parisian designer, his primary intention was to bring a new perspective to this wood, symbolic in many Eastern cultures, by exploring its sensual yet rough facets. Just as patchouli, sandalwood, or vetiver did in their time, it now represents the tradition of French perfumery. Shaping these precious materials, steered by a quest for harmony—this was Francis Kurkdjian’s bold ambition for the OUD mood collection.
“What fascinates me about oud wood is its history, its complexity, but also its rough, almost animal sensuality,” he said. “These days, animalic notes like castoreum and civet have disappeared from our palettes. Oud allows us to use an animalic facet that’s becoming increasingly rare in modern perfumery.”
Showcasing his interest in the world of fashion, the perfumer and co-founder of the maison drew inspiration from the textures of various fabrics to create unique expressions of oud. After the crisp, subtle glide of raw silk with OUD silk mood and the fluid sensuality of satin with OUD satin mood, Francis Kurkdjian now captures the softness of velvet with OUD Velvet Mood, adding a new masterpiece to one of the Maison’s emblematic collections
“Last year, I visited Liwa’s dunes and spent some time out in the middle of some of the Persian Gulf’s most sensational, spectacular landscapes,” Kurkdjian recalls. “I was struck by those infinite horizons, where the gaze is swallowed into nothingness. The raw, bewitching beauty of the desert, the tactile sensuality of sand, the organic, shifting, almost carnal dunes sculpted by light and wind…It was this dream world—a combination of vastness and intimacy—that I wanted to distill into OUD Velvet Mood, into a moment when fragrance becomes a caress.”
With its soft, enveloping texture, OUD Velvet Mood hinges on oud to build a silage inspired by the unique sensuality of sand in the desert. Francis Kurkdjian transcribes them into a new Extrait de parfum. “I have always considered the Extrait to be the ultimate olfactory form of a fragrance, its quintessence in terms of concentration and the use of noble materials, both synthetic and natural.”
With OUD Velvet Mood, Kurkdjian pairs ingredients sourced from the world over with an idea of equilibrium and harmony, using a technique that is both opulent and essential. Fascinated by these ingredients from inspiring, faraway lands, he strives to integrate them into his Western perfumery palette and transform them, through his own expertise, according to the tradition and heritage of French perfumery.
At the heart of OUD Velvet Mood, the raw character of oud wood is tempered by a joyful and textured peach note. Coupled with the leathery and apricot facets of osmanthus, a supple suede accord accentuates the “bare skin” effect. “Oud wood naturally possesses fruity and honeyed facets, which I wanted to accentuate in a new fragrance that reveals the colorful, luminous dimensions of this utterly mysterious ingredient,” says Kurkdjian.
Inspired by a crystal bottle originally designed to fit into a travel case, the Maison Francis Kurkdjian fragrance bottle has always had a square silhouette with facets cut at sharp, yet not aggressive, angles. The Maison’s monogram, this double “KK,” is embedded into the glass like a seal, the way an artist signs their work. The bottles are topped with a golden cap, also monogrammed, that contrasts with their dark, tinted glass—a play of light, radiance, and vibration that reinforces the olfactory universe of OUD Velvet Mood Extrait de Parfum.
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