Fragrance Phenomenon Baccarat Rouge 540 by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

The world of fragrances is subjective: a signature scent, reflecting your individuality and character, can become a personal olfactory hell for another person. However, luxury and niche brands sometimes offer compositions that touch invisible strings, affect something in the public consciousness, and even invite to discussion. 

Throughout the 2010s, one of the most talked about fragrances was the woody Le Labo Santal 33 - a scent that could be guaranteed to encounter at various Fashion Weeks, from London to Paris: its rich sillage wafted backstage and in the front rows. Before that, the gourmand floral-ambery Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf, the glassy-woody Gypsy Water by Byredo, and the transparent Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules made a triumphant march across the globe. If we look at the bestseller lists, we will definitely encounter Fleur Narcotique by Ex Nihilo, Rihanna's beloved Good Girl Gone Bad by Kilian, and PINK MOLéCULE 090.09 by Zarkoperfume.

In recent years, the world has gone crazy over Baccarat Rouge 540, created by Francis Kurkdjian - a globally renowned perfumer, in-house "nose" for Dior, and perhaps one of the modern classics. He is behind a whole range of cult fragrances: Le Male, Eau Noire, Kenzo World and Narciso Rodriguez For Her, to name just a few from his portfolio. Baccarat Rouge 540, which debuted internationally in 2015, was the result of a long-standing relationship between Maison Francis Kurkdjian and French crystal manufacturer Baccarat. The inspiration came from the Baccarat crystal production process: 24-carat gold powder is added to the crystal, heated to a temperature of 540 °C. This gives the crystal its recognizable red colour without losing its characteristic transparency.

"At the end of 2013, Daniela Riccardi, CEO of Baccarat, asked me to create a signature scent to celebrate the company's 250th anniversary," says Kurkdjian. "I envisioned a fragrance named Baccarat Rouge 540, which existed only in 250 numbered crystal bottles."

The excitement was so great that Francis decided to give the composition a second life by releasing it in a symbolic Baccarat bottle as part of his own perfume house, Maison Francis Kurkdjian. Now, the line includes not only the Eau de Parfum but also an Extrait de Parfum version, an aromatic candle, hair mist, oil, and body cream with the recognizable amber fragrance.

It is known that Baccarat Rouge 540 is one of Rihanna's favourite fragrances. And Kylie Minogue during the presentation of her own perfume, asked a fashion journalist if she was wearing Baccarat Rouge 540. But the real phenomenon of the fragrance happened on TikTok: the hashtag #baccaratrouge540 has gained 347 million views and continues to grow.

Why are so many people crazy about this fragrance? According to Francis, Baccarat Rouge 540 is modern yet timeless. "Its sillage is unique and recognizable. It is abstract, and it's not about the flowers or amber: the main notes disappear, leaving only a weightless veil," says Kurkdjian. The perfumer built an unconventional balance of ingredients: strange, perhaps fragile, and sometimes not obvious. But this only proves, that he knew what he was doing when creating the fragrance, because a long-lasting sillage is what people want most from a perfume, especially when they spend a substantial amount in it. "We all want a fragrance that smells expensive, fills the room, and gathers compliments, without overwhelming or irritating those around us," writes Lucy Partington, British freelance beauty journalist. And here's what famous TikTok blogger and model Tayla Marie says about the fragrance, as her themed video collected 2.4 million views: 

"I've met people who stopped me on the street and asked, 'What perfume is that?' I work in the women's fashion industry, and many girls, coming out of the dressing room, would mention the sillage of Baccarat Rouge 540. At pubs, people come up to me and ask for the perfume's name. I receive compliments about my scent every single day. What does Baccarat Rouge 540 smell like? Imagine you're in a New York penthouse. You just got back from a black tie party, wearing an open-backed dress, and the love of your life starts kissing your neck. To me, it's an incredibly sexy scent."

Along with notes of saffron, jasmine and cedarwood, the fragrance contains a powerful dose of ambroxan. A key component that defines the scent of natural ambergris (a product of sperm whales' metabolism), - it was first synthesized in the 1950s by experts from the Firmenich company. Describing the smell of ambroxan, it is important to mention its transparency and saltiness, as well as its slightly sweet, vanilla-like scent of old paper or cardboard, and woody and musky undertones.

"It is a synthetic molecule that creates the creamy, sensual, and addictive trail of Baccarat Rouge 540," says fragrance author and fragrance expert Alice du Parcq. "It has a smell of candy floss and burnt strawberry jam, which makes people's mouths water."

Some see the uniqueness of the fragrance in its short formula, which consists of no more than fifteen ingredients, and most of them are truly well-defined. They are assembled into three main accords: woody, gourmand, and amber.

The woody accord is based on Evernyl (a synthetic oakmoss analog) — its pure scent, combined with synthetic saffron material, is reminiscent of medicinal bandages. Kurkdjian added a touch of cedar to soften it and Iso E Super for the same purpose, but also to create a smooth woody-amber background. The gourmand accord is represented by two bright and very noticeable elements: Ethyl Maltol with its characteristic smell of strawberry, sweet candy floss, and burnt sugar, and Fir Balsam absolute. The second one has a very unusual and beautiful scent, with balsamic, pine, and fruity undertones, with an emphasis on strawberry and a smooth syrupy texture. It is the combination of Ethyl Maltol, Fir Balsam, and Evernyl that reminds many of the smell and taste of lollipops — the famous candies from the past. Those who mostly sense bandages likely have a heig sensitivity to Evernyl and its combination with pure ambroxan.

Another reason for the popularity of the fragrance is that it smells the same on most people, according to Nick Gilbert, a fragrance expert and Creative Director at Olfiction. "It lasts long on the skin and hair, and it's easily recognizable. We know that Baccarat crystal is expensive, so when people tell you that you smell nice, it's because of that association. Ultimately, these factors are decisive when investing in a fragrance collection."

One of the main reasons people admire Baccarat Rouge so much is because it guarantees compliments. The feeling you get when someone comments on your perfume lifts your mood. Moreover, a fragrance compliment is never said just once, and all of this together contributes to word-of-mouth. 

This is how the fragrance becomes "viral" both on social media and in real life.