Three from MFK — Kurky and Gentle Fluidity Silver and Gold

I think Maison Francis Kurkdjian launched around … 2010?  I remember sniffing them, probably in New York the first time, probably at Bergdorf, and to the best of my recollection, none of them have grabbed me enough to want a bottle. Of course, Baccarat Rouge changed everything when it became a huge hit fragrance and raised the profile of the brand significantly. I mentioned on here awhile ago my encounter with a woman who smelled heavenly (she was drenched in Baccarat Rouge) and then the massively weird fact that I couldn’t (and still can’t) smell either of the decants (EDP or extrait) that the nice folks at Cos Bar whipped up for me when I ran over there.

Anyhoo, I was back over at Cos Bar poking around in the skincare and cosmetics (because I need some fancy retail in my life to counterbalance all the turquoise jewelry and Navajo prints), and thought I’d give a couple more recent MFKs a whirl since they were sitting right there. Has the line won me over?

Kurky – apparently this was Kurkdjian’s childhood nickname.  Kurky was released earlier this year, “capturing the irresistible allure of tutti frutti candy … inspired by the pure joy of life and the freedom of imagination, more than just a fragrance, it is a luminous burst of happiness—a sunbeam for the soul…” Notes: raspberry, peach, gummy candies, fruity notes, white musk, vanilla. Ooooof. It’s a fruity, sugary, summer gourmand that is not redeemed by the fact that it smells much more expensive than something along the same lines from Bath & Body Works or Victoria’s Secret.

Moving on! Let’s try the his-n-hers Gentle Fluidity duo, Silver and Gold – “Same notes, two identities … two perfumes using juniper berries, nutmeg, coriander, musks, amber wood and vanilla to express their full potential. Crafting the materials to express their full potential (hmmmm, somebody needs to hire an editor – March) Francis Kurkdjian takes on the challenge of composing two singular eaux de parfum with the same ingredients.” Oh, these were released in 2019? I thought it was more recently. Well, they’re new to me.

Silver – “The essence of juniper berries, reveals an ultra-fresh and aromatic high note like a gin fizz balanced with dry spicy notes and balmy nutmeg notes.” This is clearly the one for dudes. It’s unpleasantly sharp and metallic at the opening, and mostly stays that way. It wasn’t scrubber territory, more “I put this on at the Macy’s men’s counter an hour ago and I would like it to go away already.” Life being what it is, Silver does not go away already. Eventually I had to launder my cardigan and now it’s all just a fuzzy, mildly off-putting memory.

Gold – for the laydeez, a “generous and fully enveloping trail … essence of coriander seeds and an extra dose of musks and vanilla … spicy floral notes add a breezy volume and lasting trail. The vanilla accord brings tasty and reassuring back notes underscored by the amber wood which sketches a bright and radiant silhouette … Gold eau de parfum diffuses comfortable notes, a reassuring musky, ambery scent” (yep, MFK website for sure needs writing / editing help) This is much softer and prettier, an amber-vanilla-musk that lingers as long (if not as pugnaciously) as Silver. Hey, it’s nice! It really is. But nothing about it is interesting or gorgeous enough to levitate the Visa from the relative safety of my wallet.

Have you tried any of these? Do you have an MFK you love?

images via Pexels