Maison Francis Kurkdjian To Launch Collectors Edition Of Cult-favourite Baccarat Rouge 540 Perfume

Luxury French fragrance brand Maison Francis Kurkdjian is elevating its cult-classic Baccarat Rouge 540 perfume to new heights. This September, the house will unveil a $28,000 collector’s edition, packed in a crystal case and paired with an exclusive refill membership, as reported by Business of Fashion first. The upgrade indicates a high demand for collector’s edition pieces in the luxury market.

Named Baccarat Rouge 540 Édition Millésime, the luxury perfumer will launch only 540 bottles which will be released in 54 product batches over the next decade. The permanent collection bottles costing $695 for 200ml bottles sees a price upgrade due to its refined ambergris-infused formula as well as a spectacular presentation. The brand’s original bottle designer Fred Rawyler has worked on designing the exquisite red Baccarat crystal flacon shining with a 24-carat-gold cap, roping in 19 artisans who devoted 500 hours to bring its sculptural beauty. Nestled in a beveled mirror-and-leather case with a hand-stitched lambskin sleeve, it is less of a fragrance but more objet d’art—a treasure for true connoisseurs.

Additionally, buyers of Baccarat Rouge 540 Édition Millésime will be part of an exclusive members’ club taking benefits like up to five annual refills along with bespoke experiences: intimate dinners, masterclasses with renowned perfumer Francis Kurkdjian himself, performances at the Vienna State Opera and access to the perfumer’s forthcoming solo show at Palais de Tokyo.

What is Baccarat Rouge 540?

Called as an alchemy of senses, Baccarat Rouge 540 is born from the encounter between two luxury houses — French perfume atelier Maison Francis Kurkdjian and French luxury crystal manufacturer Baccarat. At the heart of Baccarat Rouge 540 is 24 karat gold powder that fuses with crystal at 540°C and turns into rouge, also called ‘red made of gold’.

 

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The fragrance evokes the density and transparency of crystal around its three inherent auras namely mineral, fire, and air. The mineral aura is a metaphor for crystal itself. It features Ambroxan, a synthetic aromatic compound with a warm, woody and musky scent. The fire aura has the pairing of saffron accord and ethyl-maltol which adds to the gourmand facet of the composition. The air or the ‘aura of know how’ features airy notes of hedione with jasmine accents. “Baccarat Rouge 540 conveys the story of crystal-making,” says perfumer Francis Kurkdjian ​in a film launched by the Maison on Instagram elaborating on the making process of the fragrance.

History of Baccarat Rouge 540

In 2014, French crystal house Baccarat in collaboration with Maison Francis Kurkdjian created a limited edition fragrance called Baccarat Rouge 540 to mark its 250th anniversary. When the perfume was released in an exclusive series of 250 Baccarat crystal bottles, it was sold out in a jiffy. Later, Kurkdjian brought Baccarat Rouge 540 to his Parisian fragrance creation house, but this time in a new form of minimalist glass vessels. In its most recent presentation, the perfume comes in a glitzy red and gold vessel; however, the collectors edition is its most elaborate and luminous presentation.