His perfume does not smell ick. It is an olfactory work of art and is on my wish list, where it will remain for all eternity, a 1 percent solution to the inequities in this world. Only 20 people will ever own it, but there is hope: a refill at $2,200.
— On Francis Kurkdjian's limited edition Extrait de Parfum. Read more at Samurai Shopper | The 1% Solution at The New York Times.
Hahaha That’s a really funny article.
I just think I should not fund my IRA this year and buy the $11,000 personalized lighted bottle-cabinet, too.
Hey, good thinking 😉
I think that if you can afford $11,000 for a bottle of perfume that nineteen other people would also be wearing, people you might run into because the sort of people who could pay that are the sort of people who would run in your circles, you might as well just spend $20,000 or whatever and hire Kurkdjian (or Giacobetti or Ellena or the like) to make a bespoke perfume for you, and then instead of 20 people owning it, only one would.
In 2008, he was charging “in the region of $12,000” for a bespoke scent, and perhaps he still is, who knows. So you’re absolutely right.
It’s a very good point.
I was thinking… Can it really be a great perfume? Won’t a perfumer feel cheated if his great creation would have such a limited circulation? Won’t it be like writing War and Piece but publishing just twenty copies?