bdk parfums
French fragrance creations that have taken the world by storm
Few perfume lovers have been able to escape the exciting French niche brand BDK and their rapid rise to the top of the international fragrance market. But what is their story and what characterises their fragrances? Here's a little presentation.
BDK Parfums was founded in 2016 by David Benedek, born in Paris in 1989 and one of several generations of perfumers. His father is Romanian, with roots in Transylvania, and his mother was born on the Algerian-Moroccan border, but the family established itself early on as a leading force in the French fragrance market. The Benedeks were the first to be licensed in the 1950s to distribute major brands such as Christian Dior in Paris in the 1950s, and 10 years later they opened their own shop selling perfumes and luxury accessories on the corner of Rue Royal and Rue Sanint-Honoré, in the prestigious Palais Royale.
His son David first trained as an economist, with internships in both China and the United States. Back in France, he was admitted to the Institut Français de la Mode (Paris' premier fashion school, once founded by Yves Saint Laurent) to study cosmetics and develop his passion for fragrances and perfume creation. It was here that he came into contact with the craft, getting to know different raw materials and ingredients, and guiding himself through the thicket of fragrance families. The feeling for the raw materials and how to create personalised scents by experimenting with the main ingredient's character traits became an early guide for the future BDK's way of making perfumes. Putting the raw material and its "personality" at the centre and then developing it further in a way that no one had done before.
For Benedek, it has also been an important part of the philosophy that every stage of production should be French. Thus, everything from the fragrance production itself to the bottle design, cork and label is made in France. The bottles come as standard in 100 ml, but some of the fragrances also come in practical 10 ml tubes.
award winning gris charnel extrait
David Benedek is, as mentioned, BDK's founder, artistic director and main creator, but he often collaborates with other perfumers or brings in external big names in the fragrance world to produce perfumes customised specifically to the house's idea or DNA.
It was recognised early on, not least in Cannes, for its interesting creative scents but 2023 was definitely the year that kick-started the brand's popularity with the fragrance Gris Charnel Extrait, when it won the title of "Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year" at the annual The Fragrance Foundation Awards in New York. In short, it was the fragrance that put BDK firmly on the international map. It was created by Mathilde Bijaoui, an experienced perfumer associated with the MANE fragrance company and with a rich CV from brands such as Etat Libre d'Orange, Bentley, Lalique, Jo Malone, Dolce & Gabbana and Yves Saint Laurent.
Gris Charnel comes in two different flavours, but the basis of both editions is a mildly spicy "fougere" based on cardamom, black tea, bourbon, sandalwood and figs. The original Gris Charnel is a lighter version, while a couple of wood notes have been added to the Etrait edition (for which it won an award), making it deeper, darker and more "eveningware".
OTHER FRAGRANCES
BDK Parfums has a wide range of fragrances to suit all tastes and, as mentioned earlier, many of the fragrances are designed around a particular scent note or raw material. These range from floral freshness to the elegant, fresh cherry of Rouge Smoking, while the smoky, woody masculine Oud Abramad (also created by Mathilde Bijaoui) is the brand's version of a dark, dressed-up oud in a European suit. In the similarly dark woody Ambre Safrano, spicy saffron and leather are combined with the creamy sweetness of amber (composed of vanilla and olibanum), while in the boldly colourful Pas Ce Soir, where the Extrait version in particular is intensely fruity and boozy, we encounter dark, jammy berries and chocolate, and the odd ingredient of quince chutney, which gives it a marmalade-like character.
In some cases, perfumes can surprise and turn into something completely different than they promise in the opening, and here BDK shows an almost playful creativity that makes them unique. Tabac Rose starts with spicy rose but soon, with the help of the rose, turns into warm creamy plums in combination with chocolate and cardamom. Similarly, Velvet Tonka starts with intense, luxurious almond pulp, which then gives way to the more subtle tonka bean in the drydown.
AZUR COLLECTION - BLUE MARINE AND SUMMERY
Those with a penchant for fresh, marine summer scents will be delighted with the blue Azur collection, whose three fragrances are all inspired by the Italian Amalfi Coast but in three different interpretations. Particularly stunning is the powerful but very fresh Citrus Riviera, where summery citrus fruits on steroids are the main impression. Sel d'Argent has salt as its main note and focuses precisely on conveying the image of the salt air from the sea, while Villa Neroli is based on the fruity orange blossom, but here with more focus on the floral accents of the petals, which also gives a clear unisex tone to the scent. Perfect adofter for those who want to experience the holiday feeling at home or enhance it when travelling.
At BDK Parfums there is a lot to discover and more exciting creations are likely to be expected. Feel free to buy samples on our website.
P.S. Also try BDK's fantastic detergent!