David Benedek grew up surrounded by perfume. Exiled from Transylvania, his visionary grandparents were the first Parisian retailers of Worth and Christian Dior perfumes in the 1950s. After graduating from Paris’ IFM (Institut Français de la Mode), Benedek worked first at Givaudan, then Cinquième Sens, before founding Parfums BDK. ‘I wanted to compose a modern library of scents where singular fragrances would prevail,’ says Benedek, who handpicks the best raw materials and natural flowers to distil unique ‘absolutes’.
The bottles were created by a master glass maker from Normandy and a traditional goldsmith, who sculpted a hood in the shape of the Grand Palais dome. Printed in small batches in the Marais, the stickers are hand-positioned on each bottle while the boxes are inspired by old bookbinding techniques. Each fragrance comes with a narrative – for example, ‘Pas ce Soir’, which marries ginger and mandarin with Moroccan jasmine, orange blossom and amber, follows the trail of a chic woman who visits a cabaret, drinks whisky and dances alone.
As originally featured in the November 2016 issue of Wallpaper* (W*212)