I am a huge Maison Francis Kurkdjian fan. I think the brand’s fragrances are super smart and eclectic, and the collection offers something for every nose. But the one I always feel pulled back to is APOM, which is one of the house’s richer, more intense and traditional scents. An acronym for “a part of me,” this perfume is designed to take you on a journey both through smell and emotion. Here’s all the reasons I think you should add it to your wishlist.
What does Maison Francis Kurkdjian APOM smell like?
One of the brand’s most eponymous fragrances, APOM has an interesting backstory. The scent, which is now genderless, was originally two perfumes: one for men, and one for women. However, in 2009, Francis Kurkdjian combined the best parts of the two to form the icon we now know and love today.
APOM is a sweet, musky, white and yellow floral that was inspired by Kurkdjian’s visit to Lebanon. It combines orange blossom with white musk, ylang ylang and lavender, cut with vanilla and amber.
Smelling this takes you on a journey—at first, you’re hit with the orange blossom, before smelling the more complex layers of lavender. With wear, the creamy smoothness of the amber and vanilla comes through, resulting in a sensory olfactory experience.
A beauty editor’s honest review
I’d argue that APOM is a ‘love it or hate it’ kind of fragrance. It’s distinctly itself, and could never be mistaken for anything else. I know people who both live by this scent and others who can’t stand it. Honestly, that’s its beauty. Unlike other modern fragrance titans such as Glossier You or Le Labo Santal 33, this isn’t meant to appeal to everybody, and thus, feels all the more individualistic. You won’t smell it down every street you go down, but when you do, you’ll know it’s something special.
I’d describe this as both rich and sweet, sexy and warm; it’s a fragrance of contradictions in many ways. I have to be in the right mood to wear it, that’s for sure. But when I do, I know I won’t be forgotten wherever I go.
This is because APOM’s biggest draw is its staying power; it’s the kind of perfume that lingers even after you’ve left a room. It has people asking what you’re wearing and why you smell so damn good, in a way they can’t put their finger on. APOM is an expensive bottle of perfume, but it lasts and makes an impact while doing so. For this reason, it’s one of my top recommendations for those looking for a fragrance that is worth an investment, or just for anybody hoping to try a hit from Maison Francis Kurkdjian.