724 Maison Francis Kurkdjian 2022 Eau de Parfum

A scintillating sort of clean. A high-UV index sky. Linens so crisp they might cut. Diamond-sharp aldehydes are joined by lemon, jasmine, and a crystal-clear lily of the valley. It feels kindred to Byredo’s Blanche, but Blanche seems off-white in comparison the saturation and clarity of 724. Lasts at least 8h on skin and don’t even want to guess how long in fabric. This is a scent that fumigates, sterilizes, and absolves all sins. My coworkers, who are outrageously generous and have impeccable taste, surprised me with this as a birthday gift. While I’m flattered they’d think me a 724 girl, I don't know if I can live up to this scent.

Mental Snapshot: When people call this a white-tee-and-jeans scent, I see it. But not in a humble, easy sort of way. This is the white-tee-and-jeans uniform of a tech mogul or a “relatable” celebrity. It’s a smile so white it's practically bioluminescent. Mr. Clean wasn’t always Mr. Clean. Well, not until he took your name. (Though you still had him sign the prenup).

tl;dr: Mistress Clean

MFK's marketing cowboys present this as a vibrant yet urban spirit. I dunno guys, but all I get is a traditional approach to Lily-of-the-valley. Kind of soapy and slightly reminding me of home sprays. Jasmin adds a bit of fluffiness, but not enough to take away that sharp cleansing product vibe.

This is closer to grandmother Diorissimo (1956) Eau de Toilette than it should be. MFK's interpretation falls way short of other contemporary Lily-of-the-valley, like "Lucky | Dior" , Cavatina and "Synthetic Jungle | Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle" . A big miss. Pity.

Out of the samples I received from Maison Francis Kurkdijan, this one by a mile was my favorite. If you’ve smelt Margiela’s Lazy Sunday Morning, this is almost identical to it. This one along with LSM reminds me of waking up in your bed, and catching a whiff of the clean linens on your bed and your comfortable pajamas, with the sun beaming through your curtains and glowing on your skin. As someone who grew up in the city, this for sure reminds me of waking up and looking out the window of the bustling city with the sun shining through the window. Phenomenal fragrance. Smells so clean and uplifting - this will immediately make you feel better physically and mentally upon application.

9/10

EDIT: After a month, the aldehydic note grew softer while the Calabrian bergamot note became a bit stronger.

It's a nice summer around 9 AM. The blueness of the sky backdrops the sun and scattered cumulus clouds. I'm relaxing on the beach, sitting on a chair under a huge umbrella and beside a vase of white flowers. Small waves lap gently along the shore while the sea breeze whiffs on my face.

Good longevity and average sillage, but that's what I want for a daily, office scent, especially for summer. Sprayed it around 8:45 AM on the back of my neck and the back of my elbows. The projection lasted until 1 PM. After that, I could still smell whiffs until after 5 PM! The citrus dry down lasted until evening. I remember sniffing my inner elbows from time to time.

There's a classy finish to the scent, which is present in the Aqua line of MFK. It is also light, almost ethereal but present, and therefore not intrusive to others. The name and the vision is also appropriate; this would be the no-brainer fresh and clean daily fragrance of an urban careerperson. Lastly, I would say this is unisex but leaning a bit feminine.

I bought the 70 ml version which comes in a durable and sophisticated light blue rectangular box. Upon opening, there's a small lace that you can pull to reveal the bottle secured inside a cutout. The bottle itself is an exquisite cubic glass with a golden metal cap.

If you wish to smell of the most expensively laundered person, this fragrance is for you. One's self was quite startled by how much enjoyment was gained from several wears of this lovely concoction. It is as if it is a balance of softness and warmth vs bright sparkling vibrancy. I can see why it was inspired by urban cityscapes. A poignant contrast of humanity within so much reflective glass and hard lines of contemporary architecture.