Porcelain Bottles & Scented Legends – An Interview with Hungarykum

Perfumer and Hungarykum founder Chris Kumi talks about how he translates Hungarian culture, places, and childhood memories into scent. From mythical legends to space travel, this interview explores the inspirations behind his creations and the stories each fragrance aims to tell.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your brand to start with. How did you come to have your own brand and be a perfumer?

My name is Chris Kumi, and before founding Hungarykum, I spent many years in Hungary's media industry, producing television shows like Big Brother, Power Couple, or X-Factor. However, fragrance has always been a passion of mine - something I explored privately for years. In 2023, I decided to follow my heart and turn this passion into a profession. I started studying in France and was incredibly fortunate to meet Viktoria Minya, Hungary's most celebrated master perfumer. She said I have a sense for creating special accords and uncommon scents, so she began mentoring me. Her guidance gave me the confidence and knowledge to launch Hungarykum in 2025, blending my love for storytelling with the art of perfumery.

As I understand it, the fragrances are a tribute to your homeland?

Absolutely. Hungarykum is my personal tribute to Hungary. Each fragrance is inspired by a place, legend, or tradition that holds deep meaning for me. My goal is to capture the essence of Hungarian culture, landscape, and history through scent, so that each perfume tells a unique story about my homeland.

Hungarykum means very positive, Hungarian values, right? Why this name?

That's right! The name "Hungarykum" is a play on the word "hungarikum," which refers to unique Hungarian treasures or values - things of the highest quality. I chose this name because I wanted the brand to represent the best and most positive aspects of Hungarian culture - things that make us proud and that are truly ours. It's about celebrating our heritage and sharing it with the world in a creative and meaningful way.

Let's go through your fragrances, which revolve around stories, but also landscapes, and I find that very charming. Hungarykum is inspired by a mythical deer, what does the scent smell like and why?

Hungarykum is the story of our origins. The fragrance is inspired by the legendary stag from Hungarian mythology - a symbol of how the Hungarian people journeyed from nomadic tribes to the conquerors of the Carpathian Basin. The scent opens with bold leather and smoky notes, evoking the wildness of ancient forests and campfires. Its heart is animalic, with castoreum and musk, capturing the primal energy of the legend and the mystical deer. Finally, it settles into a floral and woody base, reflecting the harmony of our homeland’s nature and the myth itself. I wanted the fragrance to feel both mysterious and powerful - just like the miraculous stag.

The next in the series is Balaton; I know the lake personally because wine is grown there. But that's not what it smells like, is it?

Great observation! While Lake Balaton is indeed famous for its wines, my fragrance Balaton is inspired by my own summer experiences by the lake. As a child, I spent a lot of time there with my family, so I have many fond memories. The scent opens with fresh citrus - like sitting on the beach with a mojito or lemonade - followed by a sunscreen lotion accord that reminds me of the classic dark blue Nivea cream my mother used when I had sunburn. The heart reveals salty marine notes, reflecting that while Balaton is a freshwater lake, Hungarians lovingly call it the 'Hungarian Sea.' The base is a nostalgic vanilla coke drydown, inspired by the legendary Coca-Cola Beach House in Siófok, the most popular summer beach club for years. So you see, it's less about vineyards and more about capturing the carefree, sun-soaked spirit of childhood holidays by the lake.



Tihany is all about lavender, what made you think of that? I didn't know that, but this peninsula is famous for its lavender?

Yes, the Tihany peninsula is actually renowned for its lavender fields, and there's even an annual lavender festival there. I was inspired by the sight and scent of those fields in full bloom. Tihany, the fragrance, blends basil, rosemary, and tarragon with caramel and cotton candy over a heart of pure lavender. It's a gourmand twist on a classic floral - and a tribute to one of Hungary's hidden gems.

With Hunor, I find the idea behind it exciting and although it's all about Hungary, it's completely different to your other fragrances. Tell us more and what does it smell like?

Hunor Edition is indeed a departure from the others. It was inspired by Hungary's contributions to space exploration and my fascination with the future. NASA designed a fragrance to train astronauts on how Outer Space actually smells. It's a scent I had the chance to try - and I have to say, it's really ultra-niche, so I don't think anyone would want to wear it as a fragrance. I wanted to recreate it as a wearable niche perfume.

The scent opens with the Outer Space smell - crisp aldehydes and ozonic, metallic notes - evoking the feeling of space travel. Then it softens into a 'new car smell,' because the new SpaceX cabins smell like that. When I asked Tibor Kapu, our astronaut who traveled to the ISS, what he could smell there, he said, 'The ISS is not the place where a perfumer wants to stay,' so I created an old barrel accord for the perfume.
The base is a cedarwood drydown, and the whole fragrance has a lavender heart, because it's the Hungarian ingredient we can use to say: 'You can be anywhere in the universe - in space or on Earth - one thing matters: you can always connect to your Hungarian origins.'

I think this fragrance references both our cultural heritage and the interiors of spacecraft. It's a scent about adventure, innovation, and the unknown.

What's the design of the bottles all about? They look like porcelain containers.

The bottle design is inspired by Hungary's tradition of fine porcelain craftsmanship. I wanted the bottles to feel luxurious and substantial, while also paying homage to our heritage in the decorative arts. Porcelain is a symbol of elegance and artistry in Hungarian culture, so it felt like the perfect vessel for these fragrances. So we recreated a traditional 'pálinka' (Hungarian shot spirit) bottle shape - and for the cap, a typical shot glass - to create a unique porcelain bottle for our products.

What is your strategy? Will you be selling your brand purely online or are you planning to be available in perfumeries as well? Do you already have ideas?

Currently, Hungarykum is available online and in luxury niche perfumeries. In Hungary, we now sell at Mimoscent in Budapest and at Zeniche in Szeged (it's my hometown). Starting this month, we're also launching in Italy - in Bologna's most beautiful niche perfumery, Antica Profumeria al Sacro Cuore.
I believe it's important for people to experience the fragrances in person, but it's also important to me to sell the brand only in selected shops - places where the sales agents have a strong connection with their customers and can share the full story behind our fragrances. That's why I prefer to collaborate with family-run businesses.

I'm also exploring collaborations and special events to introduce the brand to a wider audience.

What can we expect in the future, what is already planned?

I'm thrilled to share that I'm developing new fragrances inspired by Hungary's most iconic regions and beloved treasures. My next creation pays homage to Tokaj - the legendary wine region - and will feature the unmistakable character of an award-winning Tokaji aszú wine, capturing its golden sweetness and complex aroma right in the bottle.

But that's not all! I've also crafted a playful tribute to Hungary's favorite dessert - the 'Túró Rudi.' This scent is a true-to-life gourmand experience, bottling the irresistible combination of creamy curd and rich chocolate that every Hungarian knows and loves.

Hungarykum is all about celebrating our culture's richness and creativity. You can look forward to even more unique stories and unforgettable scents as the brand continues to evolve - each fragrance a new chapter in Hungary's olfactory heritage!

Thank you for the thoughtful questions and the opportunity to share my journey with the Parfumo community!