BDK Parfums

The story

Behind BDK Parfums is David Benedek, born in Paris in 1989 and raised in the world of perfumery. His grandparents, exiled from Transylvania, were among the first people authorised to distribute great names such as Worth and Christian Dior in Paris in the 1950s, and later opened their first boutique on the corner of rue Saint-Honoré. Bouquet de Hongrie is dedicated to his grandmother Edith. David studied economics, lived in Beijing and New York and in 2012 entered the Institut Français de la Mode, where he chose perfume; he trained on raw materials with the teams at Givaudan and then at the Institut Cinquième Sens. He is the house's creative director: for each fragrance he chooses the perfumer to entrust it to.

The house was born in Paris in June 2016, in the Palais Royal district, and its name, BDK, takes up the founder's surname. It presents itself as an independent “Parisian perfume studio”. The idea is that of a “modern olfactory library, rich with stories and dreams”: each fragrance begins with the choice of a raw material. “From each singular fragrance emerges a personality, a way of being”, writes David Benedek.

The debut came with five perfumes, among them Bouquet de Hongrie, Pas ce Soir and Tubéreuse Impériale. Since then the house has grown by collections. The Collection Parisienne tells of the neighbourhoods and moments of the capital: here, in 2019, came Gris Charnel, signed by Mathilde Bijaoui. The Collection Matières puts the raw material at the centre, with Velvet Tonka (2021) by Alexandra Carlin and Vanille Leather (2023) by Dominique Ropion. The Collection Azur, from 2020, looks to the Mediterranean. Since 2022 the best-loved perfumes have also been released as Extrait de Parfum, concentrated at 30%: Gris Charnel, Pas ce Soir, Rouge Smoking. The Fragrance Foundation awards followed: in France in 2022 for Velvet Tonka, in the United States in 2023 for Gris Charnel Extrait, Perfume Extraordinaire of the Year. In 2025 came Impadia, by Jordi Fernandez.

In January 2024 BDK Parfums opened its first boutique at 312 rue Saint-Honoré, “in a district dear to my family”, and celebrated it with a perfume that bears that address. The bottle is a small tour of France: the cap, inspired by the dome of the Grand Palais, is the work of a jeweller and goldsmith in the Paris region; the bevelled glass comes from a master glassmaker in Normandy; the label, printed in Bordeaux, is applied by hand; the box, made like a bookbinding, comes from the Le Mans region and, placed beside the others, forms “an encyclopedia of fine perfumes”. Alongside the fragrances there are the hair perfumes, the Le Soin Parfumé body line and the Les Nocturnes candles. The concentrates are produced in the Grasse region and all manufacturing is, by choice, “made in France”.

The collections

• Collection Parisienne: since 2016, Paris and its neighbourhoods: “each fragrance reveals a story”. Impadia, Gris Charnel Extrait, Rouge Smoking Extrait, Gris Charnel, Rouge Smoking, Pas ce Soir, Pas ce Soir Extrait, 312 Saint-Honoré, Bouquet de Hongrie, Nuit de Sable.
• Collection Matières: since 2016, the raw material as the very essence of creation. Velvet Tonka, Vanille Leather, Crème de Cuir, Tubéreuse Impériale, Tabac Rose, Oud Abramad, Wood Jasmin.
• Collection Azur: since 2020, the spirit of travel in the Mediterranean, between Cap d'Antibes, a Corsican cove and Capri. Citrus Riviera, Sel d'Argent, Villa Néroli.
• Collection Exclusive: two raw materials that meet and answer one another “like two voices in harmony”. Ambre Safrano, French Bouquet.
• Hair perfumes, 50 ml: with silk proteins. Gris Charnel, Rouge Smoking, Pas ce Soir, Bouquet de Hongrie, Crème de Cuir, Tubéreuse Impériale.
• Le Soin Parfumé, 300 ml: body lotion Gris Charnel, Rouge Smoking, Pas ce Soir, Bouquet de Hongrie; body wash Gris Charnel, Rouge Smoking, Pas ce Soir, Bouquet de Hongrie.
• Les Nocturnes candles, 250 g: a journey into the Parisian night. Taxi Minuit, Matin Parisien, Ciel Rose, Pleine Lune, Palace Paradisio.

OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised BDK Parfums retailer, online and at the shop in Nettuno (Rome).

Frequently asked questions

What does BDK mean?
BDK takes up the surname of the founder, David Benedek, who created the house in Paris in 2016. For him perfume is a family story: his grandparents were among the first to distribute great names such as Worth and Christian Dior in Paris.

What is the difference between Gris Charnel Eau de Parfum and Extrait?
Gris Charnel Eau de Parfum is the original 2019 version, with fig, black tea, cardamom, iris and sandalwood. Gris Charnel Extrait, from 2022, is concentrated at 30% and adds cistus, vanilla, cedarwood and patchouli: it is warmer, more intense and longer-lasting. Pas ce Soir Extrait and Rouge Smoking Extrait are likewise the 30% versions of their respective Eaux de Parfum.

Which BDK Parfums perfume is similar to Gris Charnel?
The closest is Gris Charnel Extrait, the same signature in a more intense version. Those who love its woody, spicy side can try Oud Abramad, with saffron and oud; those looking for the softness of iris, 312 Saint-Honoré.

Which BDK Parfums perfume should I choose?
To begin with, the three best loved: Impadia, floral and woody with rose and vanilla; Gris Charnel Extrait, woody and spicy with fig and cardamom; Rouge Smoking Extrait, amber with cherry, almond and tonka bean. For vanilla Vanille Leather or Velvet Tonka, for rose Tabac Rose, for the sea Sel d'Argent.

Are BDK Parfums perfumes for men or for women?
They are unisex. Those who prefer a woody, spicy character look to Gris Charnel and Oud Abramad; those who love flowers to Bouquet de Hongrie, Tubéreuse Impériale and Pas ce Soir. All of them can be worn regardless of gender.

Does BDK Parfums also make hair perfumes?
Yes. The hair perfumes, in 50 ml, have a formula with silk proteins and take up the best-loved fragrances: Gris Charnel, Rouge Smoking, Pas ce Soir, Bouquet de Hongrie, Crème de Cuir and Tubéreuse Impériale. For the first four there are also the body lotion and the body wash.

Where can I buy BDK Parfums in Italy?
OUD Profumeria Artistica is an authorised BDK Parfums retailer: you will find the perfumes online, with free shipping in Italy over €60 and 10 free samples over €100, and at the shop in Nettuno (Rome).