Read time: ~6 minutes

Summary

What happens when a luxury crystal house, a fragrance icon, and the woman who helped launch it all come together at the Baccarat Hotel in New York City? I had the rare privilege of attending a dinner honoring Baccarat Rouge 540—and walked away with glowing skin, crystal memories, and three unforgettable lessons in luxury brand storytelling and client experience.

Whether you’re a founder in beauty, wellness, or high-touch service, this story is your invitation to elevate how your brand shows up—and how you serve.

Setting the Scene

I was spray-tanned, freshly coiffed, and lymphatically depuffed with a makeup bag full of Walmart dupes (had to cut the budget somewhere). My Rent the Runway dress fit, thank God (because I have no idea what I would’ve done). It was the size up, not down unfortunately, but I had my Spanx for all-angle photo protection.

It may have been the “genuine leather” suede touches on my cheap new sneakers that felt surprisingly chic (good finds can happen anywhere), or the fact that I felt like I had personally gotten a fresh coat of beauty paint, or that I was going back to my fashion and luxury roots. Whatever the psychological reason, I was bursting with energy for this trip.

I was on my way to the Baccarat Hotel in New York City for a night to remember.

The Baccarat Rouge 540 Origin Story

Rewind to a decade or so ago…

Baccarat commissioned Maison Francis Kurkdjian to create a fragrance for the brand. Decanted in XML crystal bottles, the fragrance retailed for a cool $15k a pop. Kelly St. John, legendary beauty veteran and former senior executive at Neiman Marcus, brought all of the bottles into NM stores—where they promptly sold out.

The Maison sent Kelly an unmarked bottle of the “juice,” asking her to return it when she was finished testing it. It was so remarkable that she was mysteriously never done testing it, wearing it everywhere, where hundreds if not thousands of people stopped her to ask:

“What are you wearing??”

This wasn’t just another perfume. It was a revelation.

Kelly told Marc Chaya, the President of the Maison, and Francis Kurkdjian, the master perfumer and namesake, that they had to buy the rights to the fragrance from Baccarat. They weren’t convinced—at first. But after two years of the most gracious, yet insistent, persuasion, they procured the rights.

The fragrance became Baccarat Rouge 540, now considered the most iconic luxury fragrance in the world.

The iconic fragrance.

If you haven’t experienced it, here’s what you should know:

• 1 bottle sells every 30 seconds worldwide
• Over 2.5 billion views on TikTok, making it one of the most viral luxury products ever
• Retail price starts at $325, with some limited editions surpassing $800

A Dinner Honoring the Fragrance That Changed Everything

“Jenn, this is much more than I first thought. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The dinner of a lifetime.”

Kelly had just gotten off a Zoom with Marc and Francis. They’d invited her to be the host—not guest, host—of honor at a special dinner in New York at the Baccarat Hotel. The dinner was in her honor to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of Baccarat Rouge 540 and her instrumental role in its success.

A week after I was a Benedict Arnold and submitted my resignation as Chief of Staff, Kelly invited me to join her.

You know that feeling when you are very aware that the other person didn’t have to do what they did for you? And yet, you knew in their heart they would?

This was that moment.

I was humbled. Honored. And one of nine people invited to this private celebration.

The Hotel Experience: Crystal Tumblers & Blackout Curtains

There is only one Baccarat Hotel in the world.

Plastic cups for your bedtime spitting water? Oh no, crystal tumblers, my dear.
A regular TV? Sacre bleu! Only a smart mirror with a TV option would do.

We were treated to fresh flowers, handwritten notes, and artisanal chocolates. After picking my jaw up off the floor, I noticed the faintest classical music playing—like a 100% pure cashmere cardigan had been gently draped over my shoulders. Or ears. Adding the perfect touch.

I felt like Kate Winslet in The Holiday when she realizes Cameron Diaz’s bougie master suite, jumps into bed, and then she discovers…
THE AUTOMATED BLACKOUT CURTAINS.
(Nancy Meyers would’ve been proud.)

Said blackout curtains.

New York, Georgia Louise, and a Facial I’ll Never Forget

We arrived in New York to turbulence that made you pray. It was so bad LaGuardia shut down—and Kelly was rerouted to Rochester. ROCHESTER.

An industry colleague had generously arranged for us to receive facials from the one and only Georgia Louise—celebrity esthetician and beauty longevity innovator. Since Kelly couldn’t make it, I got to experience Georgia’s magical hands myself.

(Quick tip: If you ever get the chance to be treated by the woman behind Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore, Anna Wintour, and Linda Evangelista’s glow? STUDY. Don’t wing it. You’ll thank yourself.)

I left with glowing—no, radiant—skin.

But beyond the facial itself, it was the tea from Brooklyn, the art deco interiors, and Georgia’s warm, intentional presence that left a mark. She didn’t know who I was. And yet, I was treated like I mattered.

That’s brand experience.

A Guest at the Table

While I was a guest at the event, I inserted myself as Kelly’s handler. (Every exec / founder needs a handler!) In my red off-the-shoulder dress, I shot loads of content and helped her welcome guests like Carol Hamilton, Group President of L’Oréal Acquisition; Karen Katz, former CEO of Neiman Marcus; Rachel Roberts Mattox, brand strategist extraordinaire; Rachel Anise, the Beauty Professor; Rachel Buxkamper, founder of Tate Studios (Seriously, Kelly, how many Rachels are in your life?!); Kari, former CHANEL and now equestrian maven; Kim Wylie, fine artist; Claire McCormack, journalist for Beauty Independent; and of course, Francis and Marc.

Left to Right: Kelly, Francis Kurkdjian, Moi

Speeches were made, thanks were given, smiles were exchanged. After gaggles of pictures were taken, we resigned to our rooms, overwhelmed with the glow of a dinner en rouge.

Business Lessons, in Crystal

Yes, this is part diary. But it’s also a love letter to brand-building done right.
And here’s what I believe every founder can learn from that room full of crystal:

1. Memorable luxury is built through immersive detail

The lighting. The scent. The consistency of the brand red. The attire of the staff. Every tiny touch said: You are seen.

In your business, that might look like:

• The tone of your onboarding emails
• The polish of your proposals
• The surprise gift after launch (we send one, and no, we’re not telling what it is)

Want to dive deeper into how hospitality drives loyalty?
→ Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara is required reading.

Fresh flowers with personlized notes from the Maison welcomed each of us in our hotel rooms.

2. Stories invite and captivate

When Georgia told me how she became a facialist, the experience became deeper. The stories shared over dinner brought the room—and the fragrance—to life.

In your business? That looks like:

Letting your values live in the details

Sharing your “why”

Bringing clients into the process

Left to Right: Marc Chaya, Karen Katz, Rachel Anise. One of the stories of the night was how there was $1M of crystal in the single room where the dinner took place.

3. Customer service transforms

The real loyalty maker isn’t a flashy rebrand or 100K followers.
It’s gracious, thoughtful, consistent care.

The kind that makes people want to rise to the occasion.
The kind that makes them feel chosen.

Closing Thought

Keep your eyes open for the upcoming ICONS documentary on Prime—it tells this story even more beautifully.

But until then, maybe ask yourself:

What would the Baccarat version of your business feel like?

Because in a world of fast clicks, AI copy, and try-hard branding…the most powerful thing you can offer is the kind of service they’ll never forget.

Case in point: signed bottles of perfume from Francis himself