The Guerlain house, a family story


The Guerlain house is one of the oldest French perfumeries. It was created by Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain in 1828 in Paris, in the Hotel Meurice, a palace located in the Rue de Rivoli. Mr. Guerlain then sells natural soaps, make-up, beauty and hygiene products and toilet waters, some of which are personalized. In 1853 he created the "Eau de Cologne Imperiale" for the wife of Napoleon III, the Empress Eugénie, in order to cure her migraines. Until the 2000s, it was the members of the Guerlain family who perpetuated the heritage and creative spirit of the founder of the house. In 1889, the son of the latter, Aimé Guerlain launches "Jicky" . This perfume, surprising because of its animal notes, is also the first to integrate synthetic products. At the beginning of the 20th century, Jacques Guerlain, nephew of Aimé Guerlain, took over and composed some of the great classics of the house, such as "L'Heure Bleue" or "Mitsouko" in 1919.


The 1920s at Guerlain: birth of "Shalimar" and the "Guerlinade"


In 1921 is launched "Shalimar" , which is the very first oriental fragrance of history. A huge success that will inspire many other creations, such as "Obsession" by Calvin Klein, "Opium" by Yves Saint Laurent ... This fragrance now become mythical uses the formula of "Jicky", supplemented with a good dose of vanilla synthesis and bergamot. This base, which is used to create the perfume "Shalimar", becomes one of the great classics of the Guerlain house: it is called "Guerlinade". Jacques Guerlain then created, in 1933, "Vol de nuit", in tribute to the pilots who will mark the history of aviation, in particular his friend Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. In 1956, his son Jean-Paul Guerlain created "Vétiver" , the first masculine scent of the house. It will be followed by "Habit rouge" in 1965, "Chamade" in 1969, "L'Eau de Guerlain" in 1973, "Parure" in 1975. The 1980s will be marked by the launch of "Nahema" Gardens of Bagatelle "and " Samsara " , tribute of Jean-Paul Guerlain to his first wife. In the 1990s and 2000s, he continued his work with numerous creations: "Champs-Elysées", "Aqua allegoria", "Too Much", "Mahora" ... In 2012, a revisited version of "La Petite Robe noire " , a fragrance initially launched in 2009, in the same bottle as" L'Heure Bleue ". It quickly became one of the best sales of perfumes in France. In 2014, Guerlain's new masculine perfume is "L'Homme idéal". His slogan: "The ideal man is a myth, his perfume, a reality."