A brief history of Guerlain

The House of Guerlain was founded in 1828 by Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain when he opened his perfume store at 42, rue de Rivoli in Paris. As both the founder and first perfumer of the house, Pierre-François created and manufactured fragrances with his two sons, Aimé and Gabriel. Through continued success and patronage by many members of high society, Guerlain opened a flagship store at 15, rue de la Paix in 1840, and became a major name in the Parisian fashion world.

Pierre-François’s success reached its peak in 1853 with the Eau de Cologne Impériale created for the French Emperor Napoleon III and his wife Empress Eugenie. Pierre-François became His Majesty’s Official Perfumer. Guerlain also created perfumes for Queen Isabella of Spain and Queen Victoria among other royalty.

THE SECOND GENERATION

Pierre-François Pascal passed his skills on to his son Aimé. As Guerlain’s second generation in-house perfumer, Aimé was the creator of many classic scents, including Fleur d’Italie (1884), Rococo (1887) and Eau de Cologne du Coq (1894). However his greatest composition was most certainly 1889’s Jicky, the first fragrance described as a “parfum” and among the first to use synthetic ingredients alongside natural extracts.

                                                                       Guerlain’s Mitsouko

THE THIRD GENERATION

The business was handed down to the sons of Gabriel Guerlain: Jacques Guerlain and Pierre Guerlain. Jacques, Aimé’s nephew, became Guerlain’s third master perfumer. He was the author of many of Guerlain’s most famous classics. Many of his fragrances are still sold and marketed today. Among Jacques Guerlain’s most important creations are Mouchoir de Monsieur (1904), Après L’Ondée (1906), L’Heure Bleue (1912), Mitsouko (1919), Vol de Nuit (1933), and Guerlain’s most famous perfume Shalimar (1925). Jacques created his final perfume, Ode (1955), with the help of his grandson, 18-year-old Jean-Paul Guerlain.

THE FOURTH GENERATION 

Jean-Paul Guerlain was the last family master perfumer. He created Guerlain’s classic men’s fragrances Vétiver (1959) and Habit Rouge (1965). He also created Chant d’Arômes (1962), Chamade (1969), Nahéma (1979), Jardins de Bagatelle (1983), and Samsara (1989), followed by Héritage and Coriolan in the 1990s. Jean-Paul Guerlain retired in 2002, but continued to serve as advisor to his successor until 2010, when his contract was terminated after making a racist remark on French television regarding the inspiration for his scent Samsara. With no heir from within the Guerlain family to take over, the role of master perfumer is no longer tied to family succession.

In 1994 the Guerlain family sold the company to the luxury goods conglomerate Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Even though Jean-Paul Guerlain was in-house perfumer until 2002, other perfumers were brought in after 1994 to compose perfumes. Fans of the house viewed the LVMH purchase as a step towards the cheapening and commercialisation of the legendary firm’s legacy. Guerlain have created 300 perfumes since 1828.

GUERLAIN’S SKINCARE AND MAKE-UP RANGE

In Guerlain’s early days Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain created many creams and potions, some of these are still sold to this day. Guerlain now offers a wide range of makeup and skincare in beautifully luxurious packaging.

One of the bestselling and best-known Guerlain makeup is their bronzing powder in the Terracotta range, which brings out new products in that particular range every year. Guerlain products are available across the world at serviced counters within department stores, and at beauty stores such as fellow LMVH brand Sephora. There are thirteen international beauty and spa ’boutiques’, five within France (two being in Paris).