Guerlain - Over 150 Years in Perfumery
Guerlain is one of the oldest perfume houses in the world. Its origins date as far back as 1828, when a perfumer named Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain opened a store on 42 Rue de Rivoli in Paris. Pierre-François was both the store's first perfumer and founder, and with the help of his two sons he created and made unique fragrances. His perfumes earned him the continued support and patronage of many members of high society at the time, and by 1840 he was able to open its flagship store at 15, Rue de la Paix.
Through the years, the role of master perfumer within the company was handed down within the family, first to Pierre-François's sons, and so on. Currently, Jean-Paul Guerlain is the master perfumer, four generations down from the founding of the company. With his retirement in sight, however, and with no family heirs, it is likely that the role of master perfumer would eventually be filled by someone from outside their family.
This long history attests to the staying power of Guerlain's company and the scents and perfumes that their perfumers produce. It has long been known as a high quality perfumer within the higher circles of European society. Many of the company's perfumes have been highly acclaimed over the years, and some of them have become real classics and legends in the field.
Some of its scents, such as Jicky, come from as far back as 1889, and has remained popular over the long history of the company. This particular scent was one of the company's many innovative offerings. It is acknowledged as the one of the first perfumes to use synthetics, offering users an entirely new scent. At the time, perfumes were usually made to mimic natural scents, such as bouquets of flowers.
In 1994, Guerlain was acquired by Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the largest luxury goods conglomerate in the world. Many prestigious luxury brands are already part of LVMH, including such perfumers as Christian Dior and Givenchy. So while Guerlain is now no longer a family-run business, it is indeed in good company within LVMH.
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