Gucci, Cartier,Vera Wang,Dolce and Gabbana

[hanoki]

Both of todays fragerances are from the House of Calvin Klein. In the past I have only been listing the larger sizes of product which are a great value, however may be more than most are willing to spend. I am now on a campaign to also post the smaller size to allow for budget minded people who would like the same great fragerances.

For the Ladies

Eternity Perfume by Calvin Klein, From calvin klein comes eternity, a romantic, floral scent that breathes with the subtle aroma of a spring garden. Both classic and contemporary, it echoes timeless quality and modern style.

For the Gents

Calvin Klein Man Cologne by Calvin Klein, Calvin Klein Man launched in 2007. This is a fresh spicy fragrance that will surely make any man feel irrsistable.with top notes such as rosemary,mandarin,bergamot and violet leaf. Middle notes of nutmeg, bay,spearmint, incense. Base notes features cypress, guaiac,sandalwood and amberwood. Great for day or night wear.

History and background of Calvin Klein :A pioneer of designer jeans, underwear and the wholesome, all-American look, Calvin Klein is one of the fashion world's biggest names - and brands. Born in 1942, Calvin Klein taught himself how to sketch and sew as a boy. He went on to win a place at New York's High School of Art and Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology and finally launched his own label, in partnership with childhood friend Barry Schwartz, in 1968.

Dubbed 'Calvin the Conqueror' by WWD and listed as one of America's 25 most influential people by Time, Klein has helped shape the casualwear industry and played a key role in modern advertising. He caused a storm of controversy when he had Richard Avedon photograph a pubescent Brooke Shields for his 1979 jeans campaign under the slogan, "You know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing." British waif Kate Moss was to follow, helping to launch his unisex perfume cK one, one of nine Klein perfume lines.

In October 1999, Klein shocked the fashion world once again, when he announced that he was considering selling his fashion house. He was, he said, looking to develop his company "through sale, merger or strategic alliance". Seven months later, after reported talks with Tommy Hilfiger and others came to nothing, Klein confirmed that he had taken his $1 billion fashion house off the market.

The recipient of many industry awards, including the title of America's Best Designer of 1993, Klein is also on numerous committees, including the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Now divorced from socialite and photographer Kelly Klein, he has one daughter, Marci. He presents his collections in New York.

[hanoki]

Todays featured fragerances are from the House of Houbigant and are true classics.

For the Ladies

Quelques Fleurs Perfume by Houbigant, Launched by the design house of Houbigant in 1912, Quelques Fleurs is classified as a refined, flowery fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of many soft sensual florals. It is recommended for evening wear.

For the Gentlemen

Duc De Vervins Cologne by Houbigant, Launched by the design house of Houbigant in 1991, Duc De Vervins is classified as a sharp, spicy, lavender, amber fragrance. This masculine scent possesses a blend of citrus, sweet spices and aromatic woods. It is recommended for daytime wear.


borrowed from
Sources include Paul Sentenac's Houbigant: History Of A Perfumer, various perfumery books with chapters on the history of perfume, and public documents including court decisions and SEC filings.
(Lightyears, Inc.)

Jean-François Houbigant (1752-1807) launched his perfume business at 19, Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris, in 1775. Houbigant was twenty three years old at the time and — so it is said — arrived at the location of his new business with a basket of flowers. The Basket of Flowers became the sign over his shop and, for many years, the address given at the top of his invoices.
Enrolled in the appropriate guild — the Perfumers and Glovemakers — Houbigant was permitted, under law, "to make and sell all kinds of scents, powders, pomades, pastes to whiten and clense the skin, soaps, toilet-waters, gloves, mittens and skin material."
An 1801 Houbigant handbill advertised that:

At the Sign of the Basket of Flowers,
Grande-Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
Houbigant
Merchant - Perfumer

Manufactures and Sells Gloves, Powders, Pomades and Perfumes; also the genuine vegetable Rouge which he has perfected to the highest degree. He makes and supplies Corbeilles de mariage et Baptêmes with every requisite.


Makeup, for society ladies, was very much in demand and Houbigant's customers were the rich and the royal. Men and women of society both made great use of perfume and scented products to the extent, it is said, that the Marquis de Granford ordered his troops to put on perfume before the went into battle.
In 1775, when Houbigant opened shop, the area around Faubourg Saint-Honoré was a new district and considered very fashionable. Fine houses were being built. The Colisée was attracting fashionable society with its various diversions. The beautiful (rich) people were flocking to the district and Houbigant's wares were not overlooked.
A Houbigant account book which survived into the 20th century records sales between 1777 and 1782. Listed among Houbigant shoppers were clerical clients including the abbé d'Osmond, the curé of Tillenl, the abeé de Pinguilly, the Bishop of Aire and the Abbess of the Parc-aux-Dames. Marquises included de Grammont, de Girac, de Gontaut, de Marigny, de Boisgelin ... countesses included de Matignon, d'Hérouville, de Pontchartrain, de Damas ... marquis included de Polignac, de Pressac, de Lostanges, de la Roche-Lambert ... vicomtes de Choiseul and de Loménie. And then there was Monsieur de Maison Rouge. And this is just a sprinkling of names from this one account book. A 1790 invoice is made out to the Comtes de Sax, the daughter of the Prince Xavier of Saxony, uncle to Louis XVI.
But the great Houbigant legend — not verified — is that Marie Antoinette, in disguise on her flight to Varennes, was wearing a Houbigant fragrance, which caused her to be identified as royalty when her coach was stopped, because none but royalty would have possessed such a magnificent perfume!
Amazingly, or perhaps not so amazingly, the French Revolution hardly caused a dent in Houbigant's sales curve. The newly empowered craved perfumes no less than those who had been swept away. Then, when the Empire succeeded the Directoire, the House of Houbigant rose to new heights.
In 1829, Houbigant was appointed perfumer to Her Royal Highness, the Princess Adélaide d'Orleans. In 1838, England got on board and Houbigant was appointed perfumer to the Queen. The Empress Eugénie was a Houbigant customer, as was Napoleon III, who, the records show, had his account closed on July 19, 1870.
When Jean-François Houbigant died in 1807, he was succeeded by his son, Armand-Gustave Houbigant (1790-1863). In addition to being head of the House of Houbigant, Armand-Gustave distinguished himself as an artist, a Legion of Honor awardee, and, for several years, the mayor of Nogent-sur-Oise, the town where he had taken up residence and in which he died.

[hanoki]

Special selections for today are from the design House of Bvlgari (bulgari). They are available in both the tester series or new and sealed in box.
(Testers are even more of a value than the fancy boxed ones and are a terrific purchase if you don't need the fancy packaging. Testers are 100 % authentic, fresh and completely full, just like the original fragrance and were designed to go on department store counters. They ship in plain brown boxed and sometimes without a cap.)


For the Ladies

Bvlgari (bulgari) Perfume by Bvlgari, Launched by the design house of Bvlgari in 1994, Bvlgari is classified as a refined, floral fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of violet, orange blossom, and jasmine. Common spellings: bulgari, bvlgary, bulgary.

For the Gents

Bvlgari (bulgari) Cologne by Bvlgari, Launched by the design house of Bvlgari in 1995, Bvlgari is classified as a refreshing, oriental, woody fragrance. This masculine scent possesses a blend of rosewood, pepper, musk, and tea. Accompanied by watery and spicy notes. It is recommended for daytime wear.

History of Bvlgari

The Bulgaris descend from an ancient family of Greek silversmiths, whose trade began in a small village of Epirus, where Sotirio, the family founder, manufactured precious silver objects.
In the late 19th century, Sotirio moved to Italy, and in 1884 he opened his first shop in via Sistina, Rome.
In 1905, with the help of his sons Costantino and Giorgio, he inaugurated the shop in via Condotti, which is currently still the Bulgari flagship store.
In the early 20th century, the two brothers developed a deep interest and expertise in precious stones, jewels and watches, gradually taking over their father's role in the management of the business.

50's - 60's
The period immediately after the Second World War marks an important change in the history of Bulgari. It represents a turning point for the Company, which moves away from the dominant strict rules of the French goldsmith school, and creates its own unique style.
The inspiration comes from Greek and Roman classicism, with a special take on Italian Renaissance, and the 19th century Roman school of goldsmiths.

60's-70's
Bulgari’s international expansion begins in the 1970's with the opening of the first overseas store in New York, followed by others in Paris, Geneva, and Monte Carlo.
In the 80’s Bulgari launches the BVLGARI BVLGARI watch, a worldwide success story, considered an all-time classic.
These years also see the establishment of Bulgari Time Neuchâtel – a company specially founded to produce all Bulgari watch lines.
In 1984 Giorgio’s sons, Paolo and Nicola Bulgari, respectively become Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Company, while their nephew, Francesco Trapani, is appointed Chief Executive Officer.

90's- 00's
The early 1990's witness a definite diversification strategy for Bulgari. The establishment of Bulgari Parfums in Switzerland marks the Group's entry in the high-end perfume market.
On July 17th ,1995 the Holding Company Bulgari S.p.A. is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange.
It is now also traded at the IRS of London Stock Exchange.
In 1997 Bulgari introduces its first silk collection, made up of scarves and ties, featuring original designs and top quality Italian craftsmanship.
The following year, 1998, sees the launch of the Leather Goods and Eyewear collections.
In 2001 Bulgari announces the creation of Bulgari Hotels&Resorts, a joint venture with Mariott International with the aim of opening a small and exclusive number of luxury hotels in most major cities and resorts all over the world.
The first Bulgari Hotel is opened in Milan in 2004. October 2006 the second property by Bulgari Hotels & Resorts opens in Bali.
2007 Bulgari Hotels & Resorts - Tokyo Restaurants opens two locations in Tokyo: Il Ristorante, on the top four floors of the Bulgari Ginza Tower, Il Cafe' and Il Cioccolato in Omotesando.

[hanoki]

Fragerances highlighted today are from the design House of Jean Paul Gaultier and were just added to the list of all the wonderful fragerances available in my store.

For the Ladies

Jean Paul's signature fragerance for ladies Jean Paul Gaultier Perfume by Jean Paul Gaultier, Launched by the design house of Jean Paul Gaultier in 1993, Jean Paul Gaultier is classified as a sharp, oriental, floral fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of fresh spicy amber, vanilla and wood. It is recommended for daytime wear.

For the Men

Fleur Du Male Cologne by Jean Paul Gaultier, Launched in 2007, it was created by Francis Kurkdjian. It's composed of petit grain (the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange tree), orange blossom, a fern accord, and coumarin.

History and background of Jean Paul Gaultier :One of France's most famous exports, Jean Paul Gaultier is much more than just a fashion figure. In the UK, he is arguably best known for his kitsch TV series, Eurotrash, which he presented with fellow Frenchman Antoine de Caunes, in the mid-Nineties.

Born on 24 April 1952 in Acueil, France, Gaultier started his career in 1970 as a design assistant at Pierre Cardin. Following a stint at Jean Patou (working under Michel Gomez) and a brief return to Cardin, he set up his own label in 1976, rejecting his training in favour of a style which drew more from the London street scene than Parisian couture.

Though technically brilliant, Gaultier has always taken great delight in parodying the fashion establishment. In fact, he is credited with redefining many fashion conventions. In the Eighties, he recreated underwear as outerwear, with a series of designs which culminated in thecorset dress and black studded bra made famous by Madonna in her Blonde Ambition tour of 1990. (In 2001, the bra fetched £14,000 at auction.) He also attempted to dismantle the clichés of masculine styling, creating a skirt for men in 1988.

Besides his men's and womenswear lines and the haute couture collection he launched (to great reviews) in January 1997, Gaultier has introduced JPG, a younger and sportier line for both sexes, and a range of eponymous fragrances, starring in some of the campaigns himself. In July 1999, Hermès invested $15 million in his business as part of a deal which Gaultier described as "a dream marriage". In return, he awarded the company 35 per cent of all his future royalties, plus "preferential rights" over many of his new designs.As a designer and an entertainer, Gaultier is tirelessly talented. In 1989, he released a record, Aow Tou Dou Zat (or "How To Do That") in collaboration with Tony Mansfield, though fortunately he did not give up the day job. He has also designed the costumes for many films including Peter Greenaway's The Cook, The Thief, his Wife and her Lover (1989), Pedro Almodóvar's Kika (1994) and Luc Besson's The Fifth Element (1997). He also won the chance to play himself in the French film version of the TV series Absolutely Fabulous (Absolument Fabuleux), alongside Jennifer Saunders and Catherine Deneuve, in 2001.

That same year, Gaultier received one of France's highest honours, being awarded the title of Chevalier in the Bastille Day honours list.

[hanoki]

For the Ladies

Alien Perfume by Thierry Mugler, This perfume was created by Thierry Mugler. warm white amber in the base, woodsy notes in the heart, and sunny Indian jasmine in the top.


For the Gents

B Men Cologne by Thierry Mugler, Vibrant, and powerful, B Men by Thierry Mugler is for the man who wants to be the superhero. Woody with spices at the centre and fruity and spicy notes of rhubarb. Amber and dried woody notes are at the base. This perfume was introduced in 2004. Full of life and energy, B Men is perfect for daytime wear.



History and background of Thierry Mugler :"The prophet of Futurism" , as he has been referred to, Thierry Mugler is an instinctive designer who never looks for inspiration. According to Thierry Mugler, "intellect is the servant of the spirit."

He strongly feels that his clothing is modernistic and not futuristic. Clothes of today should have nothing to do with the past. They should create elegance with simple form and structure and add defined shape to the body, volume, form and simplicity.

When one has found a method of self-expression, one evolves with it. His clothing attracts a woman of strength and elan.

Thierry Mugler was born in Strasbourg, France in 1948. He made his first outfit for a girl friend at the age of 14. He joined a ballet company, the Opera du Rhin, then moved to Paris at 19. In 1968 he started working as a window dresser in a Parisian store "Gudule". He visited London and Amsterdam. In 1970 Mugler worked as a free-lance designer.

In 1971 he returned to Paris. He showed his first collection for women called "Café de Paris". Azzedine Alaia joined him and helped to design his creations, until the late 70's.

In 1972 the design firm "Moonlighting" employed him as a designer designer for their Italian ready-to-wear.

In 1973 Mugler started designing under his own label in partnership with Alain Cardeuc. In 1976 Mugler showed a collection of Atric gold gathered boots. The "Punk" look was in, so Mugler applied this street look to his collection for 1977. In 1978 he showed broad-shouldered suits similar to the Military French coats, made in gabardine and leather.

In 1979 he launched his line for men.

During the 80's, Thierry Mugler was part of a trend. Along with Montana and Alaia, Mugler depicted women as wicked Hollywood murderers, bondage retailers of illicit sex, or Mae West clones. He made his models wear narrow girded loins, tight skirts, wide aggressive shoulders, revealing corsetry worn as armour plating with a bruised face, amounting to a travesty of womanhood.

In 1984 Mugler celebrates 10 years of the existence of his house by organizing a "Super Paying Show". This was a resounding success, 6,000 people assisted in the celebrations.

In 1985, he created the costumes for the musical "Emilie Jolie".

In 1989 Mugler gave birth to the "New Age Man" look, his message was to relax and be refreshed by a new set of priorities and not to try to impress people. His women's wear collection included a bright green Lycra bat-wing dress with Perspex wedge shoes.

1989-1990 Mugler presented a collection of dresses in acid colours, thigh-length boots, show-girl plumes, diamante bras, and a special group of outfits which took inspiration from the shape of cars of the time.

In 1990 several prominent designers created outfits based on famous paintings. Mugler took as his inspiration, a Picasso acrobat painted in 1930. In 1992 He launched his first perfume "Angel" In 1994 Thierry Mugler changes his salon to 4, Street of the Bears. In 1994 he also launched his "scratched" line with uneven hemlines and necklines.

Thierry Mugler is one of the few French designers to own their own factory, where dresses are made from prototypes perfected in the workshops. A good many of his designs are made to order, for the celebrities who make up his clientele list. In 1998, he was the first designer to create his virtual fashion show on the computer so that it can be seen on the net.

THE MUGLER STYLE

Mugler usually designs 2-piece outfits with a jacket feature, full sleeves, masculine cuts, emphasizing the waist and hips to create a perfect body. He often uses solid colours as a sculptor would. He often uses pointed angles on collars, hems, sleeves, waist and hips. He does use a lot of prints but at times uses patches of leather. He uses less of accessories and headgear. He tries to create drama into his clothing but usually the devil features, example gelled hair in the shape of horns.

Mugler also designs clothes for men but often uses bright colours for them like orange, yellow, etc. which is unusual for men's clothing. Fabrics: Jersey, vinyl, Lycra, Gingham and Leather are his favourites. He says "Fashion is a movie. Every morning when you get dressed, you direct yourself". He has earned a reputation for misogyny which he dislikes and says "when people say that my clothes are against women, it is because they are not easy to wear. You have to be in a good shape to wear my clothes and I like to design for such women - the clothes are more beautiful that way."

Mugler's quest is always to shape a perfect woman but underneath this glamorous exterior, his clothes are very well-structured and engineered, and of course sexy. Angel perfume toppled Chanel No. 5 from it's number one slot in the french fragrance market in 1998. So in early 1999 Muglier created 5 innovative beauty products under the name of Secrets D'Angel. The range includes a face cream, two sprays for body, hair and face and two masks for face and hair.

[hanoki]

Today's choice of featured fragerances is from one of my favorites the design house of Chanel.

For the Ladies

Chanel # 5 Perfume by Chanel, Created by the design house of Chanel in 1922, Chanel #5 is classified as a refined, floral, soft fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of modern florals, and balanced notes.

For the Gentlemen

Antaeus Cologne by Chanel, Launched by the design house of Chanel in 1981, Antaeus is classified as a luxurious, woody, arid fragrance. This masculine scent possesses a blend of dry and woodsy, with light shades of citrus. It is recommended for romantic wear.

History and background of Chanel :From her first millinery shop, opened in 1912, to the 1920s, Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel rose to become one of the premier fashion designers in Paris, France. Replacing the corset with comfort and casual elegance, her fashion themes included simple suits and dresses, women's trousers, costume jewelry, perfume and textiles.

She claimed a birthdate of 1893 and a birthplace of Auvergne; she was actually born in 1883 in Saumur - her mother worked in the poorhouse where Gabrielle was born, and died when Gabrielle was only six, leaving her father with five children whom he promptly abandoned to the care of relatives.

She adopted the name Coco during a brief career as a cafe and concert singers 1905-1908. First a mistress of a wealthy military officer then of an English industrialist, she drew on the resources of these patrons in setting up a millinery shop in Paris in 1910, expanding to Deauville and Biarritz. The two men also helped her find customers among women of society, and her simple hats became popular.

Soon she was expanding to couture, working in jersey, a first in the French fashion world. By the 1920s, her fashion house had expanded considerably, and her chemise set a fashion trend with its "little boy" look. Her relaxed fashions, short skirts, and casual look were in sharp contrast to the corset fashions popular in the previous decades. Chanel herself dressed in mannish clothes, and adapted these more comfortable fashions which other women also found liberating.

In 1922 Chanel introduced a perfume, Chanel No. 5, which became and remained popular, and remains a profitable product of Chanel's company. Pierre Wertheimer became her partner in the perfume business in 1924, and perhaps also her lover. Wertheimer owned 70% of the company; Coco Chanel received 10% and her friend Bader 20%. The Wertheimers continue to control the perfume company today.

Coco Chanel introduced her signature cardigan jacket in 1925 and signature "little black dress" in 1926. Most of her fashions had a staying power, and didn't change much from year to year -- or even generation to generation.

She briefly served as a nurse in World War I. Nazi occupation meant the fashion business in Paris was cut off for some years; Chanel's affair during World War II with a Nazi officer also resulted in some years of diminished popularity and an exile of sorts to Switzerland. In 1954 her comeback restored her to the first ranks of haute couture. Her natural, casual clothing including the Chanel suit once again caught the eye -- and purses -- of women. She introduced pea jackets and bell bottom pants for women. She was still working in 1971 when she died. Karl Lagerfeld has been chief designer of Chanel's fashion house since 1983.

In addition to her work with high fashion, she also designed stage costumes for such plays as Cocteau's Antigone (1923) and Oedipus Rex (1937) and film costumes for several movies, including Renoir's La Regle de Jeu. Katharine Hepburn starred in the 1969 Broadway musical Coco based on the life of Coco Chanel.

[hanoki]

Todays selections are from an obscure perfume company Cofinluxe.‏ This company has combined the art of perfumery with art with some outstanding products.

For the Ladies

Café Perfume by Cofinluxe, Launched by the design house of Cofci in 1979, Café is classified as a refined, subtle, oriental fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of spicy, sensual rosemary and amber. It is recommended for evening wear.

For the Gentlemen

Café Cologne by Cofinluxe, Launched by the design house of Cofci in 1978, Café is classified as a refreshing, spicy, lavender, amber fragrance. This masculine scent possesses a blend of spicy musk and exotic woods. It is recommended for office wear

Commonly, Perfume is frequently associated to fashion, sometimes to jewelry but rarely to art, whenever Perfume is the encounter of fashion in its marketing and art in its creation.

Thus, like a painter who melts his colors on a canvas, a perfumer creates a fragrance at marrying his essential oils. As artist, he gets from everyone's minds a share of remembrance, a piece of dream, according to the senses subjectivity and personal sensibility.

This very state of mind leads Cofinluxe in conceiving perfumery with intuition and innovation as well as rigor and skills.

Thus, we adapt this creating process to daily, artistic, fashion, jewelry and watchmaking concepts with a master's know-how, a virtuoso's sensibility and the understanding of our contemporary world.

Jean-Pierre Grivory

Cofinluxe and the marriage of Art and Fragrance Inspired by this powerful vision of a marriage between art and fragrance, achieved by using a shared, easily understood language, Jean-Pierre Grivory, chairman of Cofinluxe, worked for many years to firmly establish his company in the domains of art, painting, fashion, jewelry and watchmaking.
Creativity in Art, Fashion and jewelry/watchmaking
Jean-Pierre Grivory succeeded in obtaining the worldwide licenses for Parfums Salvador Dali, followed by Parfums Morgan, Parfums Charriol and Parfums Alexandre Barthet.
Morgan, a ready-to-wear brand of international renown that targets young women, has managed to make everyday fashion trendy, glamorous and accessible.
Present all around the world, the swiss luxury jewelry and watchmaking brand Charriol is recognizable thanks to its famous signature, the steel cable integrated into its designs.
« Contemporary artist designer », Alexandre Barthet creates Haute Couture luxurious and festive collections, for young women, so glamorous, sexy and chic.

The source of inspiration for the fragrances of these four brands, which are sold through selective retailing channels, is always carefully linked to each one's image: The work of Salvador Dali, the spirit of the Morgan ready-to-wear, the Charriol watch/jewelry lines and the Haute Couture Collections of Alexandre Barthet.
Everyday concepts: another direction for the growth of Cofinluxe
Parallel to the development of fragrances linked to the worlds of art, fashion, jewelry and watchmaking, Cofinluxe has created four concepts based on elements of everyday life, illustrated by four fragrance brands: Café, Thé, Taxi and Watt. They reflect Jean-Pierre Grivory's always-present desire to make fragrances universal and accessible. These lines are sold on international mass markets.
Sponsoring
Since its creation, Cofinluxe-Parfums Salvador Dali has been sponsoring events in France and abroad, which goals are to make art more accessible, to boost general awareness of artistic creation and to encourage young talents - Castle of Versailles, Jacquemart André et Saint Louis des Invalides in France, Film Festival of Paris, Film Festival of Sarasota in the United States...
Among the most recent:
- The "Cercle Montherlant - Académie des Beaux Arts Award". Awarded beneath the pretigious Academy's Cupola in Paris since 2004 , this prize goes each year to an illustrated and french written work, selected by an illustrious people.
- The " Parfums Salvador Dali - Promotion Esmod 2005 Prize" awarded the most innovative garments, conceived in the spirit of Salvador Dali by the students of the prestigious french fashion school Esmod.
Cofinluxe is donor member of the Foundation Pasteur Weizmann dedicated to medical research.
Since 2007, Cofinluxe is also sponsor of the Louvre Museum as " friend of the circle Louvre enterprises".

Nine main dates in the development of COFINLUXE

1976 :

Creation of the company by Jean-Pierre Grivory under the name of COFCI

1979 :

Launch of the fragrances lines "Daily Concepts"
- CAFE 1979
- TAXI 1984
- THE 1984
- WATT 1991

1983 :

Launch of SALVADOR DALI Perfumes, worldwide license with COFINLUXE (selective distribution)
- First fragrance Salvador Dali - limited edition launched in 1983 - Launch of Parfums Salvador Dali on the international market in 1985
From 1985 to today, 15 feminine and masculine fragrances Salvador Dali have been launched.

1985 :

COFCI becomes COFINLUXE

1999 -
2007 :

Licence mondiale des Parfums Andy Warhol

1999 -
2002 :

Wordwide license of Perfumes Andy Warhol

2003 :

Launch of MORGAN Perfumes, worldwide license with COFINLUXE

2008 :

Launch of Parfums Charriol, worldwide license with COFINLUXE (selective distribution)

2009 :

Launch of Alexandre Barthet Perfumes, worldwide license with COFINLUXE (selective distribution)

[hanoki]

Today featured fragerances are for the design house of Guerlain

For the Ladies

Shalimar Perfume by Guerlain, Launched by the design house of Guerlain in 1925, Shalimar is classified as a refined, oriental fragrance. This feminine scent possesses a blend of iris, rose and vanilla. It is recommended for evening wear.


For the Gents

Vetiver Guerlain Cologne by Guerlain, Launched by the design house of Guerlain in 1959, Vetiver Guerlain is classified as a refined, woody, mossy fragrance. This masculine scent possesses a blend of fresh and outdoorsy, a blend of vetiver, wood, tobacco and spice. It is recommended for daytime wear.

Company History:
Few names are as famously fragrant as Guerlain. One of the oldest continuously operating perfume houses in the world, Guerlain has created some of the world's most durable fragrances over its 170 years--indeed, many of Guerlain's perfumes are said to capture the spirit of their times. From the legendary Jicky to the best-selling Shalimar and Samsara and the company's most recent, Champs-Elysées, introduced in 1996, Guerlain's scents have established a worldwide reputation for quality, luxury, and elegance. In conjunction with its perfume products, Guerlain also produces bath accessories and skin care products, as well as cosmetics and skin care products under the Issima name. Guerlain operates a chain of 23 boutiques throughout the world, continuing the long-held policy of direct marketing and individual customer service that has enabled the company to remain at the forefront of perfume fashions. Perfumes form approximately 60 percent of Guerlain's total sales; Shalimar and Samsara each account for 15 percent of Guerlain's perfume sales. The company sees more than 70 percent of total sales outside of France.
Since 1994 Guerlain has been a subsidiary of Moët-Hennessey LVMH (FFr 30 billion in 1996), when this world leader in the luxury goods segment, led by Bernard Arnault, purchased a majority share of the family-owned perfumer. As such, Guerlain joins such other prestigious names in perfumes and fashion as Christian Dior, Givenchy, Kenzo, Christian Lacroix, Louis Vuitton, Berluti, and champagnes including Moët & Chandon, Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, and Pommery. The acquisition, while ending Guerlain's long independence as a family-owned and operated company, valued Guerlain at more than FFr 4 billion, double the company's annual revenues. In 1996 Moët-Hennessey Louis Vuitton (LVMH) completed its acquisition of 100 percent control of Guerlain. Christian Lanis has served as president of Guerlain since 1994; however, Jean-Paul Guerlain, the company's "nose" since 1956, continues to participate in the creation of Guerlain perfumes.

[hanoki]

The Emperor's Perfumer in the 19th Century
The Guerlain dynasty was founded by Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain in Paris in 1828. Born in Abbeville, Guerlain left home at a young age, reportedly to escape the violent nature of his artisan father. Guerlain journeyed to London, where he received an education as a chemist. Upon his return to France, Guerlain went to Paris, where he set up shop on the rue de Rivoli as a "perfumeur vinaigrier" (perfumer and vinegar-maker). Initially, Guerlain sold products imported from England--already attracting an upscale clientele. It was not long, however, before Guerlain began creating his own products, establishing a studio on the Place de l'Etoile.
Although the "chemistry" of the time bore little resemblance to the exact science of the next century, Guerlain's background nonetheless gave him a strong knowledge of basic materials and an appreciation for, and insistence on, materials of the highest quality for his own preparations. Before long, Guerlain's catalog boasted a variety of creams, lotions, ointments, and oils, including a creme "Nivea" and bear fat from Canada, but also cosmetic products, such as nail polish. To these, Guerlain quickly added his own fragrance compositions. It was not long, however, before Guerlain began concentrating his efforts on developing perfumes.
Although scents had long been popular in France, an actual perfume industry barely existed in the early 19th century. The use of eau de cologne, particularly in a country that had not yet adopted the habit of regular bathing, formed an integral part of the personal care routine. Perfumes, however, tended to be regarded with some disdain&mdashcepted for the scenting of handkerchiefs and, perhaps, clothing, but the preference of the era for the body's natural odor and a socially coded modesty, which frowned upon individuality, kept perfumes from the skin. Guerlain would become credited for changing much of this perception and for helping to usher in the rise of a true perfume industry.
Guerlain's shop provided him with proximity to his clients and afforded him a keen awareness of the type of products they desired. This early "direct marketing" would become a company hallmark, but it also allowed Guerlain to introduce the concept of personalizing his perfumes. In this he was aided by no less a personage than Honoré de Balzac, who commissioned Guerlain to create an eau de toilette for Balzac alone--the scent by which the author would write César Birotteau. A new trend began, and Guerlain found himself in demand to create personal scents not only for his clients--or as gifts of tribute made by a client to another--but also to scent a specific party and even to perfume the pages of a magazine, La Sylphide, Journal des Elégances. By 1840 Guerlain had moved his shop to the fashionable rue de la Paix, serving clients from all over Europe, including the Queen of Belgium and the Prince of Wales. Soon after Guerlain established a new factory at Colombes.
The creation of personal scents was not only the work of satisfying his clients, but it also allowed Guerlain to establish a distinct reputation among the rising numbers of competing perfumes. By the mid-1800s Guerlain had become not only the most fashionable, but also the most expensive perfumer of Paris. Literally crowning this achievement, Guerlain, in 1853, created his Eau de Cologne Impériale, for the Empress Eugénie. Guerlain was granted the title of supplier to Emperor Napoleon III.
Modern Perfumes into the 20th Century
Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain died in 1864, having established the house of Guerlain as a center point in the growing perfume industry. Sons Gabriel and Aimé inherited the perfumery. Gabriel Guerlain assumed direction of the company's commercial activities, aligning Guerlain with developments in marketing and production techniques. Aimé, the older brother, became the company's "nose" and creator of a new range of perfumes. By the 1880s fashions were changing and society was slowly abandoning its reluctance in regard to the wearing of perfumes--a movement encouraged by such Guerlain creations as Fleur d'Italie, introduced in 1884, Skiné, created in 1885, and Rococo, in 1887. Two years later Aimé Guerlain ushered in the modern era of perfumes.
The perfume was Jicky, named for the nickname of Gabriel's son Jacques. More than another scent, Jicky represented a revolution in the perfume world. Whereas previous perfumes had simply represented natural scents, or compositions of ingredients meant to mimic bouquets of flowers, Jicky offered an entirely new scent, one that did not exist in nature. Advancements in chemistry made since the 1830s had succeeded in isolating odor-producing substances--which could then be reproduced synthetically. Other synthetically produced substances could be used to suggest the scent of flowers and other natural substances, which were either difficult to extract or too expensive to produce for perfumes. Yet it took Aimé Guerlain to recognize the significance of this progress, and Jicky became the first perfume to incorporate synthetic ingredients vanillin, coumarin, and linalool with natural ingredients such as mink oil, lavender, and bergamot to create an entirely "new" fragrance.
Presented at the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris in the shadow of the "temporary" structure, the Eiffel Tower, Jicky was perhaps too new. Acceptance came only slowly to the perfume, but by the turn of the century, Jicky had marked the perfume world much as the Eiffel Tower had transformed the Paris skyline. The age of the true perfume artist had begun, inspiring such early 20th century creations as Coty's L'Origan, Chanel's No. 5, and Lancin's Arpège, all based on the use of synthetic ingredients. Aimé Guerlain continued to create for the house, introducing Excellence in 1890, Belle-France in 1892, and Cipricime in 1894.
In 1895 Jicky himself--that is, Jacques Guerlain--succeeded his uncle as the Guerlain company's "nose." Seconded by Pierre Guerlain, who moved the company to more modern manufacturing facilities at the turn of the century while assuring the company's commercial direction, Jacques would maintain the Guerlain family tradition as a cornerstone of the French perfume industry, creating some of the most famous names in perfumes over his 60 years as the company's nose. Jacques Guerlain would produce some of the more provocative names in perfumes, such as his first, in 1895, Jardin de mon curé (Garden of my parish priest), and the 1900 Voila pourquoi j'aimais Rosine (This is why I loved Rosine). If perfumes had become art, they had also become an important French industry, employing more than 20,000 at the beginning of the 20th century and representing an important source of exports.
Jacques brought an artistic element not only to his fragrances, but also to his perfumes' packaging: the introduction of a new perfume became a total concept, including the design of the perfume bottle, its label, and graphics. Guerlain began an association with another famed French name, when the Baccarat crystal company provided the bottle for Champs-Elysées, in 1904 (the company would launch a new perfume under this same name in 1996). In terms of marketing, this new approach to packaging represented a turning point in the industry, as perfumers would discover that the design of a perfume's bottle could play a role almost as important as the scent itself in determining a customer's purchase. Indeed, many later perfumes would be created to fill a particular bottle design and to answer to a name.
Jacques Guerlain's creations through the first half of the 20th century were numerous. Après l'Ondée, introduced in 1906, would remain in the company's catalog into the 1990s. L'Heure Bleue, created in 1912, became a classic of the perfumes of the prewar era. In 1914 Guerlain opened a second store, at 68, avenue de Champs-Elysées, which would later serve as the company's headquarters address as well. Mitsouko (1919) inaugurated the postwar period, but it was Shalimar that would capture the spirit of the Roaring Twenties. Introduced in 1925, it would establish the Guerlain name in the increasingly important North American market. In the 1930s, Liu (1929, reintroduced in the 1980s) and especially Vol de Nuit, inspired by the Saint-Exupéry novel, maintained the Guerlain tradition. The company opened its third retail boutique on the place Vendome in 1933; in 1938 the company opened its Institute of Beauty on the Champs-Elysées.
New Guards in the Late 20th Century

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The Guerlain factory was destroyed by bombardments during the Second World War. A new factory was built in Colombes in 1947; in that same year the company opened its fourth boutique on the rue de Passy. In the 1950s Jacques Guerlain prepared to pass along the family tradition. His last perfume, Ode, was introduced in 1955. The following year, Jacques's grandson, Jean-Paul Guerlain, assumed the creation of the company's perfumes and proved to be as innovative as his predecessors, introducing Vétyver in 1959, the first of a long list of classic perfumes.
Under Jean-Paul Guerlain, the company would also expand and update its related beauty, makeup, and skin care products, replacing the family's traditional recipes with carefully measured scientific formulas and introducing the concept of expiration dating to assure the freshness of its products (and to encourage fresh purchases). Through the 1960s Guerlain introduced such fragrances as Chant d'Arômes (1962) and the men's fragrance, Habit Rouge (1965), capping the decade with the innovative Chamade.
A new factory was built in 1973 in Chartres, followed by the introduction of Parure in 1975. At the start of the 1980s the company launched a new line of personal care and beauty products, Issima, and new lines of makeup, including Terracotta in 1984 and Métérorites in 1987, which helped the company expand into the emerging Asian countries. The company also continued to open boutiques in major cities around the world, bringing the number to eight by the end of the decade. In 1989 Guerlain had a new hit on its hands, with the introduction of its Samsara line of perfumes and beauty products.
With Jean-Paul Guerlain approaching 90 years of age at the end of the 1980s, the family-owned company recognized that it would soon face a problem of succession. The 25 Guerlain heirs formed a family holding company, Djedi Holding SA, to group their interests; at the same time, Moët-Hennessy Louis Vuitton made its first entry into the company, purchasing a 14 percent stake in Guerlain.
By the beginning of the 1990s, Guerlain faced an industry that had undergone a vast transformation. The trend had become one of consolidation--and conglomeration--spearheaded by such giants as LVMH, L'Oréal, and Sanofi. In 1993 Guerlain remained among the last of the independent perfume houses, faced with the massive marketing clout of the new perfume industry giants. The changing economic climate, from the heady boom years of the 1980s to the worldwide recession of the early 1990s and the extended European economic crisis, was also catching up to Guerlain. While its revenues hovered around FFr 2 billion in the first years of the 1990s, its profits were slipping slowly. Meanwhile, its catalog was aging, with its last grand success, Samsara, dating from 1989. At the same time, a family successor to Jean-Paul Guerlain was not immediately apparent.
In 1994 the company agreed to be acquired by LVMH. The acquisition, delicately dubbed a partnership by LVMH leader Bernard Arnault, would occur in two stages. The initial stage granted LVMH, primarily through its Christian Dior holding, 58.9 percent of Guerlain. The Guerlain family, which received shares in Dior valued at nearly FFr 2 billion, retained for the time being creative control of the company, under Jean-Paul Guerlain. But Arnault installed Christian Lanis, formerly of Unilever, as Guerlain's president. Nevertheless, Arnault pledged to Le Monde, "Guerlain would remain an autonomous company."
That autonomy would seem short-lived. In 1996 LVMH completed its takeover of Guerlain, when the Guerlain family, through Djedi Holding, exercised their option to sell the rest of their shares to the luxury goods giant. The purchase of the remaining shares cost LVMH more than FFr 1.8 billion. While Jean-Paul Guerlain continued to create for the company, Guerlain's next product launch was to mark the beginning of a new era. Unlike its predecessors, Champs-Elysées, which received a worldwide launch in 1996, was not the creation of a Guerlain "nose." Instead, Champs-Elysées, developed by Christian Lanis, evolved first and foremost as a marketing concept, responsible for adding a floral note to the Guerlain catalog while attracting a new generation of Guerlain customers, particularly customers among the crucial Anglo-Saxon market. With a promotion budget estimated at US$50 million for 1996 and US$100 million for 1997, sales of the new perfume line were expected to equal those of the company's venerable and top-selling Samsara and Shalimar perfumes. Despite Guerlain's entry into the modern reality of perfume marketing, the Guerlain name, backed by the financial clout of LVMH, would continue to represent a five-generation tradition of quality.