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History of Guerlain

Guerlain is a French luxury perfume, cosmetics, and skincare house that is among the oldest in the world. Founded by Pierre François Pascal Guerlain on Rue de Rivoli in Paris in 1828, it remained the property of the Guerlain family for 150 years before being acquired by the LVMH group in 1994.

Pierre François Pascal Guerlain was born in Abbeville in 1798 and announced his desire to become a perfumer at the age of 19. He left his family's grocery store and moved to Paris, where he became a merchant clerk at Maison Briard, a manufacturer and perfumer. In 1822, he was hired by Dissey and Piver, and two years later, in 1828, he created the Guerlain perfumery on the ground floor of the Hôtel Meurice.

Guerlain's early success was marked by his innovative approach to perfumery, which emphasized quality and simplicity. He put his motto "Make good products, never cheat on quality, have simple ideas and scrupulously apply them" above his factory door, reflecting his commitment to excellence in every aspect of his business. The Guerlain perfume house quickly gained a reputation for its high-quality products, including toilet waters like Senteurs des Champs and Bouquet du Jardin du Roi.

Over the years, Guerlain expanded its product line to include lipsticks, skin care creams, powders, cheek shadows, and other hygiene products. In 1836, he launched one of the first lipsticks called Automatism for makeup, which became a huge success. The fashion being also to hygiene products at that time, Guerlain elaborated a balm intended to protect the breasts of the nurse, which he called Baume.

Notable Perfumes and Creations

Guerlain is known for its iconic perfumes, including Shalimar, Mitsouko, and Guerlinade. The house has also created many other notable fragrances over the years, such as Mouchoir de Monsieur (1904), Après L'Ondée (1906), L'Heure Bleue (1912), Mitsouko (1919), Shalimar (1925), and Vol de Nuit (1933). These perfumes were created by some of the most renowned perfumers in history, including Jacques