The story of Guerlain

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 Being first and foremost a family name, Guerlain
is not a “brand” like any other—it is more a cross
between a seal and a symbol. This name, which
possesses both soul and spirit, exerts an influence
on every product it signs. It has an inherently
French appeal, with its dual qualities of elegance
and eloquence and its passion for a fearless style
of beauty that juggles with contemporary codes of
behaviour.
The names of our perfumes and beauty products bear
witness to our corporate history and give a passing
nod to some major historical events. Each fragrance
is redolent of the period in which it was created and
bears the stamp of the desires, beliefs, dreams and
fears of the day. Putting the name Guerlain on a
product is never a cursory or gratuitous action but,
on the contrary, one that is a guarantee of exceptional
quality. There is no need to point out how much
our current work draws strength from our history,
although this pride in our past is never excessive so
as to stifle creativity. So, along with the 2,400 people
who, day by day and launch after launch, ensure
that this lady of French luxury continues to be in
step with her times after 180 years, I am delighted to
invite you to share in this magnificent life story.

Laurent Boillot
Guerlain President and CEO

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 “Glory is short-lived,
only renown lasts.”

Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

place de l’étoile

It is highly unlikely that Pierre-François-Pascal

Guerlain had this saying in mind when he
opened his first boutique on Rue de Rivoli in
Paris, in 1828, under the reign of Charles X.

Having come to try his luck in Paris, after qualifying as a

chemist and physician in England, where he had learned, among
other things, to make soap, this young provincial had his fair
share of daring and persistence, as well as a taste for quality.
Years later, he would say to his colleagues: “Make good
products and never compromise on quality. As for the
rest, stick to simple ideas and apply them scrupulously.” L’usine de l’Étoile, Guerlain’s factory on Avenue de Saint-Cloud, 1828.

By opening his first boutique on the ground floor of

the Hôtel Meurice, on the site of what is now its dining room,
Pierre‑François-Pascal was already showing his appreciation
for prestige. Seeking a peaceful place to work, he built his
soap factory virtually out in the countryside, in a district
renowned for being quiet at the time: Place de l’Étoile!
Paris echoed with the strains of waltz music and Romanticism
was in full swing. The novelist Victor Hugo was at the height
of his profession and Alfred de Musset was fast acquiring
celebrity status. In 1830, Louis-Philippe succeeded Charles X
as king, before being replaced, in 1851, by Louis-Napoleon,
the future Napoleon III. There could not have been a better
time to start up a perfume shop. Paris reeked of the tar that
was beginning to be used as a coating for the roads, which
carried a heavy traffic of magnificent horse-drawn carriages
conveying ladies in crinoline dresses and slender dandies.
Celebrities such as the Marchioness de Girardin and Lord
Seymour were already featured among Guerlain’s customers.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years

Combining his pharmaceutical expertise with nostalgia for his

native Picardy, where his family worked as pewter pot makers,
Pierre-François-Pascal began harnessing some wonderful
fragrances in his laboratory. He lost no time in choosing
his corporate name: Parfumeur Vinaigrier. He had already begun
perfuming his Sapoceti soaps, made from spermaceti, with
natural essential oils of rose, jasmine, gardenia, etc. He soon
realised his ambitions as a perfumer by creating fragrances that
harked back to the landscapes of his childhood: Senteur des
Champs, Esprit de Fleurs, as well as paying homage to England,
where he learned the rudiments of his art: Bouquet du Roi
d’Angleterre, Bouquet du Jardin du Roi and Parfum des Rois.

Opposite: The wrapping of the Sapoceti soap.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years
soft complexions
and evening scents
At the same time as being a talented perfumer,
Pierre‑François‑Pascal sold skincare products imported from
England, like Gowland’s Lotion for whitening the skin and created
sophisticated lotions, make-up and skincare products made
from natural raw materials for his customers. His boutique stocked
Blanc de Perles for whitening the skin, alongside a surprising
cream that contained liquefied bear fat. Fashionable women
also flocked to his shop to buy Cold Cream of Roses, which
protected the skin against harsh weather conditions, Ambrosial
Cream and the more unexpected Crème de roses aux limaçons,
which contained snails. However, he also did not neglect the art
of cosmetics. The Poudre de Lys, which guaranteed an alabaster
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The stor y of Guerlain
complexion, was regarded as a must-have by fashionable society
and gained him immediate success. Women delicately reddened
their lips with Extrait de Roses pour
les lèvres, whose lasting finish was a key
selling point, and by Roselip, the first solid
make-up that came in a delightful little
porcelaine de Paris jar. Personal hygiene
products were also in vogue, like those for
refreshing the breath of habitual smokers
or preventing hair loss, or again the Baume
de la Ferté, with its high tannin content
from Bordeaux wine, which was created
in 1830 to soothe the breasts of wet-nurses. This balm has
undergone a remarkable metamorphosis over the course of
its life, because it is now sold as a remedy for dry, chapped lips.
Baume de la Ferté
small pewter pot.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

The founder of Maison Guerlain was already making a name

for his expertise and was personalising perfume by linking
a fragrance to a personality or mood. Guerlain never strayed
from this principle. At the time, he was commissioned to
create a perfume for a single pretty woman or a single
evening: “an original fragrance that would vibrate just for an
evening”. People said: “You are the only person who can do
this.” Honoré de Balzac asked him to create an Eau de Toilette
for him before he started writing César Birotteau. Guerlain also
perfumed the pages of every issue of a journal, La Sylphide,
le Journal des Élégances. The young perfumer’s success soared.

Opposite: Quote of Guerlain published in the journal

La Sylphide, Le journal des Élégances.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

He stepped up the development of his skincare products. In 1840,

the must-have products were by Guerlain and were called
Crème de Concombres or Serkis des Sultanes. These claimed
to have different benefits for the skin, such as preserving its
elasticity, protecting against the harmful effects of the sun or
making it softer. These claims were revolutionary for the period
and formed the basis for the creations of the twentieth century.
Soon, Crème à la Fraise became the star
product which boosted the radiance of
complexions. The cream was created
for Elisabeth of Austria or Sissi as
she was affectionately known.

Bottom: During the XIX, the cream jars were made in porcelaine of Sèvres or Paris.
Opposite: Watercolour by Christian Bérard for the of Champs-Élysées Institute (1939).
.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

imperial

In 1842, Guerlain moved to 15 Rue de la Paix, cutting the figure

of a pioneer in an area that had not yet become one of
the most elegant intersections in the world. At the same
time, the factory was transferred to a larger estate
in Colombes that was better suited to its rapid growth.

While Corot, Courbet and Delacroix were painting

their masterpieces, Guerlain created Parfum Impérial,
Bouquet de l’Impératrice, and Bouquet Napoléon, the growing Lait de Concombres. Advertisement for La Pyrommée.

View of the boutique Rue de la Paix.

number of creations keeping pace with his meteoric rise

to renown. Customers flocked to his shop and his regulars
included the Countess de Castiglione, Princess Metternich,
the Duchess de Mouchy, the Prince of Wales, the Queen
of Belgium, the Duchess of Berry and Tsar Alexander III.
Lait d’Iris, Lait de Concombres, Pâte d’Amande au Miel and
other salves were highly successful. Elegant women lost no time
in buying the fabulous eye product recently launched by
Mr. Guerlain. La Pyrommée revolutionised the art of make‑up
which, at that period, was restricted to the complexion and lips.
This creation, loosely inspired by kohl, which was very popular in
the harems, was an unprecedented success because it continued
to be sold for a century! According to a rumour circulating in
Paris, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain had been initiated into

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 GUERLAIN 180 years
the secret of this ancient product by an Armenian pasha who had
studied the material in Persia. The discovery of new fragrances
falls within the perfume creator’s purview. Using scents found
deep in the heart of far-off lands, the perfumer works like an
alchemist to blend ingredients which, at first
glance, seem fairly unattractive. This was
the case with oak moss, which captivated
Pierre-François-Pascal. The perfumer paid
homage to it by creating, in 1840, the first
chypre fragrance, simply named Chypre.
Naturally, the ingredient was presented in a
somewhat diluted form, but its success spurred him to compose
another scent called Cyprisime, in 1854. Jacques ventured
down this path too, creating Chypre de Paris around 1909.
Diploma of the Emperor Napoleon III.
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The stor y of Guerlain
He did not know then that, ten years later, he would use this
accord in one of the finest perfumes in the world: Mitsouko.
In 1851, Napoleon III was crowned Emperor of France. He wanted
to rebuild Paris and commissioned Baron Haussmann to carry
out the work, while Empress Eugénie promoted the luxury
industries and took a special interest in Guerlain’s creations.
In 1853, Pierre-François-Pascal dedicated the famous
Eau de Cologne Impériale to her, which is still sold today
in its fine bee bottle with the green label. This homage
to the Empress’s beauty earned Guerlain’s founder
the much envied title of His Majesty’s Official Perfumer.
The Empress’s influence also encouraged the advent of
the first couture houses. Worth was the first couturier
to use live models to show his dresses at Court.
In 1857, Baudelaire caused an outcry with his Les Fleurs du mal;
the waltz music of the Second Empire
picked up pace and Guerlain continued its
rise with surprising products like the Blanc
de Perles and Bain Cosmétique. Love
reigned supreme in the mid‑Nineteenth
century. At the Tuileries and at the Opéra,
diamonds glittered, crinolines pirouetted
and women’s bare shoulders emerged
from tulle and lace. Rachel was a triumph
at the Comédie-Française and Offenbach
was bringing the house down at the Variétés.
Society was determined to have fun.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

european scents

This colourful era culminated in the Universal Exhibition of 1867.

Then, in 1870, war broke out. Paris stood firm and Camphora
cream, which concealed and cleared small blemishes, went
on sale in its exquisite pewter pot. This “miracle” cream
is still sold today as Crème Camphrea. Almost at the same
time, like a message of hope for the future, Guerlain invented
Ne m’oubliez pas, the first lipstick which came in
a refillable container with a push-up mechanism.
This first modern lipstick allied sophistication
with technical innovation. Its revolutionary
design perfectly mirrored the spirit of
the times, which saw trade and industry,
vigorously promoted by Napoleon III, receive
a new lease of life. A year later, the Third
French Republic was born, and a few years
after that, the exhibition of 1889, the Republican
answer to the Imperial exhibition of 1867, showcased
a tower built by Mr. Eiffel that was the talk of the town!

Despite the war, Guerlain had gone from strength

to strength. He was now the preferred perfumer of every
court in Europe. He provided perfumes for Queen Victoria
of England, Queen Isabella of Spain, the unforgettable Sissi,
Page from a turn-of-the xxth century catalogue: new preparations for
Empress of Austria, and the Grand Duke Alexandrowitch. the eyes and eyebrows, blushers, cosmetics to whiten the skin.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

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 GUERLAIN 180 years
For the courts of Central Europe, which used his services
exclusively he created the Bouquet Princesse Amélie
de Furstemberg and L’Eau de Cologne Russe. He also
created a unique perfume for the Queen of Romania.
Guerlain was the undisputed leader of the world of beauty
and perfume. He symbolised French elegance and refinement.
In 1894, the factory in Colombes, which had become too small,
was replaced by the one in Bécon-les-Bruyères. The company’s
future now rested on the shoulders of Aimé and Gabriel
Guerlain. Aimé, the perfume creator, made his name through
many fragrances: Fleurs d’Italie, Skine, and Belle France.
As a fitting end to the century, Aimé Guerlain wanted to create
a visionary perfume, a bold almost revolutionary perfume
that could be worn by men or women. This distinguished
fragrance with a hint of mystery was Jicky, regarded as the first
modern perfume in 1889, because it was the first that had
combined natural products with synthetic ingredients.
Left: Original
bottle of Jicky.
Right: Bottle of Eau
de Cologne Russe.
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The stor y of Guerlain
Innocence, black stockings
and the French cancan
Fashion and etiquette ceased to be the prerogative of an
educated few. Good taste became a national preoccupation,
while the young Republic celebrated its twenty-fifth birthday.
Men abandoned the top hat in favour of the bowler and the
jacket began to acquire a following. When it came to women,
the look was floral and majestic. Corseted, buttoned and laced
by Doucet, Paquin and Rouff, women gave very little away. This
was the heyday of “underwear” and the black stockings shown off
by the French cancan, which offended and entertained in equal
measure. Guerlain’s move to the Rue de la Paix proved to be
judicious: Place Vendôme had become the hub of elegant Paris.
People dined at Maxim’s, where two paradoxical and ambiguous
worlds rubbed shoulders. Old stock aristocrats, leaders
of industry and key business figures were on friendly terms
and regularly crossed the paths of real and not-so-real duchesses.
Their common aim was to spend money or court oblivion.
There were also other worlds in Paris. The stars of Belleville
and Ménilmontant were called Casque d’Or, La Goulue,
Cri Cri or Nini. They were immortalised on a scrap of paper
tablecloth by a real count who was skilled with a pencil–Henri
de Toulouse-Lautrec. The “great little man”, as Tristan Bernard
called him, symbolised the approaching twentieth century,
soft-hearted and cynical, hungry for highs and lows, swapping
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 GUERLAIN 180 years
age-old certainties for exciting new horizons. The people
who ventured into the Moulin Rouge wore L’Eau de Cologne
du Coq, Colette scribbled and dared to cut her hair short,
Marguerite Long practised her scales, and Marie Curie was hard
at work. In every domain, women were becoming liberated
and being seen in a new light, as Jicky had predicted.
The industrial revolution drastically changed people’s attitudes and
generated incredible inventions: wireless telegraphy, the telephone,
the cinema. Strange flying machines began their conquest of the
skies; Paul Valéry wrote about dance and Bergson about laughter.
With Pierre running the business and Jacques
taking care of creation, their work continued
during this frenetic creative period.
Bottle of Eau de Cologne du Coq (1894).
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The stor y of Guerlain
The new fragrances were perfectly in keeping with the times:
Mouchoir de Monsieur, Voilette de Madame, Bon Vieux Temps,
Liu, Muguet, and Rue de la Paix. There were also regular new
additions to the beauty catalogue. One of the most prominent
products, in 1895, was the Crème Huvé de la Providence, which
claimed to have hydrating properties that protected against the
damaging effects of the sun. However, the creation of
skincare products entered the modern era with
a vengeance with the cream, Secret de Bonne
Femme, perhaps the first product to promise
complete hydration. Whipped by hand to create
its ultra-light texture, this innovative cream,
created in 1904, remained on the shelves until the
1990s. Shortly after that, in 1906, Jacques launched Après l’Ondée,
a graceful, innocent fragrance. The scents of damp undergrowth
hinted at À l’ombre des Jeunes filles en fleur, published 12 years
later by Marcel Proust and which won him the Prix Goncourt.
Sketch of a box designed by Louis-Maurice Boulet de
Monval (project which was not retained).
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 GUERLAIN 180 YEARS The stor y of Guerlain

Different articles
published in worldwide
magazines in 1903

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

In 1912, as a prelude to the tragic times ahead,

Jacques Guerlain created L’Heure Bleue, a romantic,
pervasive perfume of infinite sweetness. In 1914, before
the skies darkened for four years, a new shop opened at
68 Champs-Elysées. Designed by Charles Mewès, who was
also responsible for the Ritz, its interior decoration was
carried out by artists from Carrara and its walls boasted
no less than seventeen different types of marble.
During the same period, Rodin and the Impressionists
were reaping the rewards of their creative daring and
had won great acclaim for their art. Sarah Bernhardt
was the darling of the masses and, like Cécile Sorel and Jane
Harding, asked Jacques Guerlain to create a unique fragrance
for her. The creation of these bespoke perfumes did not
prevent this tireless perfumer from continuing, always with
the same degree of success, to produce an endless variety of
fragrances. He brought out a new one every year: Quand vient
l’été, Pour Troubler, Vague Souvenir, and Mi-Mai.

The Great War was over and France had changed a great deal.
Everyone was learning to live and let live. Anything was possible
in a world where all the barriers had come down, although
boundless possibilities brought uncertainty in their wake.
Everyone wanted to live life to the full and forget the past.
The face of Paris changed. Electricity lit up the avenues, which
were dominated by cars, like the Panhard or Dedion‑Bouton;
women with gay abandon bared… their ankles and, thanks
to Paul Poiret, abandoned their corsets and laces. American advertising for L’Heure Bleue (1927)

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 GUERLAIN 180 years
In no time at all, Coco Chanel became the arbiter of female
elegance in Paris and raised hems to above the knee.
The long dress was now only worn for special occasions.
Advertising, sport and aviation were discovered. Life was
exciting and the parties glittered as brightly as the dresses.
The wrapping for the soap Mitsouko.
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The stor y of Guerlain
In those wild years, Guerlain endeavoured to restore women’s
charm and appeal after they had embraced simplicity to excess
and seemed to have laid down all the weapons in their armoury.
The railway was ultra-fashionable. The Simplon-Orient‑Express
and the Trans-Siberian railroad fuelled dreams. Puccini had
a triumphant success with Tosca and La Bohême, but Japan became
the cultural Mecca. It was hardly surprising then that Jacques
Guerlain called his new creation Mitsouko, after the heroine
of the novel La Bataille, by his friend, writer Claude Farrère.
Mitsouko, a magical blend of chypre and fruity notes, was a
fragrance whose concise formula, in the words of Jean‑Paul
Guerlain, “possesses the ideal secret of a woman’s skin”.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

“Talent works, genius creates.”

Robert Schumann

The prolific, highly talented Jacques Guerlain remained confined

in his laboratory and produced Jasmin, Bouquet de Faune in
its Lalique bottle, Candide Effluve, etc. He created a string
of perfumes that were all different and yet all had the family
resemblance that was the hallmark of Guerlain creations.
He holidayed on the Riviera and came back haunted by
the lemony scents of a round, seeded fruit, the citron. In 1920,
this trip gave birth to Eau de fleurs de Cédrat. At that time,
the world revolved around Paris, which was a cosmopolitan,
Jacques Guerlain in his laboratory
artistic and fiercely creative city. “Paris is a moveable feast”, wrote of the Courbevoie factory.
Hemingway and the key figures living this exciting
life were the Aga Khan, Stravinsky, Dali,
Picasso, Cocteau, Braque, Max Ernst,
Miró and Diaghilev, founder of the Ballets container that showed an illustration of his first factory at Place
Russes. The latter, a great friend of de l’Étoile. Make-up left actresses’ dressing rooms and made its
Jacques Guerlain, was the inspiration for appearance in middle-class apartments. Women took up the
a subtle, sensual fragrance, Coque d’Or, new Lynx kohl pencil that guaranteed sophisticated, yet tasteful
whose bow-tie shaped bottle was made eye make-up. At the same time, the Rose Lip Bengale lipstick
of midnight blue Baccarat crystal, thinly was a huge success. Its elongated shape was in perfect keeping
covered in gold leaf. With a humorous nod with the slender style made fashionable by Art Deco. The
to the prevailing mood of heady delirium, creation of the Rouge d’Enfer showed Guerlain’s exacting
Guerlain created a new fragrance, quest for ingenious, luxurious and practical beauty products.
Poudre aux Ballons, which recalled This lipstick, which broke new ground with its lasting finish
his origins with its quaintly outmoded and ultra-sophisticated design, was patented in 1924.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

The year 1925 marked an important date for French women,

because the international Decorative Arts Exhibition restored
perfumery to its rightful place as the number one luxury
industry. The bottle for Shalimar, designed by Raymond Guerlain,
represented the Guerlain company at this exhibition, which
took place in the hall of the Grand Palais. This bottle, which
embodied the inventive, lavish Art Deco style that made use
of the rarest, most exotic materials, was inspired by the same
mindset with which Jacques Guerlain, in 1920,
began creating Shalimar. This fragrance,
whose bold sweetness verged on
the taboo, was the first oriental
perfume, and it achieved worldwide
success in 1925. Success breeds
success and the Poudre C’est Moi,
whose name plagiarised the famous
phrase by Louis XIV: “Le roi c’est
moi” (“I am the king”), was immediately
adopted by women with a sense of humour
for whom it symbolised luxury, boldness and voluptuousness.
This lightweight powder nestled in a box whose design
was inspired by a representation of the “Sun King”, the great
patron of the arts, who built the Château de Versailles.

Paris continued to be dazzling and innovative. In painting,

the Fauvists, Cubists and Surrealists discussed their theories
endlessly. Picabia and Breton shocked the public, and Gide,
Claudel and Valéry attracted a crowd of disciples. In the

American advertisement for the Poudre C’est Moi (1930).

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

secrecy of his laboratory, Jacques Guerlain continued

to create new fragrances. Djedi and Guerlilas adorned
the windows of the boutique on the Champs‑Elysées;
the demand for bespoke perfumes soared.
A universally undisputable and undisputed perfume house,
Guerlain had now been in existence for 100 years. From 1926
onwards, subsidiaries had been founded, such as the ones in Berlin
and New York in 1927. It is possible that Raymond Guerlain may
have had the latter in mind when he travelled to New York aboard
the Normandie on the trip that established Shalimar’s reputation.

The world was in perpetual movement. Far-off countries

like Japan and China, whose art treasures had been discovered
at the last Decorative Arts Exhibition, roused people’s desire
to visit these marvellous places for themselves. Guerlain met
this demand and Liu, inspired by the heroine of the opera,
Turandot, was presented in a bottle crafted by Baccarat, and
daringly shaped like a Chinese tea caddy. Science and music
were not to be left behind. Paul Langevin and Louis de Broglie
explored the microscopic world and continued the work of
the Curies. Ravel had just written his famous Valse, Saint-Saëns,
Milhaud and Poulenc swapped impressions, while Satie composed.
A new art was born, cinema–which soon found its voice.
Louis Delluc, René Clair and Abel Gance directed marvellous
films that, some fifty years later, were enjoyed in film clubs.

People acquired a taste for other places, other worlds. This longing

for exoticism, for travelling to the ends of the earth was given Illustrations of Elise Darcy (1935).

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 GUERLAIN 180 ANS The stor y of Guerlain

concrete form in a perfume, Sous le vent, that Jacques dedicated

to Josephine Baker, whose extrovert personality he much admired.
By popularising cars, Renault and Citroën made travel possible and
the Monte-Carlo Car Rally showed off the skill of the mechanics.
Aeroplanes offered the possibility of travelling much further afield.
Long flights had proved the aircrafts’ reliability; only crossing vast
oceans and flying over high mountains still posed problems, but
heroic pilots, like Mermoz, were striving to solve them. The legend
of Aéropostale, the first French airmail service between Europe and
South America, found its bard in the poet and pilot Saint-Exupéry.
In 1933, the year Air France was founded, Guerlain, which always
appreciated human endeavour, launched Vol de Nuit, undoubtedly
one of Jacques Guerlain’s most sophisticated achievements.
This perfume, conjuring up the vast expanses of night, was named
after the famous novel by Saint-Exupéry, his lifelong friend.

In 1935, continuing its upward momentum, Guerlain opened

a second shop on Place Vendôme, whose understated
white marble decoration provided the perfect foil for
the opulent bottles. This minimalist interior design was ahead
of its time, proving that true beauty never goes out of fashion.

An advertisement by Clément Serveau for Vol de Nuit.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

red and white checks

At the same time as creating perfume, Guerlain continued to

produce skincare products and make-up. From that time onwards,
the latter became an art rather than mere vanity. It was an art
to get the most from one’s natural colouring and to
enhance the shape of one’s face and features. A
woman in the 1930s would never go out without
wearing a hat or make-up. Although eyes were
still discreet, the lips were carefully outlined
and extremely sensual. The artificial sun of
Hollywood was at its zenith and shone on a
glittering array of stars. Jacques then launched
Vega, a fragrance named after the brightest star in
the sky. Red was the byword in make-up! Guerlain’s new products
capitalised on this colour with the
creation of Rouge Automatique, a Opposite: Advertisement for the lipstick
Roi des Rouges designed by Vassi (1928).
lipstick that, as its name indicated, Top: Advertisement for the Rouge Automatique,
could be opened easily with one designed by Elise Darcy (1936).

hand, or the Nouveau Rouge,

which offered the novelty of refills healthy living. Mandatory holidays, instituted by the Front Populaire,
enabling wearers to experiment the party in power at the time, formed part of this homage to
with different shades. Women well-being. Hydration was more topical than ever. The brand
were also concerned about their new Crème au Citron protected the skin and won followers
bodies and the damaging effects with its subtle citrus fragrance. A tanned complexion became
of ageing on their faces. For fashionable and Guerlain created a sunless tanning product,
some, sport became integral to Teint Doré par le Soleil, some fifty years before Terracotta.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

In 1939, still in touch with women’s needs and ahead of its

time, Guerlain opened the first beauty salon in the world on
the first floor of 68 Avenue des Champs-Elysées. In no time
at all, women began flocking to this new shrine of elegance,
decorated by Christian Bérard, who was responsible for the
exquisite wall hanging in the alcôve aux parfums, Jean-Michel
Franck, who designed the furniture with its flowing lines, and
Giacometti, who realised the flower-shaped sconces. Sky blue and
virginal white combined to create a restful atmosphere of serenity
where women could discover the benefits of massages devised
by Dr. d’Aubiac, the effectiveness of the lotions and sprays, the
creams that protected against the sun or mimicked its effects, and,
above all, the new Miracle face mask, a powerful anti-wrinkle Article published in the Figaro newspaper for the opening
product that regenerated the skin cells. Women clamoured both of the Champs-Élysées Institute (June 1939).

for the famous blusher, Guerlain’s Scarlet, which was a huge

success in America, and the line of sun protection and tanning
products which, despite having been around for ten years, was still
ground-breaking, owing to the known and approved effectiveness
of the Huile pour brunir, Huile contre le Soleil and the amazing
Crème de jour contre le Soleil et les Taches de rousseur.

Tapestry designed by
Christian Bérard for
Champs-Élysées Beauty
Institut (1939). Watercolour of Pollock published in the Illustration magazine,
cocktail for the opening of the Champs-Élysées Institute (1939).

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 GUERLAIN 180 years

to be or not to be?

When the last bullets had whistled over the roofs of Paris, when
the American troops had marched down the Champs-Elysées, and
when Paul Valéry had written “We civilisations know now that we
are mortal”, people began to smile again and to believe in peace.
The GIs queued up outside the Guerlain boutique on
the Champs-Elysées so that they could take a little piece
of Paris back with them to Michigan or Illinois.

The factory at Bécon-les-Bruyères had been bombed twice,

so it was abandoned and a new, much larger, industrial
site was built at Courbevoie, which was still near Paris.
Several floors were devoted to the manufacture and
packaging of perfume, skincare products and make-up.
It was in a tiny office that Jean-Paul Guerlain created his first
ranges at his grandfather Jacques’ side. Jacques and Marcel
Guerlain were in charge of the factory at Courbevoie.

There were many technical developments in the post-war

years in every domain: planes, trains and cars competed for
speed and comfort, anyone so inclined could find out what was
going on elsewhere in the world by means of radio and TV,
philosophers focused on the question asked as early as 1602:
“To be or not to be?” At the Deux Magots café, Jean-Paul
Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir wrote, defining Existentialism,
while Malraux and Camus covered similar ground.
At the boutique Champs-Elysées,
the GIs take back a little bit of Paris.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years
It was in this stimulating climate of new ideas that Jacques Guerlain
created Dawamesk, a perfume as stylish as the songs of Gréco
or Prévert. French fashion was still leading the way. Jacques Fath
and Rochas invented women as flowers, while Dior stunned
the world with his new look. Women discovered nylon stockings
and delighted in a femininity that was synonymous with gaiety
and a tasteful eroticism. The hydrating cream, Crémaliment,
devised in 1940, achieved new success. Its light texture,
combined with its extremely hydrating and nourishing properties,
made it very popular with women who were discovering
the benefits of balneotherapy in spas.
Advertisement by Charnotet for
the powder Visage de Nuée (1959).
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The stor y of Guerlain
Achieving flawless beauty became the leading subject
in women’s magazines. The Emulsion d’Ambroisie, which
claimed to protect the skin’s elasticity and kept its promises,
came in a surprising lidded pharmacy jar-type bottle. In
make‑up, the powder Visage de Nuée lost no time in winning
over women who wanted a flawless complexion, especially
as wearing hats had gradually fallen out of fashion in favour
of leaving coquettishly pin-curled hair uncovered. The slim,
elongated bottle for Fleur de Feu was highly prized, while
the world was stunned by the unique voice of Maria Callas
and amazed by the productions of the Ballets de Béjart.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years
flawless beauty
The Guerlain company passed a new milestone. Jacques
Guerlain took his grandson, Jean-Paul, under his wing and
initiated him into the mysteries of perfume creation. In 1955,
they co-produced Ode, an impressionist floral scent in Guerlain
style, based on the two creators’ favourite ingredients: rose,
jasmine and iris. This olfactory poem was Jacques’ last creation
before appointing Jean-Paul as his successor in 1956.
Guerlain’s success continued to
grow, necessitating the opening
of a third boutique. In 1957, this
quiet, comfortable boudoir-like space
was opened at 93 Rue de Passy, in the
heart of the 16th arrondissement.
Women had to be perfect and the brief
freedom acquired after the war had
gradually disappeared. Beautiful, well-
Advertisement for Ode groomed from head to toe, sophisticated
designed by Palayer and
its amphora bottle. and elegant, women in the 1950s were
once again housewives. For these
women who were so concerned with their appearance,
the Guerlain laboratories continued their research into hydration
and created Crème Supernourrissante, whose regenerative
and hydrating properties revitalised tissue, prevented wrinkles,
or promised to achieve the ultimate task–reduced them. Almost
at the same time, the Crème acide PH 5,5, whose name contained
a direct reference to scientific research, appeared for oily skin
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The stor y of Guerlain
types. In 1955, the launch of Hydroserum enabled Guerlain to
consolidate its position in the field of hydration. This serum, which
came in phials, was a small-scale revolution. Its high concentration
of active ingredients provided the generative cells of the dermis
with all the biological elements they required to properly function.
During these years of research into skin cells, not once did
Guerlain neglect its make-up line. In 1954, the company created
a lipstick that it described as “3 lipsticks, 2 moves, 1 case and clean
hands”. Two years later, this practical
design was replaced by a long-lasting
lipstick, the Rouge G de Guerlain that
achieved worldwide success. At the same
time, young Jean-Paul, barely more than
a teenager, was given the enviable yet
risky role of exclusive creator. He was
now the company’s “nose”. His first
creation was a masterstroke. Wanting
to remedy the obvious lack of fragrances
for men, Jean-Pierre and Jean-Jacques Advertisement designed by
Nikasinovich for the Crème
Guerlain who preside over the fates supernourrissante (1973).
of the brand, anticipated this new
market’s demand and asked for the creation of a new masculine
fragrance. Jean-Paul enthusiastically rose to this challenge and, in
1959, created the sophisticated Vetiver, a subtly elegant, classic
fragrance. This Eau de Toilette, whose main ingredient is vetiver
roots, is still sold today and the range is regularly extended
by new additions, such as Vetiver Extrême launched in 2007.
It is a spontaneous, seductive and captivating fragrance.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

new wave

Following this tour de force,

Jean‑Paul Guerlain was keen to create
a women’s perfume. The initial
impetus came from the idea of a
young woman’s skin, in this case, that
of his future wife: Chant d’Arômes
was an aldehydic floral bouquet with
a touch of chypre, that was to some
Drawing of Guy le Pers represented
extent a blend of Mitsouko and
Jean-Paul Guerlain (1998).
Chamade. It was now 1962, a time
when people were hungry for new ideas and everything had
to be “groovy”. Cinema became an observer of the times with
Visconti, Fellini or Rossellini, while French film‑makers like Godard,
Truffaut and Resnais founded what film critics called the “new
wave”. The world was looking for answers and trying to find
new directions. Like cinema, the novel was given a new lease of
life, becoming the nouveau roman and Butor and Robbe‑Grillet
overturned the established literary coterie, inventing a new
style of writing. Young women in the 1960s did not want to
live like their mothers. Following the example set by America,
women began to attend university and started to apply more
frequently for posts once held exclusively by men. Femininity was
also gaining ground. Hair was worn loose or casually tied back,
trousers began to replace skirts and faces were heavily made‑up.
Beauty was now sexy, young women discovered the Beatles
Advertisement by Nikasinovich for Chamade (1971)

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 The stor y of Guerlain

Sketch of an
advertisement refillable mascara with an innovative formula. The skincare
for make up
(1960s) products also reflected this keen interest in make‑up. The Base
de Maquillage Hydratante hydrated and protected the skin,
while Matfilm provided even coverage without causing dryness.
However, perfume continued to be the company’s flagship
product. The new fragrances came thick and fast and were
highly successful. In 1965, Jean-Paul Guerlain created Habit Rouge
whose name conjured up the world of horse-riding, a favourite
pastime of the Guerlain family. They all rode, particularly Jean-Paul
Guerlain. He took part in the World Dressage Championships
in 1974 and continued to indulge his passion in Les Mesnuls.
and began to act in a way that some thought provocative. It was hardly surprising then that this second men’s fragrance
Guerlain invented its own make‑up codes in conjunction with should be closely connected with this sport. Habit Rouge
fashion trends, having never entered the world of haute couture is a perfume for men hunting for love, a masculine Shalimar
and ready-to-wear: the company had never deviated from the due to the strong vanilla content. This period saw men walking
founders’ philosophy: “We make what we know how to make, on the moon for the first time; technology was supplanting
and we sell what we make.” Every year, therefore, four collections mankind and advertising became a force to be reckoned with.
were designed and marketed. Eyeshadows were now available
as duos instead of single shades. Make-up was now changeable
and unpredictable and could be adapted to suit every woman’s
style. Eyeliner promising huge eyes became a best-seller. The
thin, precise line drawn around the contour of the eye, known
as the “doe-eye” look, became very popular with the fashion
conscious and young “debs”. Guerlain’s sophistication could
also be seen in the eyeshadows, which boasted an ultra‑light
texture, even though the shades were sometimes very bold.
Eyes were revolutionised in 1967: Guerlain rounded off its
range of eye products with the launch of Golden Cilpen, a
Advertisement for
« Habit Rouge Dry » (1969).

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 GUERLAIN 180 years
wind of change
In the late 1960s, the French company underwent an incredible
metamorphosis due to changing perceptions and views
on liberty, sexuality and taboos. Traditions were overturned,
and the students rallied to the slogan “It is forbidden to
forbid”. In 1969, Guerlain responded to this call for freedom by
creating a truly liberated perfume, a heady embodiment of pure
womanhood with a hint of narcissism drawn from the scents
of the plant and animal worlds. Chamade was a floral fragrance
that used the blackcurrant bud for the first time in perfume,
a bold stroke to illustrate this name inspired by Françoise
Sagan’s book. In addition, the bottle was shaped like an
upside-down heart, conjuring up the eager rhythm
of a heart beating the battle-charge. In the Figaro of the
time, a jounalist wrote: “Chamade is a phrase by Sagan
illustrating a smile from Bardot”. A tall order indeed!
The brand’s growth was also aided by the location of its Paris
boutiques. In 1965, Guerlain crossed the Seine and opened
premises in the midst of the left bank, at 29 Rue de Sèvres.
This was a youthful district, with the Sorbonne University
nearby, and the new boutique was, by its design, resolutely
anti‑Champs‑Elysées. This space, which immediately well
received, was occasionally called “Saint-Guerlain-des-Prés”.
The Rue de Sèvres boutique continues to have its own strong,
well‑established personality. A few years later, in 1973, as if
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1-Saga ANG 27-03.indd 56-57
to place the emphasis on continuity, Jean-Paul
Guerlain drew on his childhood memories to create
Eau de Guerlain, a refreshing, soothing cologne that is
reminiscent of cut hay in the middle of summer. The bottle
for this exuberant cologne was designed by the sculptor,
Robert Granai, who had made his debut with Guerlain
with the bottle for Chamade. The rounded
bottle for this cologne was thinly grooved
in the centre to convey the furrows left in
the land by the strong currents of rivers.
Coming back to Guerlain’s history and
chronological development, it was
now 1975 and Guerlain, true to women’s newfound sense of
freedom, created Parure, an ultra-feminine fragrance with heart
notes of lilac and plum. This was a deceptively sensible perfume,
like fire under ice. With more liberated lifestyles, women were
also liberated in their use of
make-up. Waterproof make‑up
became the must‑have of the
decade. Eyes were painted with
the colours of the rainbow
and every range showed the
influence of oriental shades.
Top: Detail of the Parure Stopper (1975).
Parure advertisement for the US (1976).
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 GUERLAIN 180 years
the 80s woman
The Orient had become both inspirational and an invitation
to travel, qualities that were embodied in Nahema, a distinctive
perfume that reflected the structure of Ravel’s Boléro. Created
in 1979, it took Jean-Paul Guerlain no less than five hundred
attempts and more than four years of hard work. Nahema
is an absolute rose fragrance with fruity, woody
undertones. A blend of fruity and heady notes,
Nahema suggested the idea of an independent woman,
liberated and more womanly than ever before.
The idea of freedom was also found in the skincare
products. The tinted creams of the Ultra-Sport
line, whose light brown packaging suggested
the colour of suntanned skin after a weekend
at the seaside, were a favourite among young
Bottle of women from the moment they were launched.
Nahema (1979).
After the joyful anarchy of the 1970s, the 1980s loomed darker:
the oil crisis, escalating unemployment, and the appearance
of a virus that was to cause terrible losses. Refusing to give in
to depression, women became “fighters”, declaring loud and clear:
“where there is a will, there is a way”. Women no longer wore
cosmetics merely to improve their looks, they expected them
to treat and repair damage. Anything to stay young! In the new
factory opened in Chartres in 1973 and exclusively dedicated to
skincare products and make-up, Laboratoires Guerlain identified
free radicals, the main causes of ageing.
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The stor y of Guerlain
Their research enabled them
to develop Evolution, the
first line of anti-free‑radical
products, with its A.R.T
(Anti-Relâchement Tissulaire)
complex, while the issima
line shot the brand into
the top ten of anti-ageing
skincare products. High-tech
formulas, luxurious, creamy The skincare range Evolution (1986).
textures, subtle perfume,
luxurious packaging in an attractive dark blue glass bottle with
a gold lid designed by Robert Granai–everything combined to
make issima Guerlain’s premium brand. Another skincare product,
aquasérum, was launched in 1987 and in the space of several
years became Guerlain’s best-selling skincare
product. Its technical performance, combined
with elegant, practical packaging, made this
moisturiser a must‑have for dry skins. In the
years that followed, its formula was continuously
redeveloped. Also, in 1983, Jean-Paul Guerlain
continued his work as a perfumer with Jardins
de Bagatelle, an extraordinary bouquet of
white flowers, as lively as a “bagatelle”, a short
musical fantasy. It came in a beautiful bottle
draped with pleats recalling a nymph’s shoulder.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years
For Guerlain, the 1980s were all about daring and
make‑up. In 1984, the brand that had been in existence for
over 150 years, invented and launched the first make-up
that could be taken anywhere, applied in no time at all and
gave a healthy sunless glow. The launch of Terracotta took
the brand to new heights. It was not just a success, it was
a commercial landslide. Number one in the USA and in Europe,
the Terracotta line captivated and influenced other brands.
The 1980s were truly ground-breaking for Guerlain in the
make-up sector. At the same time as Terracotta, a completely
original “new look” powder was created by Guerlain in 1987.
This was Météorites, a totally revolutionary loose powder.
A beautiful case, inspired by a powder compact belonging
to Catherine de Medici, contained a precise number of
small multi‑coloured beads, carefully chosen to correct or
enhance the wearer’s complexion. Pink gave a healthy glow,
green reduced redness, gold brightened the complexion, etc.
Météorites achieved worldwide success, particularly in Asia.
Météorites (1987). Terracotta (1984).
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The stor y of Guerlain
In 1986, Rouge Bicolore overturned the concept of
the lipstick invented by Guerlain in 1870. As its name implied,
the Rouge Bicolore was two identical or complementary
shades in one. One was matt, the other glossy. The idea
was to give women a marvellous lipstick in a golden
case that symbolised the brand’s creative daring.
But what about the men? Jean-Paul Guerlain also spared some
thought for the men who had watched women come to the fore
in every field over the past twenty years. To these men who
might have lost their self confidence at times, he dedicated Derby,
a “brutal yet highly civilised” fragrance with a woody, spicy leather
note over an attractive hint of carnation. Appealing to a select
few, Derby is now showcased at the Guerlain boutiques.
Bottle of Derby (1985).
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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

As visionary as ever, Guerlain quickly realised that women’s point in the history of Guerlain, because the company, with
behaviour was about to change. The end of the decade saw a century and half of creations under its belt, left the family
the start of what was to be called “cocooning”. Women left fold and joined LVMH, the leading luxury group in the world.
the gym clubs in favour of new-age relaxation. The Orient, This ushered in a new era of committed creativity.
a source of wisdom, was in vogue. And it was in the pursuit of
spirituality that, in 1989, Jean-Paul Guerlain created Samsara In 1996, Champs-Élysées celebrated Guerlain’s roots by
for the woman in his life. This perfume had an unusual and paying homage to what has been called the most beautiful
unexpected olfactory structure whose main elements combined avenue in the world. This luminous, sparkling floral perfume,
a flower–jasmine, with a wood–sandalwood. Two precious an elegant fragrance reconciling past and future, was created
materials from India, where Jean-Paul Guerlain had built a factory by Olivier Cresp and
to distil jasmine, until then only used in religious ceremonies. Sylvaine Delacourte. It paid
“As the new millennium dawns, woman is reborn–in Guerlain”, tribute to the Parisian chic
was the advertising slogan, created by Jacques Séguéla. and radiant beauty embodied
by Sophie Marceau, its new
In 1992, which also saw the appearance of Héritage, a new man muse. Jean-Paul Guerlain
who symbolised Guerlain’s core values, the laboratories focused was now dividing his time
mainly on damaged skins and worked to restore their vulnerable between creating perfumes
balance. The Odélys line, which had six products, was developed and running his ylang‑ylang
with the best natural plant and mineral ingredients. plantation in the Comoro
Could heaven be created on earth? Joy and Islands. He created Coriolan
love could, in 1993, if it was left up to as a galaxy of fragrances
Jean‑Paul Guerlain who, a few months later, for men. Several months
celebrated being a grandfather by creating later, to bring the millennium
Petit Guerlain for his grandchildren to a fragrant close, Jean‑Paul
in the brand new perfume factory at Guerlain revealed his emotion
Orphin, near Rambouillet, which was at the blossoming of
unveiled at a large party in June 1994. the cherry trees in Japan.
This date also marked a turning

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 GUERLAIN 180 years
Crème Régénératrice issima designed by Robert Granai.
Cherry Blossom was initially exclusively targeted at
Japanese women, then sold in all Asian countries.
Skincare products still came under the aegis of the issima line.
From 1997, Guerlain’s skincare research turned up a string
of technological innovations. Numerous patent applications
were filed, linked to important discoveries with regard to
the structure of the skin, such as the dermoepidermic junction,
the dermomuscular junction, etc. These led to some spectacular
and daring advances in the field of skincare, a line of research
wholeheartedly supported by the LVMH research laboratories.
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The stor y of Guerlain
excellence
At the same time as the issima line, Guerlain
developed a line of whitening skincare products
designed exclusively for Asian women. Some
170 years after the Blanc de Perles for whitening
the skin, Whitening Care was the fruit of many
years of research and met the needs of women who
wanted a light, exceptionally radiant complexion. This creation
assured Guerlain’s primacy in Asian countries that were
experiencing great economic growth, and led to considerable
brand awareness. In 1998, Guerlain consolidated its expertise
and launched Whitening Process, followed, in 2000, by a line
at the cutting‑edge of technology: Issima Perfect White.
This skincare range, boasting seven products, protected and
brightened the skin, while preserving Guerlain’s glamorous
image and know-how. Formulas, textures and
packaging set their sights on the attainment
of excellence. In 1991, make-up was golden.
Beautiful cases, lightweight powders, blushers
with ultra‑light textures. L’Or de Guerlain was
in keeping with the Guerlain spirit that combined
expertise with an indispensable aura of glamour.
Top: Bottle of Blanc de Perles for whitening the skin.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years
The new Aqua Allegoria eaux de toilette 2008: Figue-Iris, Laurier-Réglisse.
Guerlain started the millennium with determination, creativity and
faith in the future. A book called Enfance, Enfance, published for
UNICEF, ushered in the 21st century. The profits went to children
who were not fortunate enough to share in the hopes heralded
by the new millennium. In 1999, the Aqua Allegoria perfumes,
whose creation gave the brand a new lease of life, won great
popularity with young women because of their freshness and
spontaneity. Every year, these natural colognes acquire two new
fragrances: Pamplelune, Herba Fresca, Grosellina, etc. The most
recent, Figue-Iris and Laurier-Réglisse, will appear in 2008.
In 2002, at his request, Jean-Paul Guerlain became the
President’s consultant for the quality of natural raw materials,
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The stor y of Guerlain
L’Instant de Guerlain created by Sylvaine Delacourte and Maurice Roucel.
while participating in certain projects. Talented external
perfumers with a proven track record assisted with creation
under the leadership of Sylvaine Delacourte, Fragrance Creation
Director. It was Maurice Roucel and Sylvaine Delacourte who,
in 2003, created L’Instant de Guerlain, a radiant sensual skin
perfume with strong notes of magnolia. This new fragrance
introduced a new olfactory family, that of Crystalline Ambers,
and was inspired by those rare moments of unsettling chemistry
between a man and a woman. The love story continued in
2004 with the creation of L’Instant de Guerlain pour Homme.
This fragrance, which is cool and bright, yet warm and sensual,
was devised by Béatrice Piquet and Sylvaine Delacourte, and
immediately won admirers among a younger generation of men.
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 GUERLAIN 180 years
glamorous lips
The make-up range was going from strength to
strength. Spurred on by Olivier Échaudemaison,
Creative Director, the Terracotta and Météorites
lines continued to consolidate their creative
originality, introducing innovative new products
or unexpected shades every year. When he
arrived at Guerlain in February 2000, Olivier
Échaudemaison had breathed new life into Terracotta, playfully
adding some orientalist touches to these city-oriented creations,
such as kohl, only in different colours, like a surprising bright blue.
The Météorites line had been given a fresh boost too, being
showcased, in 1990, by Olivier Échaudemaison at Christmas with
some “collector” editions that were a huge success. In 2005, this
bold creator achieved a tour de force with KissKiss, that scored
a hit with women all over the world in
just a few months. This stylish, innovative
lipstick, whose case was designed by
Hervé Van der Straeten, won admirers
for its varied palette of 40 colours and
its rich, creamy texture. This miniature
sculpture, with three cubes set one on top
of the other, inspired an entire range of lip
lacquers, lip glosses and clear lipsticks. The
height of elegance with a hint of audacity.
KissKiss embodied the exceptional and
made glamorous lips the talk of the town.
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The stor y of Guerlain
luxury and peaceful
indulgence
Guerlain needed a worthy setting to showcase these new wonders.
Renato Semerari, then President, and Laurent Boillot, General
Manager, commissioned architect, Maxime d’Angeac, and
designer, Andrée Putman, to restore the magic of the temple of
beauty on the Champs-Élysées. This was delicate, painstaking
work because the boutique was a listed monument. They rose
to the challenge, however, and
the boutique became the first
Maison Guerlain, bathed in light
and equipped with a “gold ribbon”,
composed of 300,000 golden mosaic
tiles, devised by Maxime d’Angeac
and realised by Pierre Mesguich.
The “perfume organ”, crowned
by a giant chandelier, welcomes
customers, who have already fallen under its spell. Andrée
Putman wanted it to be huge, like a variation on her “imperial
fountains” which, with their elegant steel and glass structure,
recall the perfume moving through the factory at Orphin.
The first-floor Spa was also renovated by Maxime d’Angeac
and Andrée Putman. Eight treatment rooms were decorated
virginal white, lit by a grand gold-tiled mirror, in line with
Putman’s minimalist style, while two others kept their “vintage”
look 1939, having been skilfully restored by Maxime d’Angeac.
The spa now offers treatments such as balneotherapy.
Perfume organ designed by Andrée Putman (Maison Guerlain Champs-Élysées).
69
31/03/08 14:10:46
 The stor y of Guerlain

a resplendent future
In 2005, the skincare range, that had continued to grow with
Super Aqua-Serum and its new line of five face and body
products, had more surprises in store. Since its foundation,
Guerlain had always shown a special affection for nature–the 
natural world that provides an abundance of raw materials
favoured by the brand’s creations: rose, iris,
hawthorn, lily, peony, cocoa bean, blue
Atlas cedar, etc. right up to the orchid
used in the marvellous Orchidée
Impériale, the flagship skincare
product resulting from Guerlain’s
research in 2006. Orchidée
Impériale was remarkable for
its use of the roots of a flower
known for its longevity and its tenacity,
Jar of Success Future designed
since it thrives where nothing else by Hélène Courtaigne
The gold ribbon designed by Maxime d’Angeac (Maison Guerlain Champs-Élysées 2005).
Delalande (2007).
will grow. This luxurious cream,
Guerlain’s most recent market leader to
date, quickly gave birth to a new line with the addition
Today there are 7 Guerlain boutiques in the world: 2 in of an eye and lip cream. A “booster” serum and other products
Canada, 1 in Tokyo, 3 in the USA, 1 in Moscow. They create with ambitious claims are already planned for 2008.
desire through limited editions of old perfumes or recent In 2007, the creation of the Success Future line again
creations, eaux de parfum whith precious raw materials, bore witness to Guerlain’s creative energy.
unique cristal bottles or bottles decorated with stones. Hélène Courtaigne Delalande, a talented goldsmith,
Entering one of the boutiques is discovering and living what was responsible for the blue and gold containers with
Baudelaire called: “Luxury, calm and sensual pleasure”. their dark blue seal embossed with the double G.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years

The new cases for the powder foundation Parure and

the eyeshadows were also gold. Designed by Hervé
Van der Straeten, this case was a loose interpretation of
the imaginary world of KissKiss. It provided a glittering setting
for the eyeshadows enriched with kohl and enhanced the exquisite
compact foundation created by Olivier Échaudemaison.
Chic, urban and ultra-modern, Parure has a formula containing
crystal pearls that restore the complexion’s radiance and provide
an almost flawless finish. From the moment it was launched,
this new generation foundation was
an incredible success in every country,
particularly in Asia, where women
are very fond of powder foundations.
And, like all Guerlain creations, Parure
is delicately perfumed. The Rosa
Centifolia was chosen to provide
its delicate, feminine fragrance.
Perfume, the bearer of so many
promises, cut a dash in 2006. The beautiful, brilliant Hilary
Swank, who was so moving as the stubborn woman boxer
in the fine Million Dollar Baby, gave the violet notes of Insolence
a tempestuous and unexpected quality. This queen of the big
screen with two Oscars under her belt was the personification
of this bold perfume, which embodied Guerlain’s spirit in two
signature raw materials–iris and violet, which are well-presented
although overdosed and set against red fruits, creating a dynamic,
insolent effect. No one would deny that perfume takes us on
a dreamlike voyage of discovery and has the power to hold us
Top: Parure, compact powder designed by Hervé van der Straeten (2007).
Opposite: Bottle of Insolence designed by Serge Mansau (2006).

72

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 The stor y of Guerlain

A C
Ambrosial Cream before 1840
Après l’Ondée 1906
Aqua Allegoria 1999
Aquasérum 1987
B Chypre de Paris 1909
The new mascara 2 designed by Helle Damkjaer (2008). Bain cosmétique
Base de maquillage hydratante
1960
spellbound. L’Instant Magic, created in 2007 by Randa Hammami Baume de le Ferté 1830
and Sylvaine Delacourte, is as much a story as a floral, woody Belle France 1892
perfume. The thrill of an encounter with perfume, the feeling of Blanc de Perles before 1872
fulfilment that comes from experiencing a moment of true magic. Bon Vieux Temps 1902
Bouquet de l’Impératrice 1853
What is in store for 2008? A wide variety of new Bouquet de Faunes 1922
creations and innovations that will surprise and delight, Bouquet du jardin du roi
perhaps to the extent of becoming future icons. before 1830
Terracotta dons the continental colours, Le 2 de Guerlain Bouquet du roi d’Angleterre
gives eyes a 3D look, Super Aqua-Sérum works even harder, 1828
complexions are radiant and clear with the new Perfect White Bouquet Napoléon 1853
line, two new Aqua Allegoria colognes will celebrate the arrival Bouquet Princesse
of spring and a new men’s fragrance will be revealed… Amélie de Furstemberg
Candide Effluve 1922
Chamade 1969
Champs-Elysées 1996
Chant d’Arômes 1962
Chypre before 1840
Crémaliment 1940
Crème acide PH5,5 1955
Crème à la fraise 1840
Crème au citron 1930
Crème Camphora 1870
Crème de Concombres 1830
Crème de roses aux limaçons
1830
Crème Huvé de la Providence
before 1850
Crème Supernourrissante N°2
1952
Cold cream of roses 1830
Coque d’Or 1937
Cyprisine 1894

In 2008, please join the lady of French luxury

in celebrating her 180 years of beauty.

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 GUERLAIN 180 years The stor y of Guerlain

D G L O
Dawanesk 1945 Golden Cilpen 1967 Lait de concombres 1830 Ode 1955
Derby 1985 Graisse d’ours liquéfiée 1828 Lait d’iris 1830 Odélys 1993
Djedi 1925 Guerlain’s Scarlet 1937 Laurier-Réglisse 2008
Guerlilas 1930 Le 2 de Guerlain 2008 P
E L’Heure Bleue 1912
H L’Instant de Guerlain 2003 Pamplelune 1999
Eau de Cologne du Coq 1894 L’Instant de Guerlain Parfum des rois before 1830
Eau de Cologne Impériale 1853 Habit Rouge 1965 pour Homme 2004 Parfum Impérial 1853
Eau de Cologne Russe Héritage 1992 Liu 1929 Parure 1975
before 1850 Huile contre le soleil et L’Or de Guerlain 1991 Pâte d’amande au miel 1834
Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat 1830 les taches de rousseur 1931 Lotion de Gowland 1828 Petit Guerlain 1994
Eau de Guerlain 1974 Huile pour brunir au soleil 1931 Lynx 1922 Poudre aux Ballons 1918
Emulsion d’Ambroisie 1951 Hydrosérum 1955 Poudre C’est Moi 1925
Esprit de fleurs 1828 M Poudre de lys 1830
Evolution 1986 J Pour Troubler 1911
Extrait de roses 1830 Matfilm 1963 Pyrommée 1840
Jardins de Bagatelle 1983 Météorites 1987
F Jasmin 1906 Mi-Mai 1914 Q
Jicky 1889 Mitsouko 1919
Figue-Iris 2008 Mouchoir de Monsieur 1904 Quand vient l’été 1910
Fleurs d’Italie av 1840 K Muguet 1840
Fleur de Feu 1948
Kisskiss 2005 N
Nahema 1979
Ne m’oubliez pas 1870
Nouveau Rouge 1934

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 GUERLAIN 180 years

R V
Roselip 1840 Vague Souvenir 1912
Rose Lip Bengale 1918 Vega 1936
Rouge Automatique 1936 Vetiver 1959
Rouge Bicolore 1987 Vetiver Extrême 2007
Rouge d’enfer 1924 Visage de Nuée 1947
Rouge G 1956 Voilette de Madame 1904
Rue de la Paix 1908 Vol de Nuit 1933

S U
Samsara 1989 Ultra Sport 1982
Sapoceti 1830
Secret de Bonne Femme 1904 W
Senteur des Champs 1828
Serkis des Sultanes 1840 Whitening Care 1992
Shalimar 1925 Whitening Process 1998
Skine 1885 Perfect White 2005
Sous le Vent 1933
Success Future 2008
Super Aqua-Sérum 2005

T
Teint doré par le soleil 1931
Terracotta 1984

78

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 photographiC CrEdits

Guerlain Archives
Pages : 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,
24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 37, 39, 40, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48,
50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57 (en bas), 58, 60, 64, 65 (en haut), 62
Air Paris : page 67
Antoine Bootz : pages 69, 70
Bruno Fabbris : page 68 (en haut)
François Kamif : page 26
Lhorens B. Sartori : pages 36, 49, 57 (en haut), 61
Patrick Paufert : pages 65, 71, 72, 73, 74
Peter Lippmann : page 66
Sølve Sunbsdø : page 68 (en bas)

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