Parfums Caron

Parfums Caron is a French perfume house, established by Ernest Daltroff (1867–1941) in 1904.

Founded in 1904 by Ernest Daltroff, Parfums Caron has a rich heritage in perfumery and is still considered a true fragrance house, a distinction very few companies hold. Caron is one of the great Paris houses to still remain entirely devoted to fragrance and one of the last perfume houses to still have an in-house 'nose' (Monsieur Fraysse) - also called a master perfumer. It is the only perfume house that is perfume led, not fashion led.

Parfums Caron originally is a legendary French perfume house founded by Ernest Daltroff in 1904. With no formal training as a perfumer, but with a love for perfume instilled by his mother and a very talented nose, Daltroff set about creating what would go on to be one of the most enduring and beloved perfumes houses in the history of the fragrance industry.

The story of Parfums Caron is a story of secret love. Daltroff hired a former dressmaker, Felicie Wanpouille, to be the company's artistic adviser. Wanpouille oversaw the company's bottle design and packaging, and played an integral part in the company's success. Wanpouille was Daltroff's muse, and Daltroff was rumored to be smitten with her but never formally declared his love for her. The pair's great success and tremendous ambition, as well as the emotional undercurrents in their personal and professional relationship, resulted in some of the 20th century's most innovative and beloved perfumes.

Narcisse Noir (1911) was the first scent from the house to gain notoriety. This iconic fragrance was later immortalized in the film "Sunset Boulevard," cradled in the hands of screen siren Gloria Swanson. N'Aimez Que Moi ("Love No One But Me") is said by some to be a secret expression of affection between Daltroff and Wanpouille. (It's 1916 release also made it appropriate for soldiers to give their sweethearts as a forget-me-not.) Tabac Blond, introduced in 1919, was designed for the new style of woman emerging at the time, one who wasn't afraid to flaunt social conventions of the day by smoking cigarettes in public. Narcisse Noir also featured as Black Narcissus in the novel by Rumer Godden and subsequent film of that name.

Many are not as familiar with the other great product of this perfume house, a finely milled luxury face powder, first introduced in the 1930s and still available today. The powder's manufacturing process is a closely guarded secret.

...
Wikipedia