Paris: Capital of Guerlain

Book excerpt: The history of the quintessential Parisian perfumer Guerlain both influenced and was shaped by Parisian life, savoir faire, and culture. The house of Guerlain is a Parisian institution. Guerlain aficionados—from royalty and empresses, to celebrities, writers, and artists—have been featured in novels, song lyrics, movies, and artistic creations, all while exemplifying Parisian savoir faire and luxury. The Guerlain headquarters and laboratory on the rue de Rivoli in the heart of Paris feature a new scent laboratory and a rose garden, intrinsically binding the famous house to the city of light, which it so perfectly captures in each bottle of perfume. Traveling through two centuries of history at Guerlain, this book highlights the inextricable links between the house and the city: Guerlain changed Parisian life with its cosmetics and perfumes, yet could have existed nowhere else but in Paris. Guerlain’s creations, especially its perfumes, are put into historical and cultural context through a combination of interviews, images, and portraits of the people and products that played a role in the house’s story. This celebration of Guerlain, the quintessential Parisian perfumer, combines fashion, Parisian life and savoir faire, history, and the essence of beauty.