It all began with Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain. A perfumer, chemist, inventor and researcher, the House’s founder settled up his first boutique in the heart of Paris, at 42, rue de Rivoli. The address quickly became an essential destination for dandies and elegant women. The House’s reputation at the courts of Europe peaked when in 1853, for the marriage of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, Pierre-François-Pascal created his Eau de Cologne Impériale, which he gave to the young bride as a wedding present.

Since then, five successive generations of Guerlain perfumers have held the House’s creative reins. Today, Thierry Wasser is the heir to an olfactory legacy of some 1100 fragrances and the intrepid leader of future projects, exploring the world in search of the most exclusive raw materials.