Houbigant

Houbigant is a storied perfume brand, tracing its roots back to 1775 when young Jean-François Houbigant opened his perfume store in Paris with a basket of flowers from his rural home serving as the store sign. Known for creating fragrances favored by the rich and beautiful of the time, Houbigant's scents adorned the skin of nobility and high aristocracy. One famous anecdote recalls how Queen Marie Antoinette's Houbigant perfume gave away her identity as she fled the Revolution with Louis XVI. Surviving the turmoil, Houbigant prospered as luxury consumption became more accessible, counting Napoleon's wife Josephine and later Napoleon III among its clientele. In 1880, with a move to Neuilly-sur-Seine, Houbigant's legacy continued with perfumer Paul Parquet launching "Fougère Royal," a pioneering scent in perfumery history featuring the first synthetic ingredient. Successive perfumers like Bienaimé introduced iconic fragrances such as "Quelques Fleurs" and "Chantilly." After a quiet period, Houbigant faced bankruptcy in 1993 but found new ownership. Re-emerging as Parfums Houbigant, the brand now honors its heritage by reviving classic fragrances and sharing the timeless legends that define its legacy.