Lanvin Perfume

Jeanne Lanvin, the creator of the oldest Parisian fashion house was born on New Years Day 1876, the eldest of 11 children. She is best known for her mother-and-daughter outfits, inspired by her own child Marguerite, who went on to become the famous opera singer, Marie-Blanche de Polignac. At the age of 16, Lanvin trained as a milliner at Madame Felix, then trained as a dressmaker before setting up her own milliners at 22 Rue du Foubourg Saint Honore in 1889.

The clothes Lanvin made for her daughter were so beautiful that they attracted the attention of a number of wealthy people who requested copies, and Lanvin was soon making dresses for mothers and daughters of some of Europe’s most famous names. In 1909, she joined the Syndicat de la Couture, marking her formal status as a couturiere.

During the 1920’s Lanvin opened shops devoted to home décor, furs, lingerie and menswear, but her most significant expansion was the creation of Lanvin Perfumes at 4 Rond Point des Champs Elysees in 1924. Her signature fragrance Arpege was inspired yet again by her daughter, practising scales on the piano. The gilded figure on the perfume’s bottle depicting Lanvin and daughter going to a ball became the House logo in 1954, and remains a symbol of motherly love. In the 1920s, the house of Lanvin grew dramatically: 1,200 employees, three buildings in Paris, seven branches in France and worldwide. A dye works was created in the city of Nanterre, outside Paris. It was there that the famous Lanvin blue was created, inspired by a Fra Angelico fresco, which Jeanne adored. At the same time, Jeanne struck up a collaboration with Armand Albert Rateau, which led to the creation of Lanvin Decoration.

Rateau created an entire universe for Jeanne Lanvin: the furnishings for the boutiques at 15 rue du Faubourg St- Honoré, the interior of her townhouse in the rue Barbet-de-Jouy, and the aforementioned Arpège perfume bottle’s elegant black sphere. Several of his creations are still displayed in the Paris Decorative Arts Museum.

The Custom Made Department for men completed her vision of the luxurious lifestyle that was her own. Her unique style, grace, elegance and meticulous attention to detail made Jeanne Lanvin one of the most influential figures in the history of 20th century fashion. She was awarded France’s prestigious “Legion d’honeur” by the filmmaker Sacha Guitry in 1936 and was known as the Ambassador of French Elegance.

Jeanne Lanvin died in 1946 at the age of 79. Control of the empire she had built up went to her daughter shared management with a cousin. Today, the famous French luxury house that carries her name has grown to encompass more than 65 boutiques worldwide and continues Jeanne’s tradition of making apparel that has character but also complements a person’s individuality.

Lanvin Perfume

Lanvin perfume