Lancôme

Armand Petitjean founded Lancôme in Paris in 1935, launching five fragrances simultaneously at the World Exhibition — an audacious entry for a new house. The name was chosen for its poetic sound rather than any literal reference; Petitjean, who had previously worked at Coty, understood that luxury fragrance required emotional conviction as much as technical perfection. L'Oréal acquired Lancôme in 1964, integrating it as a prestige flagship while preserving creative independence. The catalog spans more than eight decades, covering classic masculines (Balafre, 1967), powdery feminines, modern clean florals, and the artisanal Grands Crus collection. Mainstays like Miracle, La Nuit Trésor, and Peut-Être have developed into multi-generation flanker families with distinct character at each step. The house has collaborated with perfumers including Christophe Raynaud and, historically, Harry Fremont. Lancôme operates as L'Oréal's most prominent prestige fragrance brand globally.