Histoire

On July 8, 1774, Michel Adam, a glove-maker and perfumer based in Versailles, inaugurated a charming boutique named À la Reine des Fleurs at 82, rue des Lombards in Paris. There, he created Eau Vestimentale, a lavender-scented stain remover that would capture the attention of none other than King Louis XVI! At the time, glove-makers and perfumers operated under the strict control of guilds and trade corporations, requiring the prestigious title of Maître (Master) to practice their craft. This distinction could only be earned after presenting a masterpiece before a panel of jurors. In 1775, only 250 master glove-makers and perfumers existed in France, a rarity that bestowed exclusive prestige upon the profession.

Michel Adam obtained his title of Maître on January 17, 1769, a distinction officially recorded in the National Archives (ref. Y. 9331). From that moment on, he expanded his boutique, even creating a cologne bearing the name of his shop, À la Reine des Fleurs, which was adopted by Queen Marie Antoinette herself! At the time, perfuming leather gloves was common practice, enhancing their refinement while masking the tannery’s residual odors.

Carrying on the tradition of scenting luxury accessories, his son, R. Adam, took over the business in 1799, but passed away without an heir in 1805. His cousin, Pierre Guillaume Dissey, then ensured the family’s legacy and safeguarded its savoir-faire.

Did Michel Adam travel to Italy with his parents, where he might have admired Florence’s renowned iris-scented gloves or discovered the rare wood and floral extracts imported to Venice from Turkey and the Middle East? Perhaps he foresaw the promising commercial opportunities in this domain.

After earning his Maître title, Michel Adam gained royal patronage and, on July 8, 1774, opened his boutique and workshop at 82, rue des Lombards. Above the entrance, a richly illustrated sign depicted La Reine des Fleurs, floating on a cloud and surrounded by three cherubs—an emblem that remains in use to this day.

In 1805, Pierre-Guillaume Dissey (first cousin of Michel Adam) and Louis-Toussaint Piver, then a merchant’s clerk at the boutique À la Reine des Fleurs, took over the business under the name Dissey & Piver. Driven by an ambitious vision for perfumery, the two men, supported by their wives, passionately embarked on this new venture. The business flourished rapidly, gaining prestige beyond the borders of France.By 1809, the company was in a phase of expansion, boasting three boutiques in Paris and an elite clientele, including Empress Joséphine, who had a particular fondness for cosmetics, rouges, and exquisitely presented scented sachets. That same year, the house relocated to 111 rue Saint-Martin (now rue de la Paix).

In 1813, amidst the turmoil of war, Dissey and Piver left to join their respective battalions in the National Guard. During their absence, their wives—Madame Dissey and Madame Piver, who were also sisters—bravely assumed full leadership of the company. With remarkable determination, they managed sales, restocking, and purchasing, ensuring the business remained prosperous. At the time, it was unthinkable for women to head an enterprise of such magnitude!

Under their guidance, Dissey & Piver multiplied its creations. In addition to Essence Vestimentale, originally crafted by Michel Adam, a variety of new products emerged: eaux de toilette, scented soaps, creams, and perfumed fans, as well as more unusual items such as shoe polish, fragrant lozenges, antidotes against foul air, and even Pommade Négritive, an instant hair dye. The company’s reputation spread across Europe, leading to the opening of branches in London, Brussels, and Barcelona in 1817, establishing À la Reine des Fleurs as an essential brand. In England, the house set up shop at 160 Regent Street, marking its entry into this crucial market.

In 1822, Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain joined the renowned Maison L.T. PIVER, a true sanctuary of fragrance where passion and craftsmanship converged. After six years of experience, he departed to establish his own house—Guerlain.

In 1823, Pierre-Guillaume Dissey passed away, leaving behind a legacy of creativity and innovation. Louis-Toussaint Piver, now the sole master of the house, ushered in a new chapter in the history of this prestigious perfumery.

In 1823, the house of Dissey & Piver received a prestigious honor. King Charles X, recognizing the excellence of its creations, granted it the coveted title of Royal Supplier to the Court. This royal endorsement solidified the house’s reputation among the elite.

Two years later, in 1825, the influential Duchess of Berry also bestowed this privilege upon the house—À la Reine des Fleurs had truly earned its crown, attracting the entire nobility. By 1826, Dissey & Piver had cultivated an exceptionally distinguished clientele, counting among its patrons such illustrious figures as Napoleon II, General Lafayette, Lord Byron, and other prominent members of high society.

A visionary, Louis-Toussaint Piver continued to innovate. In 1826, he leased land in La Villette, where he established a modern factory equipped with the latest technological advancements to meet increasing demand. The house took great care to protect its creations from counterfeiting, an already widespread threat. Piver accompanied each product with explanatory notes, affirming its authenticity and superior craftsmanship.

International expansion soon followed. By 1830, the house had entered the American market, becoming a supplier for wholesalers in New York—a testament to its growing influence beyond France’s borders.

However, in 1832, personal hardships cast a shadow over this ascent. Louis-Toussaint Piver’s wife, Alexandrine Martin, fell gravely ill, forcing him to make a difficult decision. With no heir willing to take over the family business, he sold the company to his close friends Messier and Amavet on August 6, 1832.

This sale marked the end of an iconic chapter for Dissey & Piver, yet it also paved the way for a new era in the house’s history.

In 1837, Alphonse Dissey and Alphonse Piver, nephews of Louis-Toussaint Piver, took over the leadership of Dissey & Piver. Sharing the same unwavering belief in the future of perfumery, their stewardship marked the beginning of a flourishing era for the company. Under their direction, the catalog expanded with innovative products such as castor oil, Macassar oil, iris milk, and lettuce sap soap.

Despite the upheavals of the 1840s, the company continued to thrive. In 1842, following the passing of Alphonse Dissey, Alphonse Piver assumed full leadership. Three years later, in 1845, his son Lucien-Toussaint Piver was born, carrying the hope of preserving the family legacy.

In 1848, Alphonse Piver was called to join the National Guard, yet the company remained undeterred in its expansion. By this time, its catalog had grown to include over 5,000 references. Among these, the renowned Huile Comogène, immortalized by Honoré de Balzac, traced its origins to the writer’s childhood memories—his fascination with the shop window of Dissey & Piver in the Marais.

Another iconic creation, Eau des Princes, launched in 1850, became one of the oldest cologne formulas and was later adopted by Napoleon III himself.

In 1859, Alphonse Piver took a significant step forward by acquiring a factory in Grasse, located at 10 Avenue des Capucins, dedicated to flower distillation. This acquisition cemented Grasse as a cornerstone of raw material production for the company. In 1863, he further expanded operations by purchasing 29 Faubourg Saint-Martin in Paris, a location that would prove strategic for the brand’s development.

The company’s reach continued to grow. In 1865, the La Villette factory was expanded, while new boutiques opened in prestigious locations across Paris, including: 28 Place Vendôme, 29 Place de la Bourse, 23 Boulevard des Italiens, 9 Boulevard Poissonnière, 44 Rue de la Chaussée d’Antin.This solidified Piver’s presence in the heart of the capital. Simultaneously, international branches, notably at 160 Regent Street, London, and in Brussels, continued their rise.

Alphonse Piver further extended the brand’s influence, developing markets in Spain, Russia, Austria, and even Brazil.

Innovation remained at the heart of Alphonse Piver’s strategy. He developed pioneering products such as Lait d’Iris and Savon au Suc de Laitue, the latter favored by Napoleon III. For Empress Eugénie, he created the fragrance Fleurs d’Andalousie.

Alphonse also revolutionized manufacturing techniques. He invented machines such as the pneumatic press, a groundbreaking advancement for the enfleurage process, and the automatic dryer in 1864, capable of producing 500 dozen soaps per day.

During the 1870s, he continued modernizing production, replacing traditional Florentine vases with a newly patented device—the Essencier Piver, designed for distillation. His dedication to innovation earned him international recognition, and in 1874, Queen Victoria awarded him a rare royal warrant.

Beyond perfumery, Alphonse Piver was also a pioneer in social responsibility. He was the first perfumer to heat his workshops and introduce social benefits for his workers, including maternity allowances and retirement pensions. He also implemented weekly rest periods for all employees and, in 1867, founded L’École des Tutelles for orphaned apprentices, providing education and training to 25 boys.

This golden era of prosperity was crowned with prestigious accolades. Alphonse Piver received numerous medals at World Exhibitions, including: The Prize Medal in London (1851, 1862), The First-Class Medal in Paris (1855), The Silver Medal in Paris (1878) for his products from Grasse. In 1863, Alphonse Piver created the fragrance Un Parfum d’Aventure to celebrate the International Exhibition. This scent, a true olfactory voyage along the legendary Spice Route, paid homage to explorers passionate about faraway, uncharted horizons. In 1867, he was appointed Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, and in 1878, he was promoted to Officier.

By this time, L.T. Piver had become the largest perfumery house in the world, with more than 120 locations spanning the globe—from New York to Mexico, Hong Kong to London, its influence was unparalleled. With its exceptional creations, L.T. Piver enveloped the world in its prestigious aura. In 1881, after an exemplary career, Alphonse Piver retired, entrusting the company’s leadership to his son, Lucien-Toussaint Piver. This transition ensured the continuity of a house that, by then, had become one of the crown jewels of French perfumery. A new era was on the horizon—one marked by boundless artistic and industrial creativity.

On November 9, 1882, Alphonse Piver, the visionary behind the grand expansion of Maison Piver, passed away, leaving an immense void in the world of perfumery. His son, Lucien-Toussaint Piver, naturally took the helm. Though Lucien did not possess the same creative aura as his father, he was a meticulous chemist and a shrewd manager, well-equipped to guide the house to new heights. In 1885, under Lucien’s leadership, L.T. Piver sparked a true olfactory revolution with the creation of Héliotrope Blanc. This groundbreaking fragrance was one of the first colognes to incorporate heliotropin, a molecule with delicate powdery and vanilla-like notes—a turning point in the art of perfumery. Inspired by the heliotrope, known as “the plant that follows the sun,” this innovation set new standards in scent composition. Following the loss of both his father and his companion, Lucien fully devoted himself to his professional responsibilities. He was entrusted by the Minister to draft the jury report for the international Class 90 (Perfumery) at the Exposition Universelle of 1889, a task that demanded much of his time.

Additionally, his role as Vice President of the Chambre Syndicale de la Parfumerie placed him at the forefront of the industry, solidifying Maison Piver’s reputation, particularly on the international stage.

Amid this expansion and growing prestige, a significant personal event occurred: Berthe, Lucien’s eldest daughter, married Jacques Rouché, a brilliant young graduate of École Polytechnique. At just 21 years old, Jacques had already distinguished himself at the Exposition of 1885, where he played a key role as an organizer and jury member. Initially drawn to a political career, fate led him instead to the world of perfumery, alongside his new family.

Among his notable creations was Cuir de Russie, a fragrance inspired by legendary Russian leather, tanned in bark-infused baths, which imparted it with distinctive woody and smoky notes. This leather became iconic following the 1786 shipwreck of the Metta Catharina, a story that deeply captivated perfumers of the era.
In 1898, Lucien stepped down, entrusting leadership to his son-in-law, Jacques Rouché, and his cousin, Nocard. With them, a new era began, ensuring Maison Piver’s continued prosperity within the industry. Jacques Rouché did not enter the perfume trade lightly—he was deeply committed. In 1889, he published a seminal work, L’état actuel de la parfumerie en France, reflecting his analytical mind and his vision for the future of perfumery.

1896: The Era of Jacques Rouché

In 1896, Jacques Rouché, son-in-law of Lucien Piver, took the helm of L.T. Piver. His dynamic vision propelled the company into the era of modern perfumery, in collaboration with the eminent chemist Georges Darzens, whom he met while teaching at Collège Sainte-Barbe in Paris. Considered the leading chemist of his time, Darzens became the chief chemist of La Reine des Fleurs.
Together, they revolutionized perfumery by integrating innovative chemical compounds, capable of replacing certain natural flowers and enhancing fragrance longevity. Darzens pioneered a groundbreaking method—the glycidic synthesis of aldehydes, soon named the “Darzens Reaction“. This renowned scientist was thus responsible for the introduction of aldehyde-based perfumes.

Revolutionary Innovations

The year 1898 marked a pivotal moment with the creation of Le Trèfle Incarnat, the first perfume to blend synthetic oils with natural essences. This fragrance caused such a sensation that it was even referenced in literature and theater of the time.

Its success stemmed not only from the scent itself but also from the modernized presentation of perfumery, an art in full expansion that deeply fascinated Jacques Rouché. As a former jury member of the 1885 Exposition, Rouché had developed a profound understanding of the intersection between fragrance and the arts.

An Era of Success

In 1905, the launches of Azuréa, Corylopsis du Japon, and Réséda further solidified L.T. Piver’s prominence. The introduction of hydroxycitronellal (a synthetic lily of the valley molecule) gave these fragrances an exceptional lasting power.

When Pierre Armigeant succeeded Georges Darzens, he directed the L.T. Piver laboratory until the age of 82. Under his tenure, he created Pompeïa (1907) and reformulated Rêve d’Or No.1 (1889) into Rêve d’Or (1925).

The bottle design for Rêve d’Or was crafted by the pioneers of decorative arts, Sue and Mare, and executed by Georges Chevalier, director of Baccarat’s creative studios. These fragrances found notable success, particularly in the Middle East, while La Reine des Fleurs continued its ascent from its historic headquarters at 10 Boulevard de Strasbourg, where it remains today.

A Cultural and Artistic Legacy

Jacques Rouché surrounded himself with talented collaborators and reorganized production sites, all while dedicating himself to the arts. His involvement with the Théâtre des Arts and his appointment as Director of the Paris Opera reflected his commitment to modern theater.
Frequently hailed as the savior of the Paris Opera for his relentless efforts, he was honored with Place Jacques Rouché, a square named in his memory.

Despite his vast responsibilities, Rouché remained actively involved in La Reine des Fleurs, attending annual events in Aubervilliers and advising on key company decisions.

Toward a New Future

The ongoing research of La Reine des Fleurs’* chemists promised exciting new discoveries for the house. As a Grand Officier of the Légion d’Honneur since 1896, Jacques Rouché concluded his tenure at the helm of L.T. Piver in 1940, leaving behind an invaluable legacy that continues to illuminate the international stage of perfumery.

The LT Piver saga takes a new turn with the takeover of the company by Thierry Godilliot, great-grandson of Lucien Piver. A graduate of the prestigious Prix de la France on March 12, 1959, Thierry received this distinction from the hands of Antoine Pinay, then President of the French Republic. This milestone event was also accompanied by the awarding of the Medals of Labor to Thierry Godilliot and his mother, Robert André, highlighting the family’s legacy and commitment to the world of perfumery.

AN ERA OF CREATIONS

Under the leadership of Thierry Godilliot, LT Piver experienced a new creative momentum with a series of iconic launches. Among the notable creations were Baccara in 1946, Ilka in 1948, and Diableries in 1950. These perfumes, with their bold and innovative compositions, reflected the avant-garde spirit of the house and allowed it to remain relevant in the ever-evolving fragrance market.

CHANGES IN OWNERSHIP

In 1972, LT Piver was acquired by Rhône-Poulenc, a French chemical company that saw potential for growth and innovation in the brand. This acquisition marked a new phase for the house, integrating new resources and technologies. In 1979, Mr. Prosper Amouyal took the reins of the company, striving to preserve the brand’s heritage while infusing it with new energy. Under his leadership, LT Piver continued to evolve while staying true to its roots.

A RENEWAL IN 2021

The brand underwent another ownership change in 2021 when Madame Nelly Chenelat acquired LT Piver. With a modern vision and a passion for perfumery, Nelly Chenelat is committed to revitalizing the house while honoring its rich heritage. Thus, we strive to perpetuate this ancestral know-how, passed down through a remarkable legacy that stands as a jewel of French perfumery. One of the main commitments of this new leadership is to continue perfuming the world, offering everyone the pleasure of discovering fragrances that awaken the senses and transport the mind. Each perfume is an invitation to travel, a way to share our rich heritage with as many people as possible. Nelly Chenelat aspires to make LT Piver shine as a symbol of the French art of living, bridging history and modernity.

This new chapter is also being written with our customers, true partners in this adventure. Together, we have co-authored the story of Piver, celebrating the illustrious figures who have worn our creations over the decades. Each fragrance tells a story, evokes an emotion, and captures a moment that transcends time. LT Piver is committed to protecting and enhancing what defines our essence: a precious legacy of French heritage. By revitalizing our brand, we ensure that we remain true to our roots while meeting contemporary expectations. Our mission is to preserve the authenticity that has always been our strength, while subtly infusing modernity to ensure LT Piver’s timeless resonance across borders and generations.