Parfumerie Générale

This is why all perfumers are also chemists, and Pierre Guillaume, founder of Parfumerie Générale, is no exception to this tradition.

Who is Pierre Guillaume?

Far removed from the major perfume houses, Pierre Guillaume is an independent perfumer. He hails from Clermont-Ferrand, in central France. It was when he was barely 25 years old, fresh out of school, that this young chemist created his very first perfume, named Coze 02. It presented a spicy tobacco accord evoking the contents of a cigar humidor. In fact, he drew inspiration for it from the one found in his father's apartment. This perfume was very quickly noticed by critics and instantly gained popularity. Coze 02 was then bought by knowledgeable perfume consumers all over the world. Likewise, a glowing article published in the perfume review section of the New York Times and written by Chandler Burr greatly helped establish Pierre Guillaume's reputation. How did a young French chemist concoct the coolest new European fragrance? Those were the opening words of that article. This is how Pierre Guillaume's house, which he chose to name simply Parfumerie Générale, was brilliantly launched.

The development of the Parfumerie Générale brand

Since 2010, the Parfumerie Générale company has equipped itself with a highly efficient production tool, including a composition laboratory, a cellar of raw materials, and a packaging line entirely dedicated to the manufacturing of perfumes. Every single fragrance signed Parfumerie Générale is created under the direction of Pierre Guillaume. Furthermore, since 2015, a second workshop designed to support the company's growing logistical needs has been developed. Far from marketing dictates, Pierre Guillaume creates his essences in complete artistic and financial freedom, in his own workshops. Yet his renown keeps growing, and the Parfumerie Générale juices are now distributed across a network of more than 250 points of sale. In fact, a first Parisian boutique has just opened, in September 2016. It was decorated under the direction of architect Hugo Frank. The idea is to celebrate and showcase each of Pierre Guillaume's perfumes there. The whole space proves to be very minimalist, drawing inspiration from the architecture of a temple or a tomb carved into a monolith. Thus, this one-of-a-kind place invites visitors to focus on the essential: the perfume. It is located in the first arrondissement of the capital, at 13, rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, just steps away from the Louvre and the Palais-Royal.