The Fragrances from Caron or How an Old Flame Was Rekindled
Werner Abt
It was the year 1978 and I had fallen head over heels in love. The object of my passion was Yatagan, a scent from the house of Caron. The composition was revolutionary for a men’s fragrance, a bold and heady, very dark mix of patchouli, absinth, cypress and frankincense. Many of the ingredients had seldom been used before. The fragrance soon took pride of place as my favorite perfume and personal signature scent. Mainstream has never been my thing, and it wasn’t Caron’s either: Narcisse Noir (1911), N’Aimez Que Moi (1916), Tabac Blond (1919), En Avion (1932), Fleur de Rocaille (1933), Pour Un Homme (1934) – all of these creations were way ahead of their time and sent olfactory shockwaves through the scene. Ever since my first great love I have kept an eye on the brand and its truly unique and groundbreaking scents. I observed with special curiosity as this icon of the perfume world was reborn, and was deeply impressed with how Ariane de Rothschild and her youngest daughter Olivia went about awakening the sleeping beauty. I am very pleased and proud that the Caron fragrances have now taken up residence in our assortment – but not before I had wooed the brand like an ardent suitor, an activity I enjoyed immensely.
Winning the Favor of an Icon
The philosophy of the Caron brand and the highly selective and sustainable Spitzenhaus approach correspond in so many aspects that I was determined to have Caron join our repertoire. To this end, I travelled in May 2023 to a boutique in the Rue Francois 1er, Paris, for a meeting. The more I heard about the new concept and the extraordinary metamorphosis of the brand, the more enthusiastic I became. I well and truly fell in love all over again! And it is my pleasure to share my good fortune with our Spitzenhaus customers throughout the world: now, for the first time in Switzerland, the whole sumptuous catalog will have a home.
I found it remarkable that my appeal was put to the Rothschild Group directly, where the decision to accept our suit was made at the highest level. The fragrance brand is a perfect addition to an exclusive portfolio that includes luxury hotels, a renowned private bank and iconic wines, such as the Rioja «Vega Sicilia» and, of course, «Château Lafitte Rothschild». All of it is managed with magnificent finesse by Ariane de Rothschild, whose work succeeds in upholding the distinguished heritage of the French branch of the Rothschild dynasty while at the same skillfully developing the group in a contemporary manner.
A Trailblazer Right from the Start
The Caron brand was first established in 1904 and was integrated by Ariane de Rothschild into the Rothschild Group in 2018. It was then completely reworked and, in late 2021, relaunched with a striking new presence that is absolutely in tune with the times. Caron is one of the most extraordinary brands that in the early 20th century laid the foundations of the perfumery of today, together with Guerlain (1828), Coty (1904) and Houbigant (1775). These old masters and modern pioneers were soon joined by Chanel (1924) and Dior (1947), who also made significant, formative contributions. Caron, however, always had a special knack for anticipating the zeitgeist, a skill proven over decades on end.
The special thing about Caron is that many of its original fragrances have survived until today. This long-jump into the contemporary age is a feat really only rivaled by Guerlain with a few of its legendary fragrances. The Caron brand, on the other hand, was unique at the dawn of the last century in having a very artistic bent from the start. That is clearly down to its unusual founding duo. Ernest Daltroff, an especially talented and passionate perfumer and Félicie Wanpouille, his partner and muse who acted as artistic director from day one. This creative juggernaut gave rise to olfactory masterpieces that are true milestones in perfume history and retain their special charisma even now.
A Glorious New Beginning with Sustainability Writ Large
The relaunch, however, could not rely on outstanding reputation alone. So the first step was to engage a dedicated «house perfumer» – no less stellar a figure than Jean Jacques, formerly under contract with Takasago. All the legacy formulations were reengineered and are now more beautiful than ever, and conform to IFRA standards. The collection has also been enhanced with fascinating new compositions as well. In the meantime the catalogue has grown to more than 40 fragrances! For the ingredients Jean Jacques entered into collaboration with IFF-LMR Naturals, the leading producer of raw materials for perfumery. Ecology and sustainability play a key role when it comes to the primary and secondary packaging. All of the packaging is biodegradable and the flacons themselves are refillable. That, too, as you can well imagine, makes my heart skip a beat!
With the new Merveilles collection Caron is now writing a new chapter in perfumery history, proving, as the first major renowned brand, that ecology and sustainability are now seen as values that can actually be lived, and as an integral part of a new type of luxury for our times. I invite you to get to know the world of Caron here at Spitzenhaus – but I do feel obliged to issue a warning: you might just lose your heart forever.
“The special thing about Caron is that many of its original fragrances have survived until today. This long-jump into the contemporary age is a feat really only rivaled by Guerlain with a few of its legendary fragrances.”
