An independent index

The houses behind the bottles

34 perfume houses, founded between 1730 and 2016. Who started each one, where, and what it is known for.

Definition

A house owns the decision

It briefs or employs the perfumer, chooses the materials and carries the name on the label. The shop that sells the bottle does none of that.

34 houses, oldest first

1730 Floris London United Kingdom · Juan Famenias Floris 01 / 34

Acqua di ParmaAjmal PerfumesAmouageAtelier CologneBDK ParfumsByredoCaronChanelCreedParfums Christian DiorDiptyqueEtat Libre d'OrangeFloris LondonEditions de Parfums Frédéric MalleGuerlainHoubigantImaginary AuthorsInitio Parfums PrivésJean PatouJo Malone LondonLancômeL'Artisan ParfumeurLattafa PerfumesLe LaboMaison Francis KurkdjianMemo ParisNishaneOrmonde JayneParfums de MarlyRasasiSerge LutensSwiss ArabianXerjoffZoologist Perfumes

34Houses indexed

286Years covered

9Countries

11Traditions

What this is

A reference, not a shop

Most writing about perfume is either a shop selling it or a review of how it smells. Neither usually tells you who made it, when the house started, or where. This index answers those questions in a few lines.

It does not sell fragrance, take commission or carry advertising, and no house has reviewed its own entry.

More about the index

A drop of amber perfume oil falling into a small unlabelled crystal vial

Every entry

Five facts, no adjectives

Founding year, founder, country, tradition, and the fragrances the house is actually known for.

The record

Disputed dates are marked

Some founding stories are marketing as much as history. Where a claim is contested, the entry says so instead of repeating it.

The index

All 34 houses

Sort by any column, or filter by name, country, year or fragrance.

Filter the index 34 houses

				Known for
Acqua di Parma	1916	Italy	Italian	Colonia, Colonia Intensa
Ajmal Perfumes	1951	United Arab Emirates	Middle East	Dahn Al Oudh, Aurum
Amouage	1983	Oman	Middle East	Gold, Interlude Man
Atelier Cologne	2009	France	Niche French	Orange Sanguine, Clémentine California
BDK Parfums	2016	France	Niche French	Gris Charnel, Rouge Smoking
Byredo	2006	Sweden	Scandinavian	Gypsy Water, Bal d'Afrique
Caron	1904	France	Historic French	Tabac Blond, Nuit de Noël
Chanel	1921	France	Fashion house	N°5, Coromandel
Creed	1760	United Kingdom / France	Heritage	Aventus, Green Irish Tweed
Parfums Christian Dior	1947	France	Fashion house	Miss Dior, Diorissimo
Diptyque	1961	France	Niche French	Philosykos, Tam Dao
Etat Libre d'Orange	2006	France	Niche French	Jasmin et Cigarette, Sécrétions Magnifiques
Floris London	1730	United Kingdom	Historic British	No.89, Limes
Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle	2000	France	Niche French	Portrait of a Lady, Musc Ravageur
Guerlain	1828	France	Historic French	Shalimar, Mitsouko
Houbigant	1775	France	Historic French	Fougère Royale, Quelques Fleurs
Imaginary Authors	2012	United States	American	Memoirs of a Trespasser, A City on Fire
Initio Parfums Privés	2015	France	Niche French	Side Effect, Oud for Greatness
Jean Patou	1925	France	Fashion house	Joy, 1000
Jo Malone London	1994	United Kingdom	British	Lime Basil & Mandarin, Wood Sage & Sea Salt
Lancôme	1935	France	Historic French	Trésor, La Vie est Belle
L'Artisan Parfumeur	1976	France	Niche French	Mûre et Musc, Timbuktu
Lattafa Perfumes	1980	United Arab Emirates	Middle East	Khamrah, Asad
Le Labo	2006	United States	American	Santal 33, Rose 31
Maison Francis Kurkdjian	2009	France	Niche French	Baccarat Rouge 540, Grand Soir
Memo Paris	2007	France	Niche French	Irish Leather, Marfa
Nishane	2012	Turkey	Emerging	Hacivat, Ani
Ormonde Jayne	2002	United Kingdom	British	Ormonde Woman, Ta'if
Parfums de Marly	2009	France	Niche French	Layton, Herod
Rasasi	1979	United Arab Emirates	Middle East	Hawas, La Yuqawam
Serge Lutens	1992	France	Niche French	Ambre Sultan, Féminité du Bois
Swiss Arabian	1974	United Arab Emirates	Middle East	Shaghaf Oud, Casablanca
Xerjoff	2003	Italy	Italian	Naxos, Erba Pura
Zoologist Perfumes	2013	Canada	Emerging	Bat, Hyrax