Annick Goutal Perfumes, Fragrances, Candles & Skincare Products

Annick Goutal's career was long and varied, beginning her life as a prizewinning pianist. Eventually, she tired of being a pianist, and still at a young age she decided to embrace a career in modelling, through an opportunity from a friend found for her.

However, it was when she was in her late 20's her life was to take another turn. Annick Goutal met met a perfumer by the name of Henri Sorsana in the town of Grasse, and spent the next 7 years learning the art of perfumes under the watchful eye of Mr. Sorsana.

In 1977 Annick Goutal Parfums was founded on the opening of her first perfume boutique salon on Rue de Bellechasse in the Saint Germain region of Paris. Her first perfumes were Folavril, Passion and Eau d'Hadrien, the latter became probably the most successful perfume in the Annick Goutal range.

Her range grew, as did her fanbase, with Prince and Madonna calling themselves fans of Annick Goutal's fragrances. Annick offered a unique approach to perfume design - focus on the perfume rather than the bottle - which is why a lot of Annick Goutal's perfumes are stored in the same shaped bottle.

Sadly, in later life Annick contracted breast cancer, and died at the age of 53. Her legacy she has left is one of the world's most fashionable perfume houses, as well as 25 unparalleled fragrances, which her daughter, Camille, and a number of trained noses who understand the magic of the Annick Goutal Parfums.

Annick Goutal is a Luxury Perfumery, that compromises on nothing and follows the vision of it's trailblazing creator. The company experienced a period of monumental growth, with a mixture of loyal customers, and some journalistic friends of the owner, allowed Annick Goutal Parfums to grow to the wealthy Parisian market.

In 1985, Annick Goutal became associated with popular French Champagne producers the Taittinger Group, who had also acquired Baccarat Crystal. This association with Taittinger Group allowed Annick Goutal to expand internationally, and first began making waves in the United States, especially in stores such as Saks and Neiman Marcus, where the brand was voted #1.

In 1996, Annick Goutal went on a fragrance drive, and produced a number of new fragrances. These fragrances, such as Grand Amour, Eau du Sud, Petite Cherie, Ce Soir ou Jamais and Eau du Fier, saw a move away from the traditional citrussy Annick Goutal fragrances into more homely fragrances. Candles, scented pebbles and plug in diffusers of Annick Goutal perfumes were brought in.

After Annick Goutal's death in 1999, Brigitte Taittinger, one of the more powerful members of the Taittinger Group, entrusted Camille Goutal (Annick Goutal's Daughter) and Isabelle Doyen, a nose with a number of years within Annick Goutal, with the company's development.

In September 2005, Starwood Capital Group acquired Taittinger Group and is currently in the process of developing Annick Goutal even further, whilst still remaining true to it's roots.

The limited edition "Un Matin d'Orage" (literally meaning Stormy Morning), is one of Annick Goutal's newest fragrances, released in early 2009. The fragrance, designed by Isabelle Doyen, is designed to evoke the smell of a garden after a heavy storm. Inspired by Camille Goutal's visit to Tokyo, and the fragrance has a very oriental feel to it, with Sicilian lemon, Ginger and Shiso (a Japanese member of the mint family). These top notes quickly give way to the more traditional Eastern Smells of Jasmine, Magnolia & Champaca (itself a member of the Magnolia family). The base notes, which last for upto 10-12 hours, are nutmeg & Ylang ylang, giving a sweet, peppery smell to the fragrance.

This is a floral fragrance, definitely oriental. And Ms. Doyen, ably led by Ms. Goutal, has accurately captured the smells of the orient after a storm.

Eau d'Hadrien was Annick Goutal's first major selling perfume, that launched Annick Goutal's Parfums. Introduced in 1981, Annick Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien has fragrance notes of ylang ylang, citrus, basil, sweet and herbal, to give a unique citrussy smell.

The lemony smell of the perfume gives it a unique, yet not overpowering smell, that became popular with the rich and famous. Trend setters in early 1980's Paris flocked to the fragrance. However, unlike many things introduced in the 1980's, this remains popular still to this day, and is still Annick Goutal's best selling fragrance.

Launched in 1996, Annick Goutal's Grand Amour perfume was dedicated to Annick Goutal's husband, who lovingly gave her a bunch of white flowers every week. Grand Amour is a subtle fragrance, which blends lily, hyacinth, and honeysuckle flowers together with notes of amber, musk and myrtle to create a truly captivating scent.

Grand Amour - which is French for "Great Love" - is truly a magical fragrance, designed by women in love, for women in love.

Annick Goutal Mandragore fragrance is one of their newest fragrances, released in 2005 and designed by both Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen, this takes his name for the plant genus name of the Mandrake, a nightshade plant that has a root so pungent in smell it can cause hallucinations, and has often been used in centuries gone by in witchcraft.

Thankfully, this perfume doesn't cause you to see things, but it is no less enchanting. By using the mandrake as a base, infused with bergamot, black pepper, spearmint and star anis oil, this perfume has a fresh spring smell to it, similar but different to Eau d'Hadrien.

Launched in 1984, Annick Goutal Rose Absolue perfume is Annick Goutal's most well known single flower scent. The heavy use of roses Rose Absolue is a rose soliflore made of six different kinds of roses: Bulgarian rose, Damask rose, Egyptian rose, May rose, Moroccan rose and Turkish rose. The smell of the perfume is - obviously rose - very velvety fragrance that's strong, but not overpowering.

Whilst not confirmed, it was believed that Annick Goutal gave it the name "Rose Absolue" because she wanted the perfume to be "Absolute Roses". There is no denying this is the case, as she picked 6 of the most beautiful roses from both the east and the west, and skilfully brought them together in one stunning fragrance.

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