Houbigant

Houbigant is a historic French perfume house founded in Paris in 1775 by Jean-François Houbigant, who opened his first shop, À la Corbeille de Fleurs, at 19 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Early on, the business sold scented gloves, toilet waters, powders and bridal bouquets, and quickly attracted an aristocratic clientele, including members of the French court. Over the following decades, the house supplied perfume to European royalty such as Marie Antoinette, Napoleon, Napoleon III, Alexander III of Russia and Queen Victoria.

The brand played a pivotal role in the development of modern perfumery. Under perfumer and co-owner Paul Parquet, Houbigant created Fougère Royale in 1882, widely cited as the first fougère fragrance and a landmark in the use of synthetic aroma materials, notably coumarin isolated from tonka bean. In 1912, Houbigant introduced Quelques Fleurs, often described as the first multifloral bouquet fragrance, which shifted the way floral compositions were built and influenced many later perfumes.

After passing through multiple owners over the centuries, the house is today controlled by Parfums Parquet, associated with the Perris family, which has focused on reviving historical pillars like Fougère Royale and Quelques Fleurs while commissioning new creations from contemporary perfumers. The line is positioned in the niche and luxury segment and is distributed through select boutiques and high-end retailers.

Current Houbigant releases tend to reinterpret classical French structures with modern materials, emphasizing refined blends over loud effects. The brand’s catalog spans elegant florals, aromatic fougères and richer woods and orientals, often presented in packaging that references its long heritage in Parisian perfumery.