Nina Ricci

Nina Ricci was founded in Paris in 1932 by Italian-born couturiere Maria "Nina" Ricci together with her son Robert Ricci, who handled the business side of the house. Initially a fashion label known for refined, romantic womenswear, the company expanded into fragrance in the mid-1940s when Robert saw perfume as a way to extend the brand's vision.

The first perfume, Coeur Joie (also written Coeur de Joie), appeared in 1946. It was composed by perfumer Germaine Cellier and bottled in a heart-shaped Lalique crystal flacon, marking the start of a long collaboration with the glassmaker. In 1948, Nina Ricci released L'Air du Temps, created with perfumer Francis Fabron and presented in a bottle with intertwined Lalique doves designed in partnership with Marc Lalique. L'Air du Temps became the house's flagship scent and remains in production decades later.

Over time, Nina Ricci developed a broader fragrance portfolio, including lines such as Les Belles de Ricci in the 1990s and the fruitier, youth-oriented Nina collection in the 2000s. The brand today is part of the Spanish beauty and fashion group Puig, which manages both its fashion and fragrance activities. Recent launches like Nina and its flanker variations show a shift toward more gourmand and sustainable compositions, including formulas highlighting naturally derived ingredients and upcycled raw materials.