Did a Fragrance extremely Trigger the Events That Led to the Infamous Beheading of Marie Antoinette?

Jean-Francois Houbigant launched his famous fragrance atelier and search on the Fauborg St. Honore in Paris in 1775. This was throughout the gilded age of French royalty and of the elite that that parasitically clung to the Court. Luxury, hedonism and sensuality were the cornerstones of life for these denizens of hedonism.

Mr. Houbigant opened his search and carried a gorgeous basket of flowers over the edge on its initial day in business. The basket of gorgeous flowers drew terribly favorable comment from his initial shoppers, so, being an imaginative Marketer he commissioned a proof to be painted representing the bouquet. This sign was hung over Houbigant’s search door at nineteen, Fauborg St. Honore and have become indelibly identified with the success of the Fragrances and Soaps created therein. for many years Houbigant advertisements and handbills copy began with “At the sign of the Basket of Flowers”.

The list of shoppers who frequented Houbigant included everyone who was anybody in pre-French Revloution Paris. solely the best, rarest Toiletries were created and created offered at Houbigant. Dandies, church prelates, government ministers and military officers and their wives were listed on preserved invoices as having been customers. however it absolutely was the Royal Family and their Court members that conveyed a special patina on Houbigant.

Alas, the glow of the royal life would be sundered by the violence and anarchy created by the outbreak of the French Revolutionary. The wealthy and luxuriant category related to all that was wrong in France was hunted down by the mob, instilled with the lust to get rid of those whom they perceived had caused their impoverishment and servitude.  

The Empress Marie Antoinette was actually a first-rate target for revenge. Her girls in waiting knew that she was a highly prized object of derision by the mob which violence would be done her if caught. The Empress was purportedly bundled into a carriage and surreptitiously led away, hopefully to safety.

The escape was foiled, however, when the carriage carrying Marie Antoinette became stalled within the confusion of peasants fleeing the violence in all directions. There was a maelstrom of mob activity, noise and mistrust round her. Then somebody sniffed a sublime scent emanating from a carriage. solely someone of real wealth and refinement may wear such a Fragrance. That person would naturally be an enemy of the enraged proletariat.

And so, Marie Antoinette was captured by the mob. Her lovely, refined Houbigant fragrance had signaled that she was undoubtedly not one in all the plenty. This story has taken hold and become a part of the legend of Houbigant. once the spouting the infamous quip, “Let them eat cake”, the Empress Marie Antoinette was unceremoniously beheaded. Houbigant survived the French Revolution. It appears that the new non-bourgeoisie rulers of France loved luxury Perfumery too.

For following two hundred years Houbigant prospered, introducing over 3 dozen distinctive Fragrances as well as such classics as Quelques Fleur (1912) and Chantilly (1941). the luxurious and exclusivity that Houbigant represented insured that stores round the world pampered the whole.

Unfortunately, as thus usually happens when classic family nurtured brands return below the management of asset managers, Houbigant declined within the late twentieth century. By the 1980’s Houbigant product were solely to be found in mass merchandise retailers. the corporate was acquired out of bankruptcy by a start-up; Renaissance Fragrance. Renaissance itself filed for bankruptcy in 1999.

By the start of the twenty first century the venerable House of Houbigant was not manufacturing fragrance product. The revered Brands that the corporate had launched, nurtured and pampered had been watered down, diluted and were sold in deep discount chains. the luxurious Scents that had enchanted Marie Antoinette, and is claimed to own result in her capture and subsequent execution, additionally has disappeared forever as a harbinger of beauty, quality and exclusivity.