Caron

The House of Caron – in the beginning

Caron was the vision of Ernest Daltroff, someone who was open-minded, curious and exceptionally sensitive.

Born in Russia to an upper middle class family, Ernest Leon Rene Lucien Daltroff was introduced to perfume from an early age by his mother, Ida-Caroline Bing. Ida-Caroline used to place a drop of her perfume behind Ernest’s ear before he went to bed as a child.

During his young adolescence, Ernest Daltroff travelled and worked within the clothing industry and in 1900 visited the Exposition Universelle or the 1900 Paris Exposition, as it is better known in English. It was after this trip he became captivated, and his love of flowers, fruits and spices grew. This was the moment Ernest Daltroff chose to enter a career as a professional perfumer.

By 1903, Ernest working in partnership with his brother, Raoul Daltroff and they opened a workshop in Asniere-sur-Seine. The building was the former perfumery known as ‘Emilia’. The following year, in 1904, Ernest launched his company which was to be located in the heart of Paris. He had aspirations to work within the international market and so he purchased the name “Mercerie Parfumerie Caron” from Madame Anne-Marie Caron on the 1st August 1903, however to make it more memorable, particularly when used in several languages, he shortened it to the more concise, “Parfums Caron”.

The meeting of two minds

A few years later, in 1911, Ernest Daltroff was working with a young milliner who was gifted with extraordinary intuition, her name was Felicie Wanpouille. Felicie introduced Ernest to her clients and their partnership grew with Felicie becoming Ernest’s collaborator and also his muse. Ernest brought Felicie into the company and whilst he was creating the perfumes and fragrances for women, Felicie designed the perfume bottles and worked as the company’s Artistic Director. Together Ernest and Felicie launched the well known women’s fragrances such as Narcisse Noir in 1911 and N’aimez Que Moi in 1917.
Together, Ernest Daltroff and Felicie Wanpouille developed an instinctive understanding of the era they were living in. The House of Caron website describes their relationship as “Bold and unclassifiable, mysterious and revolutionary, their duo embodied a rejection of conformity in styles, a stance that became the signature of CARON fragrances.”

Prize Winner

Winning the prize for most go ahead company at the Bronx International Exposition of Science, Art and Industries in New York, the American market was reached and by 1923 a company boutique was opened on the infamous Fifth Avenue in New York.

Men’s fragrances

Ernest Daltroff was always convinced that men should wear perfume rather than cologne and in 1934 launched Pour Un Homme, a fragrance which is well balanced with fresh lavender and opulent vanilla.

The passing of Ernest Daltroff

Sadly the rise of antisemitism in 1939 led Ernest to move and take refuge in the United States of America. Back in France, Felicie Wanpoullie took over the running of the company alongside Michel Morsetti, who was a perfumer that Ernest had personally trained. When Felicie Wanpoullie held the reins she brought her vision to the forefront of the company, she became ahead of her time and was a leading woman becoming free, and independent. Ernest Daltroff died in New York on the 3rd February 1941.

Products available to purchase

As well as luxury womens perfumes, mens cologones and unisex fragrances, the company also offer a range of accessories to compliment their scents. These include fragranced hand sanitisers, travel sprays, limited edition products which are only available exclusively in their boutiques as well as fragrance gift sets, powders and bath and body care products.

The House’s Fragrance Fountains – refill your bottle forever

The House of Caron boutiques were the first fragrance houses which allowed their customers the opportunity to refill their perfume bottles at the source. The fountains are made of Daum or Baccarat crystal and are a real attraction and emblem of Haute Parfumerie.

The House of Caron today

Today, the company is run and driven by the partnership of Ariane de Rothschild and Jean Jacques. Ariane is a well respected businesswoman who is well travelled, whilst Jean Jacques is a perfumer with a talent and enthusiasm for design.

Jean Jacques is the in-house perfumer for the company, a rarity in fragrance houses worldwide. He is passionate and dedicated to creating his fragrances.

The partnership is passionate, inquisitive and extremely independent, they share a vision which is “a generous, uncompromising luxury, which pairs an environmentally friendly approach.”

Website: www.parfumscaron.com Founder: Ernest Daltroff Founded: 1904 Headquarters: Paris, France