Annick Goutal

Annik Goutal was supposed to become a pianist, but she traded musical notes and chords for perfume notes. Her boyfriend from Robertet (a conglomerate that creates perfume ingredients) asked Annik to compose not a piece of music, but a scent for a face cream. Gutal did so and realised that this was her calling. In 1981, she released her first perfume, Folavril, with mango, jasmine, boronia flowers and tomato leaves. Perfume became her new music, first on the skin of French women, then on everyone else’s.

After Goutal’s death, her daughter Camille took over the business. Together with Isabelle Doyen, they have been creating all the perfumes, as well as skin care products and home fragrances, for the past 15 years.

The Annick Goutal brand is loved not only by fans of elegant fragrances, but also by devotees of natural ingredients. Sicilian lemon, Damask rose, Italian iris, tuberose from Grasse — these are not just names of notes, but natural raw materials. All products and bottles are made exclusively in France, with some of the work done by hand. Family heritage, natural ingredients, and attention to detail are important components of the success not only of the Annick Goutal brand, but also of niche perfumery as a whole.