Friday, October 1, 2010

The Urns of Caron

Any perfumenista or lover of glass stepping over the threshold of the Caron Boutiques in either Paris or New York, could be forgiven for thinking that they have died and gone to heaven! Upon entering one is met by the fabled urns of Caron!


Caron that veritable Haute Parfumerie of Paris whose very name conjures up a world of luxury and savoir faire, is one of the few traditional style perfume houses still left. Founded in 1904 by Ernest Daltroff, Parfums Caron has a rich heritage in perfumery and is still considered a true fragrance house, a distinction very few companies hold. Caron is one of the great Paris houses to still remain entirely devoted to fragrance and one of the last perfume houses to still have an in-house 'nose' (Monsieur Fraysse).


Upon entering the boutiques one is met by towering Baccarat crystal urns of Napoleonic proportions filled with pure perfume. Yes it is a bit over the top, however for an hour or so you are in another world! Within these urns Caron have preserved some of their most famous and finest perfumes, to create an n olfactory and visual feast. Customers can choose between 12 of the perfumes and fill a bottle via a little brass tap. One can choose from a variety of bottles etc to fill and after filled it is loving tied and sealed with gold cord. Although not offering a bespoke service some customers have been known to mix perfumes under the watchful eye of a consultant.




With names like Tabac Blond, En Avion, Farnesiana, Alponia, Narcisse Blanc and N’aimez que moi, any visitor is whisked away to another world of luxury and savoir faire!