The house
Houbigant was founded in 1775 in Paris (France) by Jean-Francois Houbigant, making it one of the oldest extant perfume house names in the world. The house operated throughout the nineteenth century as a leading supplier to European courts, including the French royal family. Its most historically significant creation, Fougere Royale (1882), is credited as the composition that gave its name to the fougere olfactive family.
The house faced severe difficulties in the twentieth century, changing ownership multiple times and largely ceasing commercial operation by the 1970s. A revival was attempted from the 1990s onward, with the house name and some historical formulas being licensed and then repurchased. The current Houbigant operation produces a selection of relaunched classics alongside new compositions.
On Osmetheca, Houbigant is represented by one fragrance: Fougere Royale (1882), signed by Paul Parquet. This coumarin-oakmoss composition over a lavender-geranium accord established the structural template that defines the fougere family across the subsequent century and a half of perfumery production.
Perfumes on Osmetheca
The following Houbigant fragrances are documented with full profiles on Osmetheca. Each entry includes launch year, perfumer attribution and olfactive family.
| Year | Perfume | Perfumer | Olfactive family |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1882 | Fougere Royale | Paul Parquet | Fougere coumarin lavender oakmoss |