The Beauty of Caron

My first introduction to Caron Paris was purely coincidental. It was Springtime and I was looking for a particular perfume, when I happened to stumble upon Caron. At first glance, I was attracted to their jewel-colored purse flacons, they felt good in-hand, and I thought they would be an excellent addition to my purse, or any purse, for that matter. They were emerald, ruby and gold in color, and as I looked at them on the counter, Caron's siren song was telling me to slow down and take a closer look. In August, at the Elements Showcase, I spotted the jeweled colored flacons again, and just behind them sat these incredible Baccarat crystal fountains that contained beautifully hued parfum extraits. The still life made me stop at write these words: The absolute beauty of Caron.

It wasn't until after these superficial introductions that I realized Caron deserved more time than I gave it. (See my November 6th post.) As I wore these parfum extraits, I was reminded that a perfume made in 1919 can be relevant in 2011, and a perfume house that has been around for 100 years can continue to evolve and stay current. Caron easily connects us to the past as it embraces the 21st Century on its own terms. 

Last week, Anne-Laure Marchal, from Caron agreed to meet me at their 58th Street boutique, and as she began to tell me about Caron's history two stories emerged. The first story centers on Caron's founder, Ernest Daltroff and artistic advisor, Félicie Wanpouille, and how their love affair and work were intricately interwoven and built the perfume house that we know today. The other story centers around a century of fragrance. Each of Caron's fragrances tell a story that reflects a certain time and place in history. As I stood in the opulent boutique, surrounded by the many fountain fragrances, I began to understand how rare this is and how fortunate that these fountains and especially the extraits still exist. Inside you will find there are choices and decisions to be made. To a novice that knows very little about perfume, this may be unsettling, but if there is a willingness to slow down and be introduced and educated, Caron is present and willing to guide. One can select a fragrance and Caron will commence the act of "drumming" or filling the simplest to the most ornate flacon. You have a choice of splash, purse, or puff ball atomizer, all in different sizes. Details such as Baudruchage, the technique of sealing perfume bottles by hand with a gold thread is still practiced, adding even more to its appeal. Before I left the boutique, I took a snapshot of a fountain and extrait labeled, N'Aimez que Moi. Its translation is love only me. Caron, I think I do. 

Photo:  Marble Siren.