Ernest Daltroff

Ernest Daltroff was a French perfumer and the founder of Parfums Caron, a well-known fragrance house. He was born on 17 November 1867 into a middle-to-upper-class family of Russian origin. His mother used to put a drop of her perfume behind her ears before going to sleep, which sparked his interest in fragrances from an early age. In his youth, Daltroff travelled extensively and worked in the dress industry. However, after visiting the Exposition Universelle in 1900, he became fascinated with the aromas of flowers, fruits and spices, and developed an exceptional olfactory memory. Without any prior formal training, he decided to pursue a career as a perfumer. In 1903, together with his brother Raoul, Daltroff set up a workshop in Asnières-sur-Seine in the former perfumery "Emilia". A year later, he founded his own company, Parfums Caron, in the heart of Paris at number 10 of the rue de la Paix. The name was adopted in part from the small "Mercerie Parfumerie Caron" at 20 rue Rossini, which Daltroff had bought from Madame Anne-Marie Caron. He chose a short, easy-to-remember name that could be pronounced in several languages while remaining associated with France. In 1906, Daltroff met Félicie Wanpouille, a young hat-maker who worked in the same street. She introduced him to her clients and became his collaborator and muse. While Daltroff created the fragrances, Wanpouille designed the bottles and acted as artistic director. Together they launched several iconic perfumes, including Narcisse Noir in 1911 and N'aimez Que Moi in 1917. Daltroff’s innovative palette often incorporated bases produced by Mr. Naef and the Fabriques de Laire, in particular Mousse de Saxe. He created many other fragrances, such as Tabac Blond, En Avion, Fleurs De Rocaille and Nuit de Noël. In 1918, Daltroff was invited to attend the Bronx International Exposition of Science, Arts, and Industries in New York with his competitor François Coty. He won the award for the most cutting-edge company, which opened the American market during the interwar period. In 1923, a Caron boutique opened on Fifth Avenue in New York. In 1934, Daltroff launched Pour Un Homme, a men’s fragrance that was revolutionary at the time, as men mainly used eau de Cologne. In 1939, rising antisemitism led Daltroff to take refuge in the United States, where he died on 3 February 1941. He is buried in the Quogue cemetery in New York. Daltroff’s legacy continues in the world of perfume, and his work still influences modern perfumers. He is described as the most subtle perfumer of his time, whose work was closest to that of painters and musicians.