Annick Goutal was a concert pianist and fashion model. At the request of friends, she worked with perfumers at Robertet to develop a fragrance for a face cream, and she found her calling. By 1980, she was ready to launch her own fragrance line.
The Annick Goutal company was acquired by the Taittinger Group in the mid 1980s; Taittinger was then acquired by Starwood Capital. In 2011, Starwood sold Annick Goutal to AmorePacific, the Korean company behind the Lolita Lempicka fragrance line.
Annick Goutal passed away in 1999, at the age of 53. Since that time, her daughter Camille has continued to develop new fragrances working in collaboration with perfumer Isabelle Doyen. There are currently some 30-odd fragrances in the line, as well as bath and body products, a skincare line and home fragrances (see review for Petite Cherie candle, Noël home spray).
Packaging
Annick Goutal’s fragrances are packaged in square bottles for men and in ribbed bottles for women (see image above). Some of the women’s Eaux de Parfum also come in (more expensive) round bottles (see above top right), often with butterfly stoppers and sometimes with other decorative details such as hand-painted designs. Tall splash refill bottles are also sold for a few of the Annick Goutal scents, although these are hard to find in the United States.
Unisex fragrances are usually released in both square and ribbed bottles (in other words, same juice, two different bottle styles), and sometimes in the round bottle as well.
Fragrance line and recent releases
Fragrances include Folavril (1981), Eau de Camille (1983) & Eau de Charlotte (1982), Eau du Sud (1996) & Eau d’Hadrien (1981), Passion (1983), Heure Exquise (1984), Rose Absolue (1984), Grand Amour (1996), Petite Cherie (1998), Ce Soir ou Jamais (1999), Quel Amour! (2002), Le Chevrefeuille (2002), Duel (2003), Des Lys (2003), Le Jasmin (2004), Vanille Exquise (2004).
Recent releases include Mandragore (2005), Songes (2005), Les Orientalistes ~ Ambre Fetiche, Myrrhe Ardente and Encens Flamboyant (2007), Musc Nomade (2008), Un Matin d’Orage (2009), Mandragore Pourpre (2009), Ninfeo Mio (2010), Rose Splendide (2010), Le Mimosa (2011), Mon Parfum Chéri, par Camille (2011).
Where to buy
Annick Goutal fragrances are carried at Aedes (including many of the limited edition bottles), Beauty.com, and at selected Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Saks stores. In the UK, they are available online at Escentual.
See also: shopping report for the Annick Goutal boutique on Motcomb St. in London.
Website
Annick Goutal (Netherlands) or Annick Goutal (main website)
More reading
See all articles on Now Smell This tagged Annick Goutal.
