Brand Profile
Robert Bienaimé, visionary perfumer. When he created his eponymous brand in 1935, Robert Bienaimé was already a perfumer recognized by his peers for his innate talent and undeniable know-how. A chemist by trade, he was to prove himself one of the most gifted noses of his generation. It was his meeting in 1909 with Paul Parquet, Master Perfumer, that gave him his vocation. As head of the Houbigant House, Paul Parquet introduced him to the art of perfume and opened the doors to a world he would never leave. Both an artist and a technician, Robert Bienaimé will never stop innovating and enriching the olfactory repertoire of the House of Houbigant with new scents such as Quelques Fleurs, the first true multi-floral bouquet ever created.
When Paul Parquet died in 1916, Robert Bienaimé took over the reins of the Parfumerie Houbigant where he oversaw the creation of new perfumes until 1930. Very involved in the profession, Robert Bienaimé was president of the Syndicat National de la Parfumerie on several occasions between 1923 and 1942. This contemporary of the great names in perfumery was also an expert in cosmetology and developed promising cream formulas. Eager to create his own House, the brand Bienaimé was born in 1935. In his first year, Robert Bienaimé launched five fragrances including Éveil, Fleurs d'Été, La Vie en Fleurs and Vermeil.
When Robert Bienaimé died in 1960, the Bienaimé brand was mothballed for several decades before its rebirth in 2021 under the leadership of Cécilia Mergui.
Passionate about Art Deco aesthetics since she was a child, Cécilia collects objects, drawings and furniture from this period, and it was while browsing on an online flea market that she discovered a powder case from the brand Bienaimé. This beauty object, refillable before its time, aroused her curiosity with its Art Deco aesthetic and its durable aspect. The combination of these two worlds made her want to know more about the history of the House Bienaimé. Driven by the desire to offer a beauty brand that is environmentally friendly while cultivating the Art Deco style that she loves so much, she bought the brand in 2019 and decided to relaunch it.
Faithful to the heritage of Robert Bienaimé, Cécilia Mergui follows in the footsteps of the brand's founder, to whom she has great admiration and respect. Her ambition? To continue to bring to life the splendour of the House Bienaimé by infusing it with a touch of modernity.