Production at Guerlain, by Alexandre Oulès

Jicky, Shalimar, L’Heure Bleue… Iconic fragrances born of the inspiration of Guerlain perfumers – and which, today, are still exclusively produced in France, in the heart of Cosmetic Valley. Chief Operating Officer Alexandre Oulès reveals how Guerlain fragrances are manufactured at its facility in Orphin.

To turn dream into reality, to translate fragrance inspiration into industrial production – this is how Alexandre Oulès defines his role as Guerlain’s Chief Operating Officer. In a video interview recorded in early 2014, he presents the specificities of Guerlain’s production strategy. Committed to manufacturing in France, Guerlain has chosen to locate its facilities at two sites in Cosmetic Valley: Chartres (where its new La Ruche unit will open this summer) for skincare and cosmetics, and Orphin for fragrances.

Another unique feature of Guerlain is that it controls its production chain from A to Z by completing every stage on site, including traditional bottle-finishing techniques, which are still performed by hand. Guerlain’s 450 production employees manufacture more than 12 million fragrances and 22 million cosmetic products a year, all of the highest quality. This uncompromising strategy enables the House to keep pace with the success of its products – a prime example being La Petite Robe Noire, which was launched in 2012 and is already the third best-selling fragrance in France.