Guerlain's First USA Boutique 1984

In April 1984, the House of Guerlain marked an important milestone in its history with the opening of its first American boutique, located in the prestigious Bergdorf Goodman department store on Fifth Avenue, New York City. The announcement, made through an elegant press release, reflected the brand’s deep commitment to craftsmanship, refinement, and heritage. For nearly 160 years, Guerlain had been synonymous with French luxury and artistry in fragrance and skincare, and this new boutique represented not only its arrival in the United States but also the expansion of its Parisian identity into an American setting.

Designed to echo the opulent atmosphere of the Guerlain flagship on the Champs-Élysées, the Bergdorf Goodman rotunda was transformed into a space that embodied the maison’s unmistakable aesthetic—elegant, luminous, and refined. The boutique was conceived as more than a retail counter; it was an experience of Guerlain’s legacy, a place where beauty and tradition converged beneath the iconic Bergdorf chandeliers.

The opening coincided with the American debut of Issima, Guerlain’s ultra-luxurious skincare line, launched globally in 1980 and already acclaimed for its advanced formulation featuring Hydrolastine, a proprietary ingredient developed to revitalize and preserve the skin’s youthful elasticity. Offered exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman, the Issima range reflected Guerlain’s mastery not only in fragrance but also in the emerging field of scientific skincare—a synthesis of innovation and indulgence.

In addition to its skincare collection, the boutique introduced five previously unavailable Guerlain fragrances to the U.S. market, each representing a milestone in the house’s artistic evolution. These included Eau de Cologne du Coq (1894), a bright and effervescent citrus cologne; Après L’Ondée (1906), a poetic bouquet of violets and heliotrope evoking the freshness after a spring rain; Eau de Fleurs de Cédrat (1920), a sparkling and aromatic lemon composition; Vol de Nuit (1933), a mysterious chypre inspired by Saint-Exupéry’s novel of the same name; and Eau de Guerlain (1974), a modern reinterpretation of the maison’s citrus heritage.

The boutique also showcased Guerlain’s renowned floral soaps, each perfumed with the brand’s signature refinement—Iris, Geranium,Jasmine, Fleurs des Alpes, and Savon de Jeune Âge, a soft, delicately fragranced soap for youthful skin. These luxurious soaps, displayed in elegant packaging, exemplified Guerlain’s dedication to sensory beauty in even the smallest details.

The 1984 opening of Guerlain’s Bergdorf Goodman boutique symbolized the transatlantic bridge of Parisian elegance, bringing to New York the same sense of prestige and artistry long associated with the Champs-Élysées. It was more than a retail debut—it was the arrival of la tradition française de beauté on American soil, inviting a new audience to experience the timeless allure of the House of Guerlain.