Armand Petitjean

Armand Petitjean, born May 20, 1884, into a family of distillers, was initiated into perfumery by François Coty, for whom he worked before founding Lancôme with Guillaume d'Ornano in 1935, presenting five inaugural fragrances at that year's Brussels Universal Expo. Passionate about roses, he made the flower Lancôme's signature ingredient from 1935, later launching Magie and Trésor in the early 1950s. Lancôme joined L'Oréal in 1964, and Petitjean died in 1969.