Guy Laroche began his career in fashion as a milliner, and enjoyed a lengthy apprenticeship in the heady world of Parisian luxury and design until he first founded his own shop and label in 1956 after visiting the USA and discovering that the world was finally ready to throw off the shackles it had worn since the Second World War, and embrace the new dawn of economic prosperity and joy that peace was finally bringing.

The early Guy Laroche fashion lines were very much of their time, reflecting the end of austerity in a celebration of color. He reintroduced the idea of bright fashion and included many colors including pinks and oranges amongst his early fashion lines. The Guy Laroche early collections were well received by both stores and writers, and he was soon one of the most lauded designers of his day.

The lines of his high fashion, or Haute Couture clothes were designed to flatter the wearer to a heretofore-unexplored level, with daring low cuts and dramatic flowing lines that created a real dash on the catwalks of the 1950s. One of the most remarkable things about this era in Guy Laroche’s career was that his clothing was so easily translated from Haute Couture into a ready to wear format, which meant that rather than just being kept to the rarefied context of the superstars of his day, it was accessible to women from all over the world.

By the 1970s, he was at the peak of his powers as a designer, and was winning numerous awards. His low cut gowns were the defining moment of 1970s glamour, and remain iconic to this day. In 1977, Guy Laroche Fragrance launched with his signature scent Jai Ose, which is still popular to this day.

It was 5 years later when the line took off though, with the launch of the legendary Drakkar Noir cologne for men. As one of the most popular after shaves of the 1980s and ever since, the Drakkar Noir cologne has come to define success for men’s fragrances since its launch, breaking sales records year after year ever since it came out.

Other subsequent releases have also been very successful including Clandestine in 1986 and Horizon, his second after shave for men, which was released in 1993. Four years after the death of its creator, and a real tribute to his genius as a designer and sensitivity as a perfumer.

Top Colognes by Guy Laroche: Horizon Cologne ; Drakkar Noir Cologne

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