F amily-owned French company Gattefossé is in the news after opening its first full-scale production and manufacturing plant in North America, located in Lufkin, Texas.
Gattefossé is considered one of the foundational names in the cosmetic industry. The company’s founder, René-Maurice Gattefossé, was a French chemist who coined the term aromatherapy in the early 20th century. He laid the groundwork for modern aromatherapy and the integration of botanical extracts in cosmetics.
Today, the company is a global supplier of ingredients to the beauty and personal care industries. The new facility in Lufkin reportedly focuses on lipid-based specialty ingredients for both the cosmetics and pharmaceutical sectors.
French perfume has long set the standard, from Gattefossé’s aromatherapy innovations to today’s high-end fragrances. L’Oréal and other French brands are now translating that heritage into global influence.
L’Oréal, the world’s largest beauty company, continues to deepen its presence within Asia’s “beauty triangle” of China, Japan, and South Korea—the region now driving much of global beauty’s innovation and growth. The term ‘beauty triangle’ seems to have been coined by the multinational market research and consulting firm Ipsos, which–not surprisingly, is headquartered in Paris, France. In 2024, L’Oréal invested in To Summer, a leading Chinese fragrance brand, and earlier partnered with Shinehigh Innovation, a Shanghai-based biotech firm specializing in sustainable materials. These moves, coupled with its participation in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, position the company to move faster in the region’s booming fragrance and skincare sectors.Coty, another French-rooted company we’ve featured several times this month, is making similar plays—refocusing on fragrance and expanding its reach in China, where scent-driven “smellmaxxing” and personalized perfumery trends are growing.
Together, these developments illustrate how France’s legacy in fragrance and formulation continues to evolve through strategic innovation and global integration—with the beauty triangle at the heart of it all.
Other Fragrance Brands in China
France may lead the charge in the “beauty triangle,” but it’s far from alone. The broader fragrance landscape in China now includes a mix of historic Western names and emerging regional players.
Jo Malone London, the British fragrance and lifestyle brand acquired by Estée Lauder Companies in 1999, remains one of the most visible Western fragrance brands in China.
Penhaligon’s, another British heritage perfume house, debuted its first global exhibition in Shanghai earlier this year, an indication of just how central the Chinese market has become for storytelling-driven luxury fragrance brands. Similarly, Boadicea the Victorious, an independent British niche perfume brand, has seen growing interest among China’s high-end collectors.
Meanwhile, American fashion house Ralph Lauren has also established a stronger beauty footprint in China, thanks in large part to its parent company L’Oréal, which owns Ralph Lauren Fragrances under its L’Oréal Luxe division. The brand’s partnership with global ambassador Xiao Zhan has amplified its appeal among Chinese consumers, blending celebrity-driven storytelling with classic American branding.
According to L’Oréal’s 2024 financial report:
“L’Oréal has consolidated its position as the number one beauty company in China, thanks to a unique portfolio of brands and a strategy focused on consumers in all their diversity. Investment in innovation, an open ecosystem and talent development is enabling L’Oréal to conquer new territories and new consumers and confidently grow the Chinese beauty market.”
Even LVMH, the world’s largest luxury group, has continued to intensify its focus on fragrance and beauty in China. In 2023, the company established its largest Perfumes & Cosmetics Research and Development Center in Shanghai—a major investment signaling how central Asia has become to its long-term innovation strategy. The move aligns with the region’s growing influence as a global fragrance and skincare hub, further strengthening LVMH’s position in the luxury beauty market. Its high-end fragrance brand Maison Francis Kurkdjian officially entered the Chinese market with its first store at Deji Plaza on August 18, 2022, however the flagship store has since closed.
A New Face of French Luxury
An interesting footnote: Charles Leung became the first Asian CEO in the LVMH Group when he took over as CEO of the jewelry house Fred in 2018, later assuming leadership of Chaumet in January 2024.
Under Arnault’s leadership, LVMH’s acquisition of American luxury jewelry and design houseTiffany & Co. in 2021 for $16 billion further underscored the group’s commitment to bridging Western heritage with Eastern influence. In 2016, Tiffany & Co. signed a licensing agreement with Coty. In fragrance, as in fine jewelry, this cross-cultural dialogue has become the new language of luxury.
Feature image: Ming – stock.adobe.com
[…] in an era defined by health and longevity advancements. As explored in a recent feature, The Aroma Axis: Fragrance, Luxury, and the Rise of Asia, Asia’s growing role in the premium fragrance space is reshaping the global market. Yet even as […]