Heritage
A house, in its own words
Marcel Rochas opened his couture house at the age of 23 on Place Beauvau in Paris in 1925, before moving to Rue Matignon in 1931. He brought a fresh perspective to haute couture, building wardrobes for emancipated Parisian women in the post-war years. Rochas holds several fashion design firsts: he was the first designer credited with creating 2/3-length coats and skirts with practical pockets, and he was one of two designers, along with Elsa Schiaparelli, who launched the padded shoulder silhouette in 1931. He also created the "mermaid" dress, a design that continues to influence women's fashion today. The company expanded into fragrance in 1934 with a trio of perfumes, Avenue Matignon, Air Jeune and Audace, distributed exclusively through the Paris boutique before being withdrawn at the beginning of the war. Marcel Rochas died in 1955 at age 50, leaving his wife Hélène to assume leadership of the house at just 30 years old. She shifted the focus toward fragrances, making it the primary business following the closure of the haute couture division in 1953. This transition proved transformative, with Femme becoming one of the ten top-selling perfumes for four decades. In 1970, Hélène Rochas launched Eau de Rochas, which became one of the house's most recognized scents. The fragrance division has remained the cornerstone of the business, with Jean-Michel Duriez appointed as in-house perfumer in 2008. Multiple creative directors have shaped the fashion side, including Theyskens (2003-2006), Zanini (2009-2013), Dell'Acqua (2014-2020), and Alessandro Vigilante (2020-present). Notable fragrance releases span from Femme in 1943 to Mademoiselle Rochas Couture in 2023, with the house expanding to 84 perfumes by 2026.
"One must be able to smell a woman even before seeing her," said Marcel Rochas. This belief anchored his approach when he founded his fashion house in 1925, with a stated mission to celebrate audacity, youth, and Parisian elegance. Rochas designed clothes that embodied the effortless chic of the era while also creating perfumes that reflected a love affair with elegance and freedom. The philosophy extended to his belief that fashion should anticipate the needs of modern women, leading to practical innovations like pockets in skirts and the revolutionary 2/3-length coat. Following Marcel's death, Hélène Rochas carried this spirit forward, transforming the house into a fragrance-focused enterprise while maintaining its elegant sensibility. Today, the brand describes its approach as celebrating Parisian chic with audacity, continuing to create perfumes that respond to contemporary tastes while honoring the heritage of sophisticated, bold scents. The house has introduced seasonal variations and new flankers in recent years, including Pomelo Passion in 2026, demonstrating an ongoing commitment to evolving the fragrance portfolio while maintaining continuity with its founding principles of feminine elegance and daring.
