Guy Laroche was born in France in 1921 and began his career as a maker of simple hats. Following intensive tutelage from Jean Desses, Guy moved to the US in 1955 to hone his manufacturing and designer skills before returning to Paris in 1957 to begin his own fashion label. Appreciated for their bright colours and practicality, Laroche’s fashion pieces were an instant success. Almost 20 years later, Laroche launched his own fragrance for men, Drakkar, which would soon be eclipsed by the world-wide success that is Drakkar Noir, a fragrance that remains one of the most recognisable and widely manufactured scents of all time.