Roger & Gallet
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Fragrance, Cosmetics |
| Founded | 1862 |
| Founder | Charles Armand Roger, Charles Martial Gallet |
| Headquarters | Paris , France |
| Products | Fragrances, Toilet soap, Bath soaps |
| Owner | Impala SAS |
Roger & Gallet (also known as Roger et Gallet) is a French fragrance firm established in 1862 by entrepreneur Charles Armand Roger and financier Charles Martial Gallet. The brand remained under the ownership of the L'Oréal group until it was divested to Impala SAS in 2020.
The company took over a Paris-based perfumery originally founded in 1806 by Jean Marie Joseph Farina, who was the great-grandnephew of Giovanni Maria Farina, the inventor of Eau de Cologne. Following a successful legal challenge regarding the Farina name, Roger & Gallet secured the rights to Eau de Cologne extra vieille, which is separate from the Original Eau de Cologne produced in Cologne.
Specialty
Roger & Gallet gained recognition for its toilet soap, manufactured in a sizable facility near Paris. The brand earned a reputation for its premium bath soaps, first launched in 1879, characterized by their distinctive round form, crinkled silk wrapping, and embossed seal—features that remain in use today. Additionally, the company exploited the synthetic scent of violet, holding exclusive rights in France and creating fragrances such as Vera Violetta.
Acquisition
In 1975, Roger & Gallet became part of the Sanofi Group, which later sold it to Gucci in 1999. Subsequently, L'Oréal purchased Roger & Gallet from Gucci, then a subsidiary of PPR, in 2008.