Puig

Castellò Antonio Puig was the founder in 1914 of the Spanish firm of the same name, specializing in the perfume and cosmetics sectors. Today the company owns the cosmetic lines of Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, Payot, and Paco Rabanne, and manages the licenses of the beauty ranges for Comme des Garµons and Hussein Chalayan. Their first product, Milady, was the first ever lipstick to be 100% “made in Spain.” Their first big success came however in 1940, when the firm created a “self-sufficient” lavender water — made completely from Spanish essences at a time when there were no imports into the country. Agua Lavanda Puig, based on rosemary, lavender, and lemon, found immediate success and sent the company to the top of the market. This resulted two years later in its founder’s having to move the factory and headquarters to Travessera de Gràcia, near Barcelona, where the main production center can still be found today. Puig’s sons started to get involved in the running of the business, and new business strategies were undertaken as Antonio, Mariano, José Maria, and Enrique became the decision makers. This passing of control to the second generation soon bore fruit, and in the 1960s a new factory opened its gates at the Besos Industrial Park in this Catalan city. After the opening of a wing in the USA, in 1968 it was Paris’s turn. Paco Rabanne was incorporated into the Group, while in America Carolina Herrera collaborated with them to produce a fragrance in her name. In 1995 the firm acquired Spanish brand Genesse, and a substantial part of Perfumeria Gal. New production facilities were bought at Vacarisses for the production of beauty products. The year afterwards Puig Beauty and Fashion Group was established, comprising cosmetics and fashion managed by Excom, the executive board run by three members of the family and an external member. In 1998 they took over the perfume and fashion label Nina Ricci, followed by the Spanish label Myrugia in 2000, and in 2001 the remaining part of Perfumeria Gal was acquired. In June 2002 Prada’s top management announced a joint venture with Puig for the creation and distribution of perfumes and cosmetics.