Comptoir Sud Pacifique

The niche fragrance line Comptoir Sud Pacifique was created in 1974. Its Parisian founders were inspired by their travels to distant locales, especially the islands of the South Pacific. From the company’s earliest days, its fragrances for men and women were designed to evoke tropical species of fruit, flowers, and resins, including coconut, pineapple, tiare blossoms, and cocoa beans. One of the line’s “Eaux de Voyage” scents, Vanille Abricot, became a best-seller and a cult classic for perfume-lovers. In addition to its focus on gourmand scents, Comptoir Sud Pacifique’s packaging was also trend-setting: its metallic bottles were unusual for their time. After launching more that thirty fragrances and a body care line, Comptoir Sud Pacifique changed hands in 2010. Valerie Pianelli, the brand’s new owner and director, brought her background in economics and her previous work at Laboratories Pierre Fabre, a French-owned, international cosmetics and pharmaceutical company, to the task of revamping the company’s image and product line. Comptoir Sud Pacifique is still headquartered in Paris and still concentrates on fantasies of island life, including new scent blends like the Voyages En Orient Collection and updated, more intense versions of old favorites.