More about Rancé 1795
In the first half of the 17th century, glove maker Louis Rancé founded the family dynasty in Grasse. Late Baroque French fashion also called for perfumed gloves for men, and the delicate works of art crafted by Rancé were a sought-after accessory among the French aristocracy. François Rancé brought the perfumery business to life for Rancé. Louis Rancé passed on his craft to his sons Antoine, Jacques and Jean François (1699–1782), who successfully continued the workshop after his death. However, it was Jean François who took the decisive step into the world of fragrances with the idea of officially calling himself a perfumer.
A step that would have a decisive influence on the lives of all subsequent generations of the dynasty. In 1795, his son François decided to stop concentrating on the production of perfumed gloves – a fashion that was already coming to an end at that time – and to devote himself exclusively to the pure perfumery business: eau de colognes, floral waters, essences, sweet-smelling ointments, perfumed powders, beauty creams and air fresheners.
Jeanne Sandra Rancé sees herself as the guardian and developer of the family tradition: ‘I grew up in a house filled with a love of fragrances. For us, fragrance development is still a magical art form, the result of which brings spiritual joy. I am the heir to a treasure trove of essences, fragrances and many rare, ancient documents containing an incredible variety of valuable cosmetic formulas. The aim is to revive these and combine them with high-tech innovations.’ Jeanne Sandra has therefore made it her mission to not only develop new fragrances, but also to ensure that her ancestors' creations are not forgotten. The compositions of all the fragrances have been preserved in the family archives over the years, so that they can still be reproduced today in their original form.
However, the compositions of the 18th and 19th centuries are no longer in keeping with the times – they are too heavy and too floral. That is why the eau de parfums are being recomposed in a modern form that still takes their original composition into account. And Rancé 1795 still uses predominantly natural ingredients from flowers, leaves and grasses, most of which are grown in Grasse.