Which perfumer created Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps in 1948?

Francis Fabron created Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps in 1948.

L’Air du Temps was introduced by the French fashion house Nina Ricci shortly after the Second World War. Its name translates roughly as “the spirit of the times,” and the fragrance became associated with peace, romance, and renewal. The composition is a floral blend whose most recognizable facets include carnation, rose, jasmine, and gardenia.

The bottle is one of the perfume’s defining features. Marc Lalique designed the famous crystal bottle, including its pair of doves, which symbolize peace. That design credit is why people sometimes mistakenly name Lalique as the fragrance’s creator.

Francis Fabron was the perfumer responsible for the composition, while Lalique handled the bottle design. Keeping those roles separate is important: perfume creation and flacon design are different parts of a fragrance launch. L’Air du Temps remains one of Nina Ricci’s best-known historical perfumes.