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100 years of perfumery in Grasse
The fourth generation to run the Fragonard company, they have developed a modern vision of the perfume brand, which now covers the world of the home and brings together seven museums.
The scent of orange blossom fills the air as soon as you arrive at Villa Fragonard, a 19th-century building where Eugène Fuchs, the great-grandfather of the Costa sisters, settled in 1927. Ascending the floors of the historic factory, you'll find Agnès Costa, who oversees all product creation, from eau de toilette to scented candles, cosmetics, and textiles. "The world of perfumery is so joyful, and as a child, I was fascinated by flowers and scents. When I came to work at Fragonard, I started as a sales assistant, then worked my way up. Personally, I've been passionate about developing the brand's universe. So, as you can see, I live and breathe Fragonard, from my perfume and clothes to my home décor," says Agnès with a laugh. While she regularly travels to the brand's headquarters in Paris, she returns to the atmosphere of the family factory each time she's back in Grasse. When she's in her office, she only has to push open one door to reach her sister Françoise's office…
Costumes and perfume bottles
sourced by Françoise
“We are carrying on the values we received from our parents, and we hope that in due course, the fifth generation will take over the family business,” continues Françoise Costa, in charge of finance and human resources. “Our father was demanding, visionary, but also kind; and my mother was a philosopher, in love with Provençal culture. The Fragonard Fashion and Costume Museum in Arles was created from her collection.” Businesswomen, perfectly aligned in their corporate strategy, Agnès and Françoise have expanded the number of the company’s museums, from Grasse to Paris, knowing that the first one was created by their father in the 1960s. Françoise’s passion and joy also lie in bringing the collections to life and continuing to enrich them. Today, they comprise nearly 4,000 objects related to perfumes and 10,000 pieces in total.
Anne at the head of the cosmetics laboratory
“The business was run by our great-grandfather and then by my father, and as children we played shop assistant with the saleswomen in the store, in a very familial atmosphere,” says Anne Costa, a general practitioner specializing in pharmacovigilance, with a smile. She joined her sisters in the 2000s, taking over the management of the Fragonard laboratory in Eze. It was a challenge, as it involved creating all the manufacturing procedures and bringing the cosmetics now offered by the brand up to standard. These include body lotions and shower gels which, like the eau de toilette, contain fragrance bases made at the factory in Grasse. Anne also inherited her father’s passion for painting. “My father collected 18th- century paintings . For my part, I love to travel and I always try to visit Greek, Roman, Egyptian, or other monuments. Then I look for paintings that depict these ruins; for example, I have the Colosseum and the Karnak site,” the scientist explains with delight. A trio of women, therefore, to place Fragonard in the 21st century.
