HISTORY
The Iconic Fragrance House That Spans Across Centuries
When it comes to iconic brands of the fragrance world, 4711 sits among the finest.
Best known for its affordable and timeless colognes favoured by men around the world, this evocative brand has a truly impressive legacy and history behind it that spans back over two centuries. But few people actually know its heritage and the remarkable story of how one of the most recognised fragrance houses came to be.
Dating all the way back to 1792, legend has it that 4711 was first created by Carthusian monks as a wedding gift for a successful young merchant living in Germany’s Cologne region at the time named Wilhelm Mülhens.
So taken by the monk’s fragrance and its secret recipe which used local “miracle water”, Mülhens decided to produce and sell the fragrance, and in turn created what ultimately became the first ever eau de Cologne – a term now used as a catchall for thousands of male fragrances from around the world.
It was during the politically insatiable early years of its inception that the now world-renowned fragrance house took its name… literally from its own house!
In 1794, the city of Cologne was under French occupation and, in need of a numeric system to make sense of the city, French generals ordered all premises to be numbered and streets named. As part of the new city plan (something we now take for granted around much of the world), French troops were dispatched across the city on horseback with paint and brushes to label each house. It was here, living in building 4711, that Mülhens found his company’s name and one the house’s first and best known artwork designs, a soldier on horseback.
As the cologne’s popularity began to grow and word of the positive effect on the mind, body and soul of its wearers spread, Mülhens looked to designer Peter Heinrich Molanus to create a bottle for the fragrance. Designed in 1820, Molanus developed a hexagonal bottle with flat edges that was both easy to transport and ideal for labeling. The bottle, which like so many other aspects of 4711 is something we now take for granted and see in use across all industries, is still known as the Molanus bottle.
Blending essential oils with neroli to soothe, bergamot and lemon to revitalize, and lavender and rosemary to calm, the exact formulation and composition of the original 4711 still remains a closely guarded secret to this day, one that’s remained unchanged over its 225 years.
In its early years, 4711 became an overnight favourite for the rich and famous, with writer Johann von Goethe and composer Richard Wagner among its users. It was also the preferred scent of Holly Golightly, the fictional character from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and immortalised by Audrey Hepburn.
Now, 4711 is continuing its legacy and celebrating its next-generation evolution with its Acqua Colonia range of eight new products, which emphasises the timeless authenticity of its signature ranges and adds a vibrant lightness with mood-enhancing ingredients and a summery refresh.
A cool 225 years on from its inception, 4711 is here to change the way you experience fragrance forever, every day.
SHARE THIS
