Deaths - Tribute to Claude PFEIFFER

TRIBUTE

CLAUDE PFEIFFER

1923 - 2020

President, Société Française des Parfumeurs

1982 - 1985

Claude PFEIFFER, a gentleman of the perfume industry, delightfully mischievous, courteous and cultured, who was President of the SFP from May 1982 to June 1985, passed away a few days ago in the prime of his youth at the age of 96, and we are all very sad.

Born in 1923 into an upper middle-class Parisian family, with a passion for theater, history and literature, he was suddenly plunged into the tumult of the Second World War at the age of 16.e and studies at the Lycée Janson de Sailly, where he had the good fortune to have as a teacher and future friend the young Paul GUTH (then 27), from whom he inherited his sense of humor, and to rub shoulders with Sacha GUITRY, whose many bon mots he loved to quote.

True to a patriotic family tradition, after an exodus from town to town across the South of France, he decided to escape the stagnation of the Occupation, and smuggled himself into Spain, where he was imprisoned for some time before managing to join General de Gaulle's Free France. Transferred to North Africa, he played an active part in the landings and the triumphant ascent of General LECLERC's 2nd D.B. through Italy and France to the Rhine.

After the liberation in 1945, he was showered with honors (Officier de la Légion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre 39-45, Médaille militaire, Ordre National du Mérite, Médaille de la Résistance, member of the Comité de la Flamme...) that he began a long and distinguished career in the perfume industry with Léon de CHIRIS at the Boulevard Malesherbes head office. He then moved on to LAUTIER, and several years later ended his career at CONCEPTS ET FRAGRANCES alongside Edgar DE LAIRE, during which time Claude PFEIFFER was President of the SFP from May 1982 to June 1985.

A former president of the SFP, he remained active throughout these years, and his faithful, unobtrusive presence at our board meetings was a pleasure. He was an attentive listener, and always intervened with simplicity and open-mindedness.

He was a great help on legal matters, particularly when it came to revising our articles of association. His relevance was always accompanied by a touch of humor. Highly cultured and personally and professionally committed in many fields, he always shared his experiences with great modesty. His elegance, wisdom and humour will always be remembered.

We'd like to say a sincere and friendly THANK YOU.

Goodbye, Mr PFEIFFER,

Thanks for the invaluable help of SFP Honorary Presidents Raymond CHAILLAN and Patrick SAINT-YVES in drafting this tribute.

Véronique DUPONT

President