Jean Despres (1903 – August 19, 1878) was aperfume industry businessman, known for his work withCoty
The French-born Jean Despres came toNew York in 1921 working for Coty. Starting as a shipping clerk, he went on to become a travelling salesman, covering thousands of miles on theSanta Fe Railroad across America to sell Cotyperfumes and gift sets. He soon became a sales manager, and in 1942 was appointedExecutive Vice President of Coty. He had held this position for more than 25 years whenPfizer purchased Coty in 1968.[1]
Coty, was a French perfume company created by wealthyFrançois Coty, proprietor ofLe Figaro, the French daily newspaper headquartered on theChamps-Élysées inParis,France and owner of numerous chateaux and villas in France and Corsica. Coty died in 1934. Jean Despres led Coty in New York with Philippe Cortney, brother-in-law of Mrs.Coty-Cotnareanu. He founded the Fragrance Foundation in New York, for the perfume industry, serving as its president. When he retired he appointed Anette Greene. He was a founder of the Toilet Goods Association Inc.,Washington, D.C., and served as its president in the 1960s, attending its annual meetings until 1987, a year before his death.[1]
With the expansion ofdepartment stores in the 1930s and 1940s, he created "in-store" displays and "in-store" merchandising staff, which evolved into the cosmetics counters of today.
He was a founding member of theCoty American Fashion Critics' Awards, along with Grover Whalen, created to encourage and honor American talent and Americanfashion designers. The awards presentation ceremony initially took place at the Metropolitan Club (where he was a member for 50 years) subsequently moved to theMetropolitan Museum of Art and eventually held at Alice Tully Hall,Lincoln Center. He joined the New York Athletic Club when it opened in 1924, was a director of the French Hospital in New York City, of Coty International, the French-American Chamber of Commerce, Compagnie de St. Gobain and Lilly Dache, Inc., a Chevalier of the Confrerie des Chevaliers de Tastevin, and resident of New York City, Pound Ridge, NY, Delray Beach, Florida and Meudon, France. In the 1940s he became an American Citizen.[2]
Despres marriedmilliner and fashion designerLilly Daché inPalm Beach, Florida on March 13, 1786.[1] His grandson, John Gordon Gauld, is a New York and Massachusetts artist. Daughter, Suzanne Dache, continues the Dache businesses.
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