Lilly Daché, a renowned milliner born in France in 1893, left an indelible mark on the American fashion scene. Establishing her iconic millinery business at 76 East 56th Street in New York, Daché became famous for her innovative and stylish hats, which were beloved by fashionable women throughout the mid-20th century. In 1931, she married Jean Despres, a French-born executive at Coty, Inc., a leading cosmetics and fragrance company of the time. It’s important to note that Despres should not be confused with the legendary perfumer Jean Desprez, the creator of Bal à Versailles. Their marriage was a harmonious blend of mutual respect and professional collaboration, as both Daché and Despres supported each other's careers while cultivating a shared love for the industry.
In 1940, Daché’s collaboration with Coty took a unique turn when she introduced perfumed millinery, a concept that infused the linings and headbands of hats with sachets of popular Coty fragrances like Emeraude, Styx, L'Origan, Chypre, and L'Aimant. This innovative idea allowed wearers to enjoy their favorite scents as part of their daily attire, showcasing Daché's ability to merge fragrance with fashion in a novel way. Following this collaboration, Daché launched her own line of perfumes, starting with Drifting, a floral scent introduced in 1941, which was shortly followed by the fresh, floral oriental fragrance Dashing later that year. Two decades later, in 1962, she released Dachelle, further cementing her presence in the world of fragrance.
Daché’s connection with Coty continued to deepen over the years. In 1954, she took on the role of president of General Beauty Products Corp., a new subsidiary of Coty, Inc. This subsidiary managed three of Coty's major cosmetics and fragrance divisions: Lucien Lelong, Marie Earle, and Rallet Perfumes. As head of this unit, Daché not only brought her own flair to Coty but also managed her personal brand, Lilly Dache Products, under the Coty umbrella.
By October 6, 1961, her cosmetics business, Lilly Dache Cosmetics, Incorporated, was acquired by Lanolin, marking a shift in her entrepreneurial journey. When her husband retired from Coty in 1968, Daché also decided to close her business, thus ending an era marked by creativity, elegance, and a flair for innovation in both millinery and perfumery. Throughout her career, Lilly Daché skillfully navigated the intersections of fashion and fragrance, leaving behind a legacy that celebrated the art of both.
