Isabelle Lancray

Horse-drawn carts, women wearing elegant hats, the stylish lifestyle of Paris, but also soldiers marching through the streets into an unknown war shape. This year Rosine Gacier, who later became known as Madame Isabelle Lancray, was born in France just at the beginning of World War I. This also marks the end of a special era in France, the Belle Époque, when Paris was the heart and soul of Europe. It was a time when life seemed bountiful and people in general lived carefree. As if driven by an unfulfilled desire for the beautiful things in life, after years of destitution, young Rosine at first developed her creative side as a journalist. However her passionate desire about her childhood dream coming true and owning a beauty parlour at the city centre of Paris had always been in her mind. Like many other people, affected by World War, her life suddenly changed and was turned upside down. After the turmoil of these rough years, her losing almost everything she still took advantage of this unique opportunity to make her personal vision come true. Her first exclusive beauty parlour quickly developed into a trainee and management centre for beauticians. But she wanted more! In collaboration with leading experts in the field of cosmetics and fashion industry she created her own brand, Isabelle Lancray Paris, in 1945. With incredible endurance and passion she dedicated her life to cosmetics and together with her companion Helena Rubinstein she lobbied for more professionalism in cosmetics and founded the French beautician and cosmetician association. This was the foundation of today's professional associations like IKW and FEBEA. Madame Lancray died at the 12th of april 1989.