Edmond Roudnitska

Edmond Roudnitska (1905–1996) was a French master perfumer and author, widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of modern perfumery. He began his training in perfumery in Grasse in 1926. In 1942, he met Thérèse Delveaux, who became his wife, and in 1946 he founded Art et Parfum, a private laboratory dedicated to the creation of perfumes.

Roudnitska is known for creating some of the most celebrated fragrances of the twentieth century, including Dior's Eau Sauvage and Diorissimo, as well as Rochas's Femme, which was launched into mass production in 1945. Diorissimo, based on lily of the valley, was a particularly notable achievement in perfumery, as the scent of lily of the valley cannot be extracted from the flower's essential oil. Roudnitska solved this challenge by employing aroma chemicals such as hydroxycitronellal. Many of his creations, including Diorella, Diorella Parfum, and Diorama, remain in production. He was the father of perfumer Michel Roudnitska.