Houbigant, founded in Paris in 1775, had long served as perfumer to the aristocracy, including members of the court of Louis XVI. Its earliest ledgers recorded the names of nobility—proof of its historic standing in French society. With Raffinée, the company sought to reaffirm its heritage. After four years of meticulous development, the fragrance was introduced to the American market in September 1982, and it was made and packaged in France by Houbigant Paris, the fine fragrance division of the global enterprise. The scent was created in Grasse, the world’s perfume capital, where Jean-François Houbigant had made his very first fragrance over two centuries earlier.
The name Raffinée was carefully chosen to reflect the perfume’s purpose and character. “The word 'raffinée' is the highest compliment the French can pay a woman,” Donati explained. “It means someone who is innately elegant, distinctive, polished, with an instinct for the exquisite. In a roomful of women, many can look attractive, even beautiful, but the raffinée woman stands out. She has a certain quality that sets her apart. The word eludes exact translation into English. It means everything about a woman is just right.” Pronounced "rah-fee-NAY", the French word evokes not only a sense of refinement but also of rarity and sophistication—qualities Houbigant infused into every facet of the perfume.
