The president of Puig, Marc Puig, received this Thursday, in Paris, the Diálogo 2022 award in recognition of the success of the multinational fragrance, beauty and fashion company, founded in 1914 and present in 150 countries.
The award, delivered at the residence of the Spanish Embassy, values "the efforts of people, companies and institutions with which they play an important role in developing Spanish-French relations". The jury highlighted Puig's "leadership built in a patient and intelligent way".
At the end of the event, Marc Puig recalled that his company has been "very involved in France" since 1968. "I always say that Puig is a company with two heads -he pointed out-. Barcelona, the world of art, culture and design, and at the same time that commercial world, origin of the Phoenicians, and on the other hand Paris, fashion and the perfume. That combines very well. We are very excited that there is an award like Diálogo that represents that connection between France and Spain"
The number one of the Catalan multinational evoked the birth of the company in 1914. His great-grandfather, a farmer in Vilassar de Dalt, sold early potatoes on the English market. He then sent his son to Britain for a year to learn. Upon his return he came with a contract for the distribution of cosmetic products. Puig emphasized that the beginnings were very hard, in the middle of World War I. A German submarine sank the first shipment of products. Later they were faced with the Spanish flu epidemic. "Many challenges have been overcome," he stressed.
The expansion in France occurred as a result of wanting to enter the United States market, in the sixties of the last century. "We soon realized that you needed a French brand to sell perfume in the United States," Puig said. In France they contacted the recently deceased perfumer and stylist Francisco Rabaneda Cuervo, alias Paco Rabanne. Other brands such as Nina Ricci and Jean-Paul Gaultier arrived later. Its development and creation teams are located in the French capital. "Paris is an important source of creativity and inspiration for our group," stated Puig.
On the tough task of competing with giants in the sector such as Bernard Arnault (LVMH) or L'Óreal, Puig admitted that "we are a kind of David against many Goliaths". Still, the challenge is being won. "If we go with our humility but with ambition and drive, we have shown that by taking great care of creativity, taking great care of brands, each one with its soul and its story to tell, we have shown that we can occupy spaces." The businessman concluded by pointing out that the results for 2022, which will be presented shortly, "are very positive."
