Lightyears Collection
Nina Ricci

"Nina" and Robert Ricci

Marie Adélaïde Nielli ("Nina") and her husband Louis Ricci had one son, Robert, who was born in 1905. Nina (her childhood nickname) moved first to Monte Carlo and then to Paris in 1932 and became a model maker. At her son's urging, she opened her own couture house at the age of 49. By the outbreak of war, her enterprise employed 450 people.

Wishing to diversify from clothing, Robert Ricci developed the house's first perfume in 1946. Roure perfumer Germaine Cellier created the fragrance and Ricci's boyhood friend, Marc Lalique created the bottle. The fragrance was Coeur Joie, today largely forgotten.

In 1948 Ricci introduced a second fragrance, the one that would make the Nina Ricci name well known, long after his mother's death. Again Roure supplied the perfumer. This time it was Francis Fabron. Sculptor Jean Rebull designed the bottle which represented an oval crystal sun with a dove carved on the stopper. The fragrance was named L'Air du Temp.

The famous bottle with the doves L'Air du Temps bottle was created in 1951 and ultimately was developed in several different versions. This bottle was by Robert Ricci and Marc Lalique. At the time, the Lalique family manufactured Ricci's bottles and a close relationship existed between the companies.

In the 1960's, L'Air du Temps was introduced to foreign markets, particularly the United States and Japan.

Madame Ricci died on November 30, 1970, at the age of 87.

After Nina Ricci's death, the perfume business continued to expand. The company prospered and new designers were taken on board. New fragrances were introduced, although L'Air du Temps continues to be largely responsible for the Nina Ricci reputation.

Today Nina Ricci is owned by the Puig Group.