Fragrance house

Esteban

Esteban was founded by Jean Max Estéban around a vision of finely decorated objects infused with fragrance. In 1980, the company created scented microporous ceramic, while developing an identity that joined perfume to decorative objects and treated them as carriers of stories and emotional connections. Its classic universe draws on Mediterranean civilization and Japanese refinement, reflecting its France–Japan relationship. Japan became Esteban’s first export market in 1985, followed by a lasting partnership with Nippon Kodo, which acquired Esteban as a subsidiary in 1996, placing it within Nippon Kodo Holdings. Cèdre, launched in 1990, is described in Esteban’s history as an emblematic creation and remains associated with an unchanged olfactory signature. The brand expanded beyond home fragrance with candle refills in 2005, personal perfumes and scented bouquets in 2006. In 2022, Esteban acquired French home-fragrance company Geodesis and retained the Geodesis brand.