Interparfums, Inc.

Prestige fragrances and beauty licensingFounded 1982- HQ today: New York, New York

Founders

Who Founded Interparfums?

Jean Madar, Philippe Benacin · Founded 1982 · HQ today: New York, New York

Who founded Interparfums?

Interparfums was founded by Jean Madar, Philippe Benacin in 1982. It is now led by Jean Madar.

Founders: Jean Madar, Philippe Benacin
Founded: 1982
Headquarters: New York, New York
Number of founders: 2
Current CEO: Jean Madar (since 1997)

Where was Interparfums founded?: Interparfums was founded in Paris, France in 1982.
When was Interparfums founded?: Interparfums was founded in 1982.
Who started Interparfums?: Interparfums was founded by Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin.
How old is Interparfums?: Interparfums is 44 years old as of 2026.

Founding Story

Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin, French business-school friends, started the business in 1982. Early on they sold affordable fragrances; the turning point came in 1993 with the Burberry license, which grew into the company's largest brand. When Burberry paid about $205 million (€181 million) to end the license early in 2012, the founders reinvested in Montblanc, Jimmy Choo, Coach, and other licenses and built a more diversified portfolio.

Jean Madar

Co-founder 1982

Background

Jean Madar is a co-founder of Interparfums and an ESSEC business school graduate. He served as president from inception through 1993, ran Interparfums SA from 1994, and has been CEO of the parent company since January 1997 and its chairman since inception.

Role at Interparfums, Inc.

Jean Madar co-founded Interparfums in 1982 with business-school friend Philippe Benacin. He leads the New York-based parent, Interparfums, Inc., as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, overseeing U.S. operations, capital allocation, and license deals such as GUESS, Donna Karan/DKNY, Ferragamo, and the 2026 David Beckham and Nautica agreements. Jean Madar was born in 1961.

Philippe Benacin

Co-founder 1982

Background

Philippe Benacin co-founded Interparfums in 1982 with Jean Madar. He is President of Interparfums, Inc. and Chairman and CEO of Interparfums SA, the Paris-listed subsidiary that runs the European portfolio.

Role at Interparfums, Inc.

Philippe Benacin leads Interparfums SA in Paris, home to Montblanc, Jimmy Choo, Coach, Lacoste, Lanvin, Rochas, Boucheron, Van Cleef & Arpels, and Moncler fragrances. European operations account for about two-thirds of group sales. Benacin built many of the company's European license relationships after the Burberry license ended in 2012. Philippe Benacin was born in 1959.

Interparfums, Inc.: CEO & Leadership History

Full timeline →

Jean Madar

Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

1997 – Present

Madar has also chaired the parent company's board since its inception. The same governance disclosure identifies co-founder Philippe Benacin as president of the parent and CEO of the French subsidiary, so Benacin is not presented here as a second parent-company CEO.

Philippe Benacin

Co-founder; President of Interparfums, Inc.; Chairman and CEO of Interparfums SA

1982 – Present

Built the European license portfolio, including Montblanc, Jimmy Choo, Coach, and Lacoste, after the Burberry license ended in 2012.

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Who Founded Interparfums? FAQ

Who founded Interparfums and in what year was the company established?

Interparfums was founded in 1982 in Paris, France, by French entrepreneurs and ESSEC business school classmates Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin.

What was the founding vision of Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin in 1982?

Madar and Benacin recognized that prestigious fashion and luxury lifestyle houses possessed large global brand equity, but lacked the specialized perfumery expertise, chemical supply chains, and global cosmetics distribution networks required to build successful fragrance lines.

How did the 19-year partnership with Burberry (1993 to 2012) build the modern Interparfums empire?

Between 1993 and 2012, Interparfums built Burberry fragrances from scratch into a $300M+ global phenomenon (creating well-known hits like Burberry Brit, Touch, and London). In 2012, Burberry exercised its buyout option for €181 million ($235M USD), providing Interparfums with large cash reserves to assemble its current diversified multi-brand portfolio.

When did Interparfums, Inc. list on the NASDAQ stock exchange?

Interparfums, Inc. listed on the NASDAQ in 1988 (under ticker IPAR), while its subsidiary Interparfums SA went public on Euronext Paris in 1995 (under ticker ITP), providing dual-market capital access in both the US and Europe.

How did the founders divide their operational responsibilities across the Atlantic?

To conquer the two most important fragrance markets in the world, Jean Madar established headquarters in New York to build US mass-prestige partnerships, while Philippe Benacin remained in Paris to maintain intimate connections with French master perfumers and European luxury fashion designers.

How do the founders maintain an entrepreneurial family spirit across the global organization?

Despite employing over 600 professionals worldwide, Madar and Benacin maintain a flat, accessible corporate structure where product decisions, scent approvals, and bottle designs are finalized directly in hands-on founder review sessions.

Who founded Inter Parfums?

Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin founded the company. They met as students at the prestigious ESSEC Business School in France. Their absolute genius was checking their ego at the door; they realized they could make massive billions by putting famous designers' names on the bottles rather than trying to build their own brand from scratch.

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Who founded Interparfums?

Founding Story

Jean Madar

Background

Role at Interparfums, Inc.

Philippe Benacin

Background

Role at Interparfums, Inc.

Interparfums, Inc.: CEO & Leadership History

Keep researching Interparfums

Who Founded Interparfums? FAQ

Who founded Interparfums and in what year was the company established?

What was the founding vision of Jean Madar and Philippe Benacin in 1982?

How did the 19-year partnership with Burberry (1993 to 2012) build the modern Interparfums empire?

When did Interparfums, Inc. list on the NASDAQ stock exchange?

How did the founders divide their operational responsibilities across the Atlantic?

How do the founders maintain an entrepreneurial family spirit across the global organization?

Who founded Inter Parfums?

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