Evyan Perfumes, a notable name in the American fragrance industry, emerged in the mid-1930s as a formidable challenger to the French-dominated perfume market. The brand was founded by Baron Walter Langer von Langendorff, an Austrian chemist of considerable education and expertise, and his British-born wife, Evelyn Diane Westall, who was affectionately known as Lady Evyan. The name "Evyan" itself is a contraction of Evelyn Diane, paying homage to his beloved wife.
Baron Walter Langer, also recognized professionally as Dr. Walter Langer, was deeply enamored with his wife, a sentiment that inspired the creation of their perfume house. This personal connection to the brand is reflected in the choice of name. Under the Evyan banner, the couple established a diverse holding company encompassing several entities, including Dr. Walter Langer Co., Westall, Westfall, Estall, Felice Co., and Hartnell. This network of companies allowed them to innovate and assert their presence in the competitive world of perfumery, challenging the established dominance of French fragrance houses.
The Langers set out to create a perfume that would resonate with American women, distinctively free from the pretentious associations often linked to French fragrances. Their vision for Evyan Perfumes was to establish a brand deeply rooted in American craftsmanship, reflecting a commitment to authenticity and quality. Every aspect of the perfume, from the scent itself to the packaging, was meticulously crafted within the United States. This dedication to domestic production underscored their belief that fragrance could be celebrated as a genuine art form, using only the finest ingredients available.
In its formative years, the company was known under the early name of the Evelyn Westall Company of New York. This name not only honored Lady Evyan but also highlighted the brand's focus on American innovation and artistry in perfumery. By ensuring that all elements of their creations were sourced and produced locally, the Langers distinguished Evyan as a uniquely American perfume house, dedicated to providing a sophisticated yet accessible alternative to its European counterparts.
The Evyan perfume company, which had made a mark in the industry with its distinctive American-made fragrances, also operated under the name Estall. In 1948, the company introduced a new fragrance under this name, further expanding its product line and establishing its presence in the market.
In a significant industry development, the Elizabeth Arden organization acquired several notable fragrance and skincare brands over the years. In 1988, Elizabeth Arden purchased Chesebrough's former Parfums International, along with Evyan and Erno Laszlo, marking a strategic expansion into luxury fragrances and skincare. The acquisition of Fabergé in 1989 further enhanced their portfolio, bringing in an array of iconic products.
The acquisition spree continued in 2001 when Elizabeth Arden, Inc. (formerly known as French Fragrances, Inc.) expanded its reach by acquiring additional prestigious brands. This included Elizabeth Arden's own skincare, cosmetics, and fragrance lines, as well as the renowned Elizabeth Taylor fragrance brands and the White Shoulders fragrance brand. This consolidation of high-profile brands solidified Elizabeth Arden’s position in the beauty and fragrance industry.
Overhamm v. Westall, 271 A.D.2d 492 (1946). Dec. 13, 1946 · New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division. 271 A.D.2d 492
Wolf J. Overhamm, Trading under the Name of Parfums Hartnell Distributors, Appellant-Respondent,
v.
Evelyn Westall, Individually and Doing Business under the Name of Evelyn Westall Company, et al., Respondents-Appellants
In this case, Wolf J. Overhamm, who ran a business distributing perfumes under the name Parfums Hartnell, was in a legal dispute with Evelyn Westall and her husband, Walter Langer. Westall and Langer were involved in making and packaging perfumes, and Westall had a contract with a company named Nanty, Inc., allowing her to use the "Hartnell" name for their perfumes in the U.S.
Overhamm had a separate agreement with Westall to be the exclusive distributor of these Hartnell perfumes. This agreement required Overhamm to buy the perfumes from Westall and promote them vigorously, while Westall promised not to sell to anyone else.
Problems started when Westall and Langer demanded extra money for the perfumes due to increased production costs, which Overhamm believed was an unfair price hike. Shortly after, Nanty, Inc., asked Westall for additional royalties on this extra money. Westall refused and then informed Overhamm that the contract with Nanty was void and that they would stop supplying the perfumes. This left Overhamm in a tough spot, as he couldn't fulfill existing orders and was worried about his business.
To protect himself, Overhamm quickly made a new deal directly with Nanty to continue distributing the Hartnell perfumes. However, he did not inform Westall and Langer about this new deal. Westall and Langer then stopped supplying Overhamm with perfumes and found a new distributor for their products, which they continued to market under the names "White Shoulders," "Menace," and "Gray Diversion."
Overhamm sued Westall and Langer, arguing that they were violating their agreement by selling these perfumes through a new distributor, which caused confusion and hurt his business. He sought an injunction (a court order to stop them) and damages.
The court decided that Westall and Langer had breached their contract with Overhamm by terminating it improperly and causing him harm. The court granted an injunction preventing Westall and Langer from selling the perfumes under those names unless through Overhamm, acknowledging that he had built the value of those names with his efforts. The court also ordered that Westall and Langer's counterclaims be resolved without a referee and without requiring Overhamm to post a bond.
In summary, the court sided with Overhamm, protecting his rights to distribute the perfumes and ensuring that the value he created was not unfairly undermined by Westall and Langer.
I loved "Most Precious"... I wonder if ElizArden reissued it under another name....
ReplyDeleteAm unaware if MP was ever reissued. Am aware of a seller with the full line of MP in original ..unopened.. factory sealed individual boxes . Also seller appears to have case inventory of most popular MP items.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, it has not. I would suspect that the seller has old store stock which was unused by a retailer and sat in storage somewhere for a few decades. Perhaps a store went out of business, or Parfums Evyan sold off what was left in their warehouse when the scent was discontinued.
DeleteWalter Langer's life story is much more colorful than mentioned in this blog. Walter Langer was born in Přívoz, Ostrava ( which was then Austria Hungarian Empire, later Czechoslovakia.), one of three sons of Franz Langer and Berta Messing. His family had a long history in the railroad industry; his father worked as a railway clerk and an office dispatcher at the station in Přívoz, one of his grandfathers was a train driver, and the other was a railway supervisor. His paternal family was originally from Bravantice, and his maternal family from Šunychl. Walter Langer attended primary and secondary schooling in Ostrava and later studied chemistry in Wien (Vienna) where he obtained a doctorate degree. While living in Vienna, he was also briefly married and had a daughter, though the marriage was later dissolved.
ReplyDeleteBy 1926, Langer first came to the United States and settled in New York where he took up figure skating, training under Austrian figure skater Willy Böckl, four-time World Champion and two-time Olympic silver medallist. He also worked as a chemist in the cosmetics industry for Marinello. A member of the Winter Sports Club and Skating Club of New York, Langer competed in domestic competitions including at the 1928 U.S. Championship in New Haven, Connecticut where he placed third. Over the next few years, he continued to perform in skating carnivals and exhibitions in New York as well as in Czechoslovakia. He also had business interests in Breslau (now Wrocław) as well as in Havana, Cuba. A resident of Brooklyn at the time, Langer represented his birth country of Czechoslovakia at the 1932 Olympic Winter Games held in Lake Placid, New York and placed 10th in men’s singles. During the Olympics, he also reported back to Europe on the events for the Ostrauer Zeitung. Langer retired from competition shortly after the Games, but continued to be active in the sport as an accredited judge.
Becoming an American citizen in 1932, Langer established himself in New York City as a leading expert in cosmetics and also worked as a consultant chemist for the American Metals Company (AMCO). Marrying an Englishwoman, the former Eveline Westall Castle in 1936, Langer and his wife went on to run a successful perfume company, Evyan Perfumes in 1946, which became known for its signature scent, White Shadows.
Thank you for the wonderful backstory on Walter Langer. The signature scent was White Shoulders though....they also had a perfume called Golden Shadows...
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