S.T. Dupont

150 Years of history of S.T. Dupont

For nearly 150 years, S.T. Dupont has been synonymous with luxury - a combination of creativity, uncompromising quality and unique expertise passed down from generation to generation.

Simon Tissot Dupont

A photographer of Napoleon III and a pioneer with a keen eye for aesthetics, Simon Tissot Dupont opened his first leather goods store in Paris in 1872, just 25 years old.His personalized travel cases quickly became the ultimate accessory for Europe's elite. The leading stores of the late nineteenth century, such as the Grand Magasins du Louvre, chose him as a supplier, and personalities such as Eugénie de Montijo bought their suitcases from Dupont.

The new workshop in Faverges

Lucien and André, the sons of Simon Tissot Dupont, took over in 1919 and in 1924 decided to move the Paris workshop to the family home in Faverges, in Haute-Savoie. With the new workshop on Lake Annecy, the purest lake in Europe, S.T. Dupont products are manufactured in one of the most remarkable natural environments in France.

The innovations that have made the Maison famous

Maison Dupont is distinguished by its remarkable ability to reinvent things, reflected in numerous innovations. This journey of constant evolution extends from the development of the pioneering diamond powder tanning technique in 1930 to the mastery of the art of applying Chinese lacquer to metal, a secret it keeps exclusively to this day.

During the tumultuous times of World War II, the Tissot Dupont brothers ingeniously developed the first luxury gasoline lighter. In 1952, the house ushered in a technical revolution with the introduction of the first luxury gas lighter, the only one that offered the ability to adjust the intensity of the flame via a small lever.

To meet the high expectations of its discerning clientele, the Maison S.T. Dupont responded to a request from Jackie Kennedy Onassis in 1973 by creating the first luxury ballpoint pen, further cementing the company's reputation as a pioneer in luxury goods.

The case makers of kings

As early as 1934, the Maison was hailed by the press as the "suitcase makers of Kings." From crowned heads and film legends to fashion icons, industrial fortunes and political figures, they were all welcomed to the Paris headquarters by Lucien and his staff with the care and attention they deserved.

Among the Maison's illustrious clients was the Duchess of Windsor, who ordered a custom-made travel case in 1945. Two years later, the iconic "Bogie" was born, following an order from Hollywood actor Humphrey Bogart. That same year, S.T. Dupont manufactured the last travel case in its history for Princess Elizabeth of England on the occasion of her marriage to the Duke of Edinburgh.

In 1953, André Tissot Dupont designed the "Riviera" for Audrey Hepburn, a handbag equipped with a secret drawer, further highlighting the Maison's unique combination of luxury and innovation.