The Fragrance Of Power: Jfk's Scent Choice

John F. Kennedy's favourite fragrance was Eight & Bob by Albert Fouquet, a perfume the former US president discovered while vacationing in France in 1937. Kennedy was so taken with the scent that he asked Fouquet for a bottle, and the rest is history.

John F. Kennedy's favourite fragrance was Eight & Bob by Albert Fouquet

Fouquet obliged and left a sample of the cologne at Kennedy's hotel, along with a cheeky note that read, "In this bottle, you will find the dash of French glamour that your American personality lacks." Kennedy was so taken with the fragrance that, upon returning to the United States, he sent Fouquet a letter requesting eight more samples, "and if your production allows, another one for Bob" (Bob being Kennedy's younger brother, Robert Kennedy).

Thus, the brand Eight & Bob was born. The fragrance became popular among Hollywood actors and the wealthy, including Cary Grant and James Stewart. Unfortunately, Fouquet died in a car accident in 1939, and his butler, Philippe, who had assisted him in perfume-making, took over the orders. During World War II, Philippe hid the bottles inside hand-cut books to prevent them from being seized by the Nazis. After the war, Philippe never made the perfume again.

Decades later, Philippe's family recovered the formula and production process, and Eight & Bob was relaunched after being dormant for over 60 years. The relaunched fragrance is sold worldwide and remains a well-guarded secret, with only a few known ingredients, including extracts of the "Andrea" plant. The scent has been described as a "woody vanilla" and is considered a unisex fragrance.

JFK discovered Eight & Bob while touring France in 1937

John F. Kennedy's favourite fragrance was Eight & Bob by Albert Fouquet, which he discovered while touring France in 1937.

The story of how JFK discovered his favourite fragrance is a fascinating one. In 1937, Kennedy, then a college student, was touring France. He struck up a conversation with a young Frenchman named Albert Fouquet about the fragrance he was wearing. Fouquet, an aristocrat, was an amateur perfumer who created essences for his personal use, with the help of his valet, Philippe. Intrigued by the scent, Kennedy asked Fouquet for a bottle, and the Frenchman kindly obliged, leaving a sample at Kennedy's hotel with a note that read: "In this bottle/jar, you will find the dash of French glamour that your American personality lacks."

Upon returning to the United States, Kennedy wrote to Fouquet, expressing his appreciation for the fragrance and its success among his friends. He requested eight more samples, adding, "and if your production allows, another one for Bob" (Bob being Kennedy's baby brother, Robert Kennedy). Thus, the brand Eight & Bob was born. The scent became popular among Hollywood actors and the wealthy, including Cary Grant and James Stewart. Unfortunately, Fouquet died in a car accident in 1939, and with the Nazi invasion, his butler, Philippe, was forced to flee, leaving the perfume recipes and bottles hidden. Decades later, Philippe's family recovered the formula and production process, and Eight & Bob was relaunched after being dormant for over 60 years.

JFK requested eight samples of Eight & Bob, and one for Bob (his brother, Robert Kennedy)

John F. Kennedy's favourite fragrance was Eight & Bob by Albert Fouquet. JFK discovered the scent while vacationing in France in 1937. He was so captivated by the fragrance worn by Fouquet that he requested a sample, which the perfumer left at his hotel with a note that read, "In this bottle, you will find the dash of French glamour that your American personality lacks."

Upon returning to the United States, Kennedy wrote to Fouquet, expressing his appreciation for the fragrance and its success among his friends. He requested eight more samples, adding, "and if your production allows, another one for Bob." Bob, of course, was Kennedy's younger brother, Robert Kennedy.

The unique name of the fragrance, Eight & Bob, was inspired by Kennedy's request for eight samples and an additional one for his brother. This story showcases the fascinating origin of the Eight & Bob brand, which has now become a legendary fragrance with a rich history.

The relationship between Kennedy and Fouquet didn't end there. Kennedy's father, Joe, shared the fragrance with his Hollywood friends, leading to requests from celebrities such as Cary Grant and James Stewart. Unfortunately, Fouquet passed away in a car accident in 1939, and his butler, Philippe, took over the orders. During World War II, Philippe hid the bottles inside hand-cut books to prevent them from being seized by the Nazis. After the war, Philippe never produced the perfume again.

Decades later, Philippe's family rediscovered the formula and production process, bringing Eight & Bob back to the market. The fragrance has now been relaunched after being dormant for over 70 years, allowing people to experience the same scent worn by JFK. The ingredients remain a closely guarded secret, but it is known to contain extracts of the "Andrea" plant, discovered by Fouquet in Chile. With its limited availability and mysterious allure, Eight & Bob has become a sought-after fragrance with a unique connection to JFK.

Eight & Bob was re-released in 2023 for the first time in 60 years

John F. Kennedy's favourite fragrance was Eight & Bob by Albert Fouquet. Kennedy first encountered the scent while vacationing in France in 1937. He met the perfumer, Albert Fouquet, and was captivated by the fragrance he was wearing.

Fouquet left a sample of the cologne at Kennedy's hotel, along with a note that read: "In this bottle, you will find the dash of French glamour that your American personality lacks." Kennedy was so taken with the scent that he wrote to Fouquet requesting eight more samples, "and if your production allows, another one for Bob" – Bob being Kennedy's brother, Robert Kennedy.

The fragrance became popular among Hollywood actors and the wealthy set, including Cary Grant and James Stewart. However, in 1939, Fouquet died in a car accident. His butler, Philippe, who had often assisted him in perfume-making, continued to fulfil orders. When World War II started, Philippe hid the bottles inside books to prevent them from being seized by the Nazis. After the war, Philippe never made the perfume again.

Decades later, Philippe's family recovered the formula and production process, and in 2023, Eight & Bob was re-released for the first time in 60 years. The ingredients remain a closely guarded secret, but it is known to contain extracts of the "Andrea" plant, which can only be harvested in December and January, with only 7% of the harvest being usable. Perfume connoisseurs have described Eight & Bob as a "woody vanilla" with a unisex scent. The perfume is sold in a hardcover book, paying homage to Philippe's clever Nazi-outsmarting packaging technique.

JFK also wore America One by Krigler

John F. Kennedy is said to have worn four different fragrances: Jockey Club by Caswell Massey, 4711 (a German cologne), Vetiver by Creed, and Eight & Bob. The last of these, Eight & Bob, has the most interesting backstory.

In 1937, while touring France as a college student, Kennedy struck up a conversation with Albert Fouquet, a Frenchman who dabbled in perfume-making. Kennedy was captivated by the scent that Fouquet wore and requested a sample. The fragrance, later named Eight & Bob, was sent to Kennedy's hotel with a note that read, "In this jar, you will find the dash of French glamour that your American personality lacks."

Upon returning to the United States, Kennedy wrote to Fouquet, requesting eight samples and "if your production allows, another one for Bob" (referring to his brother, Robert Kennedy). Thus, the brand Eight & Bob was born. The fragrance became popular among Hollywood actors and the wealthy, including Cary Grant and James Stewart.

However, in 1939, Fouquet died in a car accident, and his butler, Philippe, took over the orders. During World War II, Philippe hid the bottles inside hand-cut books to prevent them from being seized by the Nazis. After the war, Philippe never made the perfume again. Decades later, Philippe's family recovered the formula, and the scent was relaunched in 2013, over 60 years after it was last produced.

In addition to Eight & Bob, JFK also wore America One by Krigler. This fragrance was first created in 1931 by Albert Krigler, a chemist who founded the Krigler fragrance brand in 1904. Krigler crafted America One as the first scent to be created in the United States, celebrating the American people and their spontaneous spirit. JFK chose this fragrance because it was also worn by Ernest Hemingway, and he reserved it for very special occasions. America One has a blend of vetiver, bergamot, neroli, and citrus scents, giving it a fresh and spicy aroma that became known as "the fragrance of the leader."

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