History

Les Parfums de Dana was founded in August 22, 1932 in Barcelona, Spain, by Javier Serra, a former director of Myrurgia, one of Spain’s most prestigious perfume houses. At the time, Serra sought to carve out his own legacy in the perfume industry. From the moment of its establishment, it found favor with the public and aroused the interest of customers because of the quality of its products. The first items introduced by Dana were Tabu, Bolero, and Halago, which made a rapid impression on the market. A year later, in 1933, Emir, 20 Carats and Platine were added to the first three products and were also extremely successful. 

However, the onset of the Spanish Revolution proved to be a significant setback for his business. The revolution forced Serra to rebuild his operations and eventually relocate to Paris in 1936. Toward the end of 1936, Mr. Serra and Mr. Alfred Amand founded Dana-Paris with the modest capital of 25,000 francs. There, he established Dana’s headquarters at 9 rue de la Paix, a prestigious address in the heart of Paris’s luxury district. The move to Paris was pivotal, as it allowed Dana to expand its reach and build a global reputation for fine perfumery. From Paris, Dana rapidly grew into an international enterprise, extending its operations across North and South America, as well as Europe. The company’s expansion into countries such as Argentina, the United States, Canada, and Mexico further solidified Dana’s status as a major player in the global perfume market.

The brand’s name, Dana, was inspired by the Greek mythological figure Danaë, the princess of Argos who was courted by Zeus in the form of golden rain. This myth of beauty and divine allure became the heart of the brand’s identity, symbolizing both elegance and mystery. The company’s logo—a woman’s head—was drawn from a sculpture by the Catalan artist Mariano Andreu, further cementing the connection to Danaë and reinforcing the luxurious and sophisticated image Dana sought to project. Serra chose the house name Dana because the word could be used without change in almost any language.

As Europe was increasingly affected by World War II, Serra’s operations faced another crisis. In May 1940, with the Nazi German invasion of France imminent, Serra was forced to flee Paris for New York, leaving behind his manufacturing plant and his perfume formulas. The challenges of the Spanish Revolution had already disrupted his business, and now war threatened to undo everything he had rebuilt in Paris. Despite these immense challenges, Dana quickly re-established itself in the United States, ramping up production by the end of 1940. The company also expanded its manufacturing in South America. However, the wartime shortage of essential oils and raw materials severely limited Dana’s distribution capabilities.

The end of World War II brought with it a surge of opportunity. Dana’s Paris division had managed to continue creating new fragrances during the German occupation, much to Serra’s surprise. This allowed Dana to return stronger than ever, and the brand quickly regained its momentum in the postwar years. Dana found particular success in the American market, where its perfumes gained lasting popularity, further solidifying the company’s legacy in the perfume industry. Through resilience and adaptability, Dana emerged from the war even more established than before, securing its place in the history of fine fragrance.

 

Before November 7, 1940

• Spanish businessman Javier Serra and his New York-based company, Les Parfums de Dana Inc., owned the rights to the Tabu name and sold perfumes, colognes, and cosmetics worldwide. The Dana brand and its signature scent were created by Serra.
• At the same time, J.L. Younghusband, an American businessman, and his Illinois-based company, Associated Distributors Inc., also owned a Tabu trademark. However, their Tabu products did not contain Dana’s signature scent.

November 7, 1940 – The Dana License Agreement

• To resolve conflicts, both parties signed a 20-year licensing agreement (Dana License) that gave Younghusband’s company exclusive rights to the Tabu name and Dana's signature scent in the U.S. and certain regions. Under the agreement:
• Serra’s company supplied the special fragrance oils to Younghusband’s company.
• Younghusband’s company paid 11% of sales revenue as royalties to Dana.
• Younghusband’s company allocated 25% of sales revenue to advertising.
• The agreement allowed Younghusband’s company to transfer its rights to another entity.

November 23–26, 1940 – Formation of Dana Perfumes Inc. (Indiana)

November 23, 1940: Younghusband formed a new company, Dana Perfumes Inc. (Indiana).

November 26, 1940: Younghusband’s Associated Distributors Inc. transferred the Dana License to the newly established Dana Perfumes Inc. (Indiana).

• Younghusband owned 550 of the 800 shares in the new company.

1941–1946 – Growth & Changing Ownership

• In 1941, Younghusband partnered with J.L. Montenier and Paul Rowatt, forming a business alliance called Consolidated Cosmetics, which took over Associated Distributors Inc.
• Consolidated Cosmetics became the exclusive distributor of Tabu perfumes and colognes in high-end department stores, boutiques, and major drugstores across the U.S.
• By October 21, 1946, Dana Perfumes Inc. (Indiana) had multiple shareholders, including Younghusband, Montenier, and Rowatt.

1947 – Plans to Sell Dana Perfumes Inc. (Indiana)

• Younghusband, now president and majority owner, wanted to sell his share of the business. He informed Paul Rowatt, the second-largest shareholder.
• Rowatt valued Dana (Indiana) at $8 million and explored potential buyers.
• Javier Serra was considered a buyer, and Rowatt met with Serra’s representatives in New York before traveling to France to negotiate. However, Serra could not afford the $8 million asking price.
• Upon Rowatt’s return, Younghusband reconsidered and suggested a lower valuation of $5 million–$5.2 million.
• Rowatt then expressed interest in purchasing Dana (Indiana) himself.

October 1, 1947 – Formation of Dana Perfumes Inc. (Illinois)

• Instead of buying Dana (Indiana) outright, Rowatt formed a new company in Illinois called Dana Perfumes Inc., set to operate until December 31, 1960 (the same year the Dana License was set to expire).
• This avoided double taxation that would have occurred if Dana (Indiana) first sold its assets before distributing proceeds to shareholders.

Post-October 1, 1947 – Dana Perfumes Inc. (Illinois) Takes Over

• The new Illinois company acquired the business, assets, and operations of Dana (Indiana).
• The business remained the same, using the same products and trademarks.
• Dana Perfumes Inc. (Illinois) became its own distributor, ending its reliance on Consolidated Cosmetics, which now hired Dana to manage its business instead of operating independently.
• To ensure continuity, Younghusband remained in charge under a contract until the company's planned closure in 1960.

1957 – Name Change to John Town Inc.

• In 1957, Dana Perfumes Inc. (Illinois) officially changed its name to John Town Inc., a name it has used ever since.

By 1957, Dana-Paris had a corporate capital of 105 million francs. After Dana-New York and Dana-Chicago were organized, Mr. Serra went to Buenos Aires to set up Dana in Argentina and to establish a new center of distribution to supply the South American market. Solidly supported on these four pillars in Spain, Paris, and the United States and Buenos Aires, Dana's profits soared.

Dana Perfumes, over the years, expanded its reach significantly by acquiring the rights to several well-known perfume brands. This expansion included high-profile companies such as Corday, Helena Rubinstein, Cover Girl, Shulton, Max Factor, Houbigant, and Jaclyn Smith Perfumes. Through these acquisitions, Dana took over the production of these brands' perfumes, sometimes reformulating the original scents to suit evolving tastes or production capabilities. Despite these adjustments, Dana often maintained the well-known names of the fragrances, ensuring that the legacy of these established brands continued under the Dana umbrella.

In 1995, the landscape of Dana's ownership changed when the company was acquired by Renaissance Cosmetics, Inc., marking a new chapter for the brand. Renaissance Cosmetics was subsequently acquired by Fragrance Express, Inc., alongside the investment house Dimeling, Schreiber & Park, which led to the rebranding of Dana as the "New Dana Perfume Corporation." This transition marked the start of a new era for Dana, as the company now operated under the umbrella of larger corporate structures. Not long after, Fragrance Express, Inc. was purchased by National Boston Medical Inc., signaling continued corporate restructuring within the fragrance industry.

In 2004, a significant change came when New Dana announced the closure of its 40-year-old Mountain Top facility in Wright Township, Pennsylvania. This facility had long been central to Dana’s operations, serving as the site where Dana products were manufactured, filled, and stored. At the time of the closure, the Dana brand had split into two distinct entities: New Dana Perfume, Inc., which handled the production and distribution of Dana products, and Dana Classic Fragrances, Inc., which owned the trademarks for Dana's iconic fragrances and focused on their marketing and sales. The closure marked the end of an era for the Mountain Top facility, reflecting broader shifts in the perfume industry and Dana's evolving business structure.