Adem Fragrances

The design house AdeM — better known by its full name, Alexandra de Markoff — creates premium cosmetics, skin care products and perfumes using fine ingredients. Founded in 1930 and named after a Russian noble woman of the same name, the house first introduced its cosmetics line. In 1939, AdeM launched the first of its fragrances, Alexandra de Markoff.

In AdeM's first decade, it established itself as a couture leader, drawing the interest of the salon-based cosmetics house Charles of the Ritz, which bought AdeM in 1940. Under its parent company Charles of the Ritz, perfume production blossomed. AdeM released French Jasmin in 1946, Fragrant Fern Cologne in 1948, Tribute in 1951 and the fruity, floral Tiara in 1955.

The late 1950s and the 1960s saw a pause in the introduction of new scents, but in 1972 the house of AdeM introduced Enigma, a timeless fresh floral fragrance still in production today. The house followed with the launch of the earthy floral fragrance, Alexandra, seven years later, which also remains in production today.

In 1986, Yves Saint Laurent bought Charles of the Ritz and AdeM, but sold both the following year to Revlon. Under the parentage of Revlon, AdeM released its most recent scent, No Regrets, in 1994.

Today, AdeM continues to formulate cosmetics, skin care products, and the perfumes Enigma and Alexandra. Its availability now extends beyond salons to department stores and online purveyors.