From humble beginnings ...
Christmas 1969. Sixteen-year-old Mike Kittredge, too broke to buy his mother a present, melted some crayons to make her a candle. A neighbor saw it and convinced Mike to sell the candle to her. With that small stake, he bought enough wax to make two candles—one for his mom, and another to sell. That was the birth of Yankee Candle.
…to America's favorite brand of premium scented candles
Yankee Candle has become the most recognized name in the candle business and the country’s best-selling candle brand. Today, we offer over 150 fragrances, a wide range of seasonal and specialty scented candles, home fragrance products, car air fresheners and candle accessories.
The majority of our candles are made by master chandlers (candlemakers) in Massachusetts. Our candles and accessories can be found in our nationwide base of over 475 company-owned retail stores. We also have a vibrant catalog and online business, an expanding North American wholesale customer network (including over 19,000 specialty retailers in the U.S.), our Yankee Candle Fund-Raising division and international distribution.
The future looks bright for new growth and expanding opportunities as we continue to write new chapters in this true American success story.
The diptyque story began in Paris at 34 boulevard Saint-Germain with, at its heart, three friends driven by the same creative passion. Christiane Gautrot was an interior designer, Desmond Knox-Leet, a painter, and Yves Coueslant, a theater director and set designer. The first two collaborated designing fabrics and wallpaper for Liberty and Sanderson.
They were joined by the third in 1961 and opened a shop to display their designs. Yves became the administrator and consultant; Desmond and Christiane were the artistic soul. Bit by bit, with finely honed taste, the trio transformed the site into a one-of-a-kind setting, a kind of stylish bazaar where one found surprising articles unmatched in Paris, mined and conveyed home by the trio over the course of their travels.
We care deeply. At every stage of the process. And we believe in an elevated fragrance experience for everyone, no matter the price point. We use our expert know-how and passion for just-right details to create above and beyond home fragrance, personal fragrance, and beauty products proudly designed and manufactured in the USA. For any style, any space, anyone. We are ILLUME.
ILLUME is a Minnesota-based company of 150 employees and a leader in the world of home fragrance and personal care. Our owned brand and private label products are marketed worldwide and known for quality, style, and trend. We are proud to make and manufacture under one roof in our state-of-the-art facility, home to our R&D, Design, Sales, and Manufacturing teams.