There are at least 200 major international manufacturers of perfumes. Here is a selection of 50 of them, with a brief company history and list of their most famous lines. Dates are given where historically significant.

Armani. Italian Fashion house founded in 1975 by Giorgio Armani (born 1934). Perfumes: Acqua di Gió (1996); Sensi; She; He; Privé; Armani Mania.

Balmain. French fashion house founded in 1945 by Pierre Balmain (191482). Perfumes: Vent Fort (1947); Jolie Madame (1953); Ivoire (1979); Eau d'Amazonie (2006).

Bvlgari. Italian luxury goods manufacturer founded in 1884 by Sotirios Bulgari. Perfumes: Bvlgari Pour Femme; Rose Essentielle; Aqua Pour Homme.

Burberry. London-based fashion and luxury accessories company, founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry. Perfumes: Brit; Burberry London; Weekend.

Cacharel. French fashion and accessories company, founded by Jean Bousquet in 1962. Perfumes: Anaïs Anaïs (1979); Loulou (1987); Eden; Amor Amor.

Calvin Klein. American fashion house founded in 1968 by Calvin Klein (born 1942). Perfumes: Obsession (women 1985, men 1986); Eternity (1988); CK One (1995); Truth; Euphoria.

Carolina Herrera. New York-based fashion company founded by Venezuelan designer Carolina Herrera (born 1939). Perfumes: 212, Carolina, Chic.

Caron. French perfume company founded in 1904 by Ernest Daltroff. Perfumes: Tabac Blond (1919); Pour Un Homme (1934); Infini (1970); Parfum Sacré; Yatagan.

Cartier. French jeweller and watchmaker founded in 1847 by Louis-François Cartier. Perfumes: Must de Cartier (1981); Déclaration; Délices de Cartier; Le Baiser du Dragon; Pasha.

Chanel. French fashion house founded in 1910 by designer Coco Chanel (18831971). Chanel No.5 (1921; still Europe's biggest seller); No.19 (there were no other numbers); Coco (1984); Allure (1996); Chance (2002); Platinum Egoiste.

Christian Dior. French fashion house founded in 1946 by designer Christian Dior (190557); now part of the LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy) group. Perfumes: Miss Dior (1947); Diorissimo (1956); Eau Sauvage (1966); Poison (1985); Dolce Vita (1995); Fahrenheit.

Chloé. French fashion house founded in 1956. Perfumes: Chloé (1975), Narcisse (1992).

Clarins. French cosmetics company founded by Jacques Courtin-Clarins in 1954. Owns other brands, including Azzaro, Thierry Mugler and Stella Cadente. Perfumes: Par Amour; Eau Dynamisante.

Comme de Garçons. Fashion house founded by Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo (b.1942). Perfumes: Comme des Garçons 2.

Coty. French cosmetics and perfume company founded by François Coty (18741934). Perfumes: Chypre (1917); Exclamation (1988); Aspen.

Courrèges. French fashion house founded in 1961 by designer André Courrèges (b.1923). Perfumes: Eau de Courrèges; Empreinte.

Davidoff. Swiss brand of luxury products, notably cigars, founded by Zino Davidoff in 1906. Perfumes: Echo; Cool Water; Silver Shadow.

Dunhill. British luxury goods company founded by Alfred Dunhill: Perfumes: Desire (1997); Fresh.

Elizabeth Arden. US-based perfume and cosmetics company founded by Canadian-born Elizabeth Arden (18781966). Brands include Britney Spears fragrances, and Elizabeth Taylor fragrances (White Diamonds, Passion). Perfumes: Blue Grass (1934/1989); 5^th Avenue; Splendor.

Estée Lauder. American perfume and cosmetics company founded in 1946 by Joseph and Estée Lauder. Brands include Aramis and Tommy Hilfiger. Perfumes: Beautiful (1985); Pleasures.

Fendi. Italian fashion company, founded in 1918, and now part of the LVMH group. Perfumes: Celebration, Life Essence.

Floris. London perfume company founded in 1730 by Minorca-born Juan Famenias Floris. Perfumes: floral fragrances in Eau de Parfum and Eau de Toilette.

Givenchy. French fashion house founded in 1952 by designer Hubert de Givenchy (born1927), now owned by LVMH. Perfumes: Monsieur (1959); Insense; Organza; Xeryus; Ysatis; My Couture (2003).

Gucci. Italian fashion house founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci (18811953). Perfumes: Envy (1997); Gucci Rush; Summer.

Guerlain. French perfume house founded in 1828 by Pierre-François Guerlain, and run by the family until 1994, when it was acquired by the LVMH group. Perfumes: Jicky (1889); L'Heure Bleue (1912); Mitsouko (1919); Shalimar (1925); Chamade (1969); Samsara; Vetiver.

Hugo Boss. German fashion house founded in 1923 by Hugo Boss (died 1948). Perfumes: Boss No.1 (1985); Deep Red; Hugo Energise; Soul.

Issey Miyake. Japanese fashion house founded in 1970 by designer Issey Miyake (born1938). Perfumes: L'eau d'Issey (1992); L'eau d'Issey Pour Homme (1994).

Jean Patou. French fashion house founded in 1919 by Jean Patou (18801936). Perfumes: Joy (1930); 1000; Sublime; Enjoy; Sira des Indes.

Jean-Paul Gaultier. French brand created by the fashion designer Jean-Paul Gaultier (born 1952). Perfumes: Classique (1993); Le Mâle (1995); Fragile; Gaultier2 (Gaultier to the power of two).

Joop! German clothing and cosmetics company founded by Wolfgang Joop (born 1944). Perfumes: Joop!; Jump.

Lacoste. French sportswear, clothing and accessories company founded in 1933 by the tennis champion René Lacoste (190496) (who was nicknamed 'The Alligator/Crocodile', hence the logo). Perfumes: Lacoste Pour Femme; Lacoste Pour Homme; Style in Play; Touch of Pink.

Lancôme. French perfume and cosmetics manufacturer founded in 1935, and named after a château. Perfumes: Ô (1969); Magie Noire (1978); Trésor (1990); Miracle.

Lanvin. French fashion house founded by designer Jeanne Lanvin (18671946); her perfume company was founded in 1924. Perfumes: Arpège (1927); Oxygène; Rumeur.

Nina Ricci. French perfume company founded in 1932 by Italian-born Maria 'Nina' Ricci (18831970). Perfumes: L'Air du Temps (1948); Premier Jour; Love in Paris.

Paco Rabanne. French fashion house founded in 1966 by the Spanish-born designer Paco Rabanne (born 1934). Perfumes: Paco Rabanne Pour Elle; Paco Rabanne Pour Homme; XS; Ultraviolet.

Paloma Picasso. A US-based evening wear, jewellery and perfume company founded by Paloma Picasso (born 1949), daughter of the artist Pablo Picasso. Perfumes: Paloma Picasso; Tentations; Minotaure.

Penhaligon's. A British perfume company specialising in products based on classic floral scents, founded by William Henry Penhaligon in the 1860s. Perfumes: Hammam Bouquet (1872); Blenheim Bouquet (1902); English Fern (1911); Lily of the Valley (1976); Bluebell (1978).

Pierre Cardin. French fashion house founded in 1950 by Pierre Cardin (born 1922). Perfumes: Pierre Cardin; Choc de Cardin; Enigma; Centaure.

Ralph Lauren. American fashion company, launched in 1967 as Polo Ralph Lauren, by designer Ralph Lauren (born 1929). Perfumes: Polo (1978); Safari (1990); Glamourous; Blue.

Revlon. American cosmetics company founded in 1932 by Charles Revson and Charles Lachman. Perfumes: Charlie (1973); Charlie Blue (1973); Ciara (1973).

Rochas. French fashion house founded in 1925 by designer Marcel Rochas (190255). Perfumes: Femme (1945); Madame Rochas (1960); Alchimie; Absolu.

Ted Baker. British clothing retail company founded in 1988 by Ray Kelvin. Perfumes: M; W; Endurance.

Thierry Mugler. French fashion house founded in 1974 by designer Thierry Mugler (born 1948). Perfumes: Angel (1992; biggest seller in Europe after Chanel No.5); A*Men/Angel MEN (1996), Alien.

Tommy Hilfiger. American fashion house founded in 1984 by Thomas Hilfiger (born 1951). Perfumes: Tommy; Tommy Girl; True Star (with Beyoncé Knowles)

Trussardi. Italian fashion house of designer Nicola Trussardi (194299), who in 1970 took over a family glove company founded in 1910. Perfumes: Trussardi Jeans; Python.

Ungaro. French fashion house founded in 1965 by Emanuel Ungaro (born 1933, of Italian parents); founded Emanuel Ungaro Perfumes in 1997. Perfumes: Diva (1983); Sensa; Emanuel Ungaro for Men (1997); Desnuda; Apparition.

Van Cleef & Arpels. French jewellery company founded in 1896 by Alfred Van Cleef and Salomon Arpels. Perfumes: Van Cleef; Miss Arpels; First; Zanzibar.

Versace. Italian fashion house founded in 1978 by Gianni Versace (194697). Perfumes: Gianni Versace; Jeans Couture; Versus.

Worth. French fashion house founded as the House of Worth in 1858, by British-born Charles Frederick Worth (18261895), known as the 'father of haute-couture'. Perfumes: Je Reviens (1932).

Yves Saint-Laurent. French fashion house founded in 1962 by designer Yves Saint-Laurent (born 1936). Perfumes: Opium (1977); Nu (2001); Rive Gauche; Kouros; YSL Pour Homme.