Édith Piaf: The legacy of France’s national diva

French singer and cultural icon Édith Piaf died of liver cancer on October 10, 1963, at the age of 47. Known as France’s national diva, she achieved international stardom through famous ballads such as ‘La Vie en rose’ and ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’. Her funeral in Paris drew tens of thousands of mourners, with more than 100,000 fans attending the ceremony at Père Lachaise Cemetery.

In connection to her persona, it is often noted that Piaf wore ‘Bandit’, a mythic chypre leather fragrance created by Robert Piguet in 1944. The scent was composed by Germaine Cellier, one of the 20th century’s most significant perfumers. The fragrance, described as dark and rebellious, was also reportedly used by other icons such as Marlene Dietrich.