ÉMILE history

Émile Rouger was born in Paris in 1885. The son of upper-class parents, he grew up not far from the Bohemian quarter of Montmartre, which had a profound influence on his development.

Much to the displeasure of his father, a tile factory owner, he soon drifted towards the Bohemian way of life frequenting the cafes and bars of his surroundings. Later he travelled extensively throughout Europe, opting to stay in the finest hotels of the time.

Thanks to his sophisticated appearance, he was generally thought of as a dandy, in the best possible sense. His time travelling came to an end when Émile Rouger fell in love – with a city, one suspects it: Vienna. He stayed and soon became a local celebrity once again. His unique savoir-vivre was a welcome addition to the Viennese society. He was a regular guest at the famous Ringstrasse cafés, spend his mornings reading French newspapers in the lobbies of the hotels.

Not surprisingly, he was considered an elegant gentleman in the dance hall Sans Souci in the Bräunerstrase by the 1920s. Although he left Vienna in the early 1930s, something about his character remains to this day – a natural ease.

The joy of a beautiful life of style and enjoyment. We were inspired by his story.