View source for S. T. Dupont

{{Short description|French luxury goods manufacturing company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = S.T. Dupont S.A.
| logo = St dupont paris logo.png
| logo_size = 250
| type = [[Privately held company|Private]] (1872–1971)<br> [[Subsidiary]] (1971–present)
| industry = [[Luxury goods]]
| fate = Acquired by [[Gillette]] in 1971
| predecessor = <!-- or: | predecessors = -->
| successor = <!-- or: | successors = -->
| founded = {{start date and age|1872}}
| founder = Simon Tissot-Dupont
| defunct = 
| hq_location_city = [[Paris]]
| hq_location_country = [[France]]
| area_served = <!-- or: | areas_served = -->
| key_people = 
| products = [[Bag]]s, [[lighter]]s, [[pen]]s, [[watch]]es
| owner = <!-- or: | owners = -->
| num_employees = 
| num_employees_year = <!-- Year of num_employees data (if known) -->
| parent = [[Dickson Concepts]]<ref>[https://www.dickson.com.hk/brands.html Our brands] on Dickson Concepts website, 24 Nov 2019</ref>
| subsid = 
| brands = 
| operating_income = [[US Dollar|USD]] 50 million <ref name=nyt/><ref name=ap/>
| income_year = 1986
| website = [https://www.st-dupont.com/ st-dupont.com]
}}

'''S.T. Dupont''' is a French [[manufacturing company]] based in [[Paris]], which has been making [[luxury goods]] since its founding in 1872. 
Products commercialised include [[handbag]]s, [[lighters]], collectible [[pen]]s, [[perfume]]s (produced under license by ''Interparfums''), cigarettes (made by [[Philip Morris International]]), and recently other gadgets using the trademark diamond-head pattern.<ref>[http://www.st-dupont.com/en S.T. Dupont website] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111202051834/http://www.st-dupont.com/en |date=2011-12-02 }}</ref>

It is a wholly owned subsidiary of [[Hong Kong]] luxury goods company [[Dickson Concepts]].

== History ==
{{More citations needed section|date=October 2022}}
Simon Tissot-Dupont (born in Savoy in 1847) founded a carriage company which was destroyed in a fire in 1872. The same year, he bought a workshop which made leather briefcases for diplomats and businessmen. In 1884, Dupont became the supplier to one of the world's largest shops – Les Grands Magasins du Louvre – while maintaining his private clientele.

Dupont handed over his company in 1919 to his sons, Lucien and André, who, trading under the name of ''Les Fils de S.T. Dupont'' (the Sons of S.T. Dupont), relaunched the activity. They focused on high-quality travel cases and accessories. Craftsmen were employed and patents were taken out to protect industrial secrets. 250 workers and 17 separate traders were involved in the manufacture, including goldsmiths, woodworkers, engravers, leather craftsmen, lacquer workers, and locksmiths.

S.T. Dupont transferred its workshops from {{Ill|Rue Dieu|fr|Rue Dieu (Paris)}} in Paris back to the family's hometown of [[Faverges]] in Savoy in 1924. In 1929, Lucien Tissot-Dupont was invited to New York by [[Louis Cartier]] to present his travel cases in their 5th Avenue shop. On the ship going to New York, he learned about the Wall Street crash. In response, on his subsequent return to Paris, he decided to move even further upmarket and cater to clients unaffected by the crash.

In 1971, [[Gillette (brand)|Gillette]] purchased 48% of the stock of S.T. Dupont. In 1987, the company was sold to [[Dickson Concepts]], a [[Hong Kong]] retailer of fashion products, watches and jewellery,<ref name=nyt>[https://www.nytimes.com/1987/08/27/business/company-news-gillette-is-selling-a-unit.html Gillette is selling a unit] on ''The New York Times'', Aug 27, 1987</ref> as part of a restructuring plan announced by Gillette.<ref name=ap>[https://apnews.com/760f442b6b0b77e52a6e26dcf3607945 Gillette Selling French Unit To Dickson Concepts], AP, 27 Aug 1987</ref>

== Products ==
{{multiple image
|perrow = 
|align = right
|direction = horizontal
|total_width = 300
|header =  
|image1 = Dupont lighter.jpg
|image2 = Fountain pen S.T.Dupont.jpg
|footer = Dupont lighter (left) and fountain pen
}}{{More citations needed section|date=May 2020}}
Dupont has gone on to produce lighters, pens, wallets, watches, cigarette (made by [[Philip Morris International]]) and fragrances. The company's first serially-produced lighter was created in 1941 and was made of aluminium, as brass was used as a strategic metal restricted for war purposes only.

From 1958 to 1963, all lighters were constructed of 18k solid gold with 3% brass.{{Citation needed|date=May 2021}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commonscatinline}}
* {{Official|http://www.st-dupont.com/ }}
* [https://gizmodo.com/gadgets/peripherals/st-dupont-creates-palladium-flash-drive-for-the-wellheeled-230020.php Gizmodo: S.T. Dupont Creates Palladium Flash Drive for the Well-Heeled]

{{Pen manufacturers}}
{{Fountain pen manufacturers}}
{{Philip Morris International }}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dupont, S. T.}}
[[Category:Cigarette lighter brands|D]]
[[Category:Fountain pen and ink manufacturers|D]]
[[Category:French brands|D]]
[[Category:Luxury brands|D]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Paris|D]]
[[Category:French companies established in 1872|D]]
[[Category:Philip Morris brands|D]]