VeBe Paris was a French company known for its elegantly crafted vaporizers and atomizers, operating primarily during the postwar years and into the 1970s. The firm was established by Bompois et Viard at 123 rue Saint-Maur in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, a district known at the time for artisanal workshops and small-scale manufacturers. VeBe held several patents beginning in 1946, and although their earliest focus was on vaporizers for brilliantine—a popular men's hair grooming product—they soon expanded into the manufacture of portable atomizers designed for women.
Their compact travel atomizers, intended for use in a pocket or handbag, became an appealing alternative to bulky perfume bottles and were marketed as both functional and fashionable. These refillable accessories reflected the growing mid-century demand for convenient, modern solutions for on-the-go lifestyles, particularly for those who valued luxury and discretion.
The company's most famous design, the Ambassade, was launched in 1966 and quickly became a signature piece. Ambassade atomizers are rectangular in shape, often finished in a gold-toned metal and designed with a variety of decorative treatments. Styles included Limoges porcelain inserts, colorful tweed fabric coverings, enameled surfaces, or engine-turned guilloché motifs, blending traditional French decorative arts with contemporary fashion sensibilities.
In a 1966 issue of L’Express, the Ambassade was described as:
“Created by Vébé, AMBASSADE is made to be offered to all women of taste by those who want to choose an original, practical and elegant gift. Absolutely waterproof, it vaporizes from the first pressure, without ever altering your perfume… More than one hundred and thirty models from 12 F to 84 F, on sale in perfumeries and department stores around the world.”
VeBe vaporizers were sold globally, with a product line that emphasized both variety and accessibility. Their range included over 130 different models across multiple price points, from simple brass-finish pieces to luxurious versions adorned with fine detailing. The atomizers were marketed not only as gifts of refinement, but also as technologically superior products: waterproof, leakproof, and capable of delivering a fine mist with a single press.
Records from 1949, in the Guid’ ouest africain, reinforce the company's origins in haircare accessories, noting the firm’s production of adaptable vaporizers for brilliantine bottles, suitable for travel and personal grooming. Their products had become staples for both men's and women's grooming kits by the 1950s.
A 1974 entry in the Bulletin officiel des annonces civiles et commerciales gives insight into the company’s later operations. By this time, the firm was incorporated as a SARL (Société à responsabilité limitée) with a capital of 20,000 francs, headquartered at 5 impasse Veran, with its manufacturing and retail functions continuing at the historic 123 rue Saint-Maur address. The same record confirms that the premises were leased to Vaporisateurs à Brillantine Viard et Cie, showing continuity in the company’s name and branding strategy.
Today, VeBe’s atomizers—especially the Ambassade line—are prized by collectors for their elegant construction, diversity of decorative finishes, and the way they reflect postwar France’s devotion to design, luxury, and utility in even the smallest everyday objects.
