Since 1795...
Initially a manufacturer of surgical instruments and precision blades, Maison Vitry accompanied the evolution of professional gestures before entering pharmacies in the 1950s .
Passed down from generation to generation , the brand has managed to preserve the quality of manual work , while modernizing its tools and processes.
Even today, each instrument is adjusted, checked and verified individually.
13th → 18th century
In Nogent-en-Bassigny, monks who were blacksmiths crafted swords and metal instruments as early as the Middle Ages. Their mastery of tempering , polishing , and edge-shaping forged the foundations of Nogent's expertise.
In the 18th century, Nogent became one of the four major cutlery centers in France , alongside Thiers, Paris, and Châtellerault. The pieces produced here are distinguished by their precision and fine craftsmanship.
Vitry House Foundation
Following the Revolution, the Directory sold the priory.
The Vitry brothers set up their factory on rue de Paris , in Nogent-le-Bas, in the old buildings of the Priory mill.
They specialize in:
Daguin (1860) cites Vitry among " the houses most consistent in the quality of its blades ".
Regional Growth & Recognition
At the time, the organization of work was based on a team of 30 to 70 workers depending on the season, working 11 hours a day, with meticulous manual control of the cutting to the tip.
At the beginning of the 19th century, Vitry developed its own independent production and supplied:
surgeons, barber-hairdressers and professional seamstresses.
Precision is not just aesthetic: it guarantees the effectiveness of the action.
Vitry participated in the great industrial exhibitions of the 19th century, showcases of French excellence.
PARIS : Award-winning exhibitor of the prestigious Nogentais
LONDON : Special mention for the fineness of the polishing
PHILADELPHIA : International Award
VIENNA : Honorable Mention
BORDEAUX : Medal of Excellence
In 1907, Vitry was integrated into the Thinet company, headed by Jules Thinet , engineer and inventor.
He modernized the production tool by introducing high-precision sharpening machines, mechanical polishing and regulated hardening.
Thinet filed the patent for the disposable blade razor , which made the company famous in medical and professional circles.
VITRY CATALOGUE 1907
Extract from the archives of a Vitry catalogue from the early 1900s , presenting its high-precision accessories — razors, scissors, nail clippers... — and testifying to a know-how that was already a century old.
In 1954 , his grandson Maxence Villiers redirected the brand towards expert beauty and launched the very first manicure-pedicure range available in pharmacies.
1955 : Vitry introduces the first display of beauty accessories in pharmacies.
From the 1980s onwards, the brand was exported to more than 50 countries .
In 2006 , a new production site opened in Bignon (near Nantes), combining craftsmanship & technology.
2005: Under the impetus of Frédéric de Grandcourt, son-in-law of Maxence Villiers, Vitry took a strategic turn by extending its know-how to cosmetics .
The launch of Pro'Expert Repair Care marks the beginning of a complete routine in pharmacies and the rise of Vitry as a leader in nail care in France.
Since then , the brand has developed clean and effective formulas and created the Be Green collection , composed of up to 84% bio-sourced ingredients. Its lifetime-guaranteed, repairable, and traceable accessories illustrate its commitment to sustainable beauty.
Today : Vitry has a presence in more than 50 countries and is preparing to launch its new international e-commerce site in 2026.
Vitry offers a complete vision of beauty, with ranges of accessories and cosmetics designed to enhance nails, face and body.
The Vitry house,
beauty expert since 1795.
