Perfume maker Guerlain due in court over racial slur

Feb 9, 2012, 9:29 GMT

Paris - French star perfume maker Jean-Paul Guerlain was due in court in Paris Thursday on charges of making racial insults during a television interview in 2010.

Guerlain, 75, a descendant of the perfume house's founder who was renowned as a 'nose,' was talking about his work on one of Guerlain's famous scents, Samsara.

'I worked like a nigger. I don't know if niggers have always worked like that, but anyway,' he told France 2 television.

His remarks caused a scandal, with black community leaders in France and the United States expressing shock at his ease in using the racial slur.

Three anti-racism associations filed complaints against him. Guerlain, the company, condemned the remarks.

Guerlain, who had retired from the company in 2002 but was still acting as an advisor to its perfume maker, apologized for the 'shocking words,' which he said 'in no way' reflected his thinking.

He faces up to six months in prison and 22,500 euros (30,000 dollars) in fines.