The CARITA sisters
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Hairdressers and creators of cosmetics.
Trained in Toulouse in the 1920s, the two sisters came up to Paris in 1943 and two years later opened their salon in the faubourg Saint-Honoré, where Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn became their clients. From there a range of cosmetics was born. The stone bears only the dates of their deaths.
The story
Toulouse, in the 1920s: two sisters learned the hairdresser's trade. Maria and Rosy Carita took a prize in 1936, came up to Paris in 1943 and started out at Gervais, in the anonymity of the Right Bank houses.
Two years later they opened an address of their own at 83 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré. Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn were soon among their clients — the Caritas became the most sought-after hairdressers in the Paris of the postwar boom.
Out of that came a range of cosmetics, then the house of Carita. The brand outlived them and still carries their name, which is rare for hairdressers of their generation.
The stone in Division 1, avenue Thirion, says nothing of the salon, nothing of Marilyn Monroe. It carries four names: the two sisters frame Maria's husband, Jacques Norval (1914-1998), and Christophe Carita (1946-1991) — the trade does not appear.
The grave
A family grave with four inscriptions, where the two sisters frame the others: “Maria CARITA, 6 sept 1978, épouse de Jacques NORVAL 1914-1998. Rosy CARITA, 20 juin 1983. Christophe CARITA 1946-1991.” — Maria Carita, 6 September 1978, wife of Jacques Norval. The sisters' dates of birth do not appear — only those of their deaths. Nothing of the salon in the faubourg Saint-Honoré, nothing of Marilyn Monroe.
On site, do not miss
The stone bears four names and, for the sisters, only dates of death — no year of birth, no profession. Jacques Norval (1914-1998) and Christophe Carita (1946-1991) complete the inscription.
Visitors' questions
Where is the Carita sisters' grave?
In Division 1, avenue Thirion, first row. The stone carries four names: Maria, who died on 6 September 1978, her husband Jacques Norval, Rosy, who died on 20 June 1983, and Christophe Carita (1946-1991).
René de BuxeuilWhose hair did the Carita sisters do?
Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, among others: they were the most famous hairdressers in Paris of the post-war boom, working from their salon at 83 rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré, opened in 1945.
Ted LapidusWhere did they come from?
From Toulouse, where they were already hairdressing in the 1920s — Maria had been born there in 1911, Rosy at Villach in 1914. They won a prize in 1936 and came up to Paris in 1943. They had started out at Gervais before opening a salon of their own.
Thierry MuglerDoes the house of Carita come from them?
It does: after the salon, they created their own line of cosmetics. The brand outlived them and still carries their name, which is rare for hairdressers of their generation.
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