The style of perfume bottles changed dramatically
in the late 1800's. There was a great incline
of the arts movement called Art Nouveau. Most
Art Nouveau designs consisted of floral motifs,
and were primarily used to design the perfume
label and box, leaving the perfume bottles fairly
traditional in styling.
Several famous pieces of this time were the
Bouquet Nouveau, Royal Vaissier, and Cri du
Coeur. The Bouquet Nouveau was a Roger &
Gallet perfume. It had a square green-glass
bottle with an unusual gilded brass casing.
Royal Vaissier displayed magnificent Art Nouveau
style paper motifs in the form of a fleur de
lys designed by Baccarat. Cri du Coeur (Cry
from the heart) was a Lorenzy-Palanca powder
box. It had a woman-flower image which is a
rare high-style Art Nouveau icon.
Belle Epoque was the preferred style for perfume
presentations at this time. The style tended
to be traditional, cluttered, very elegant and
very French. Examples of perfume bottles of
this style were Coronis by Monpelas and Roger
& Gallet's Gloire de Paris.
A new trend in perfume bottles was creating
luxurious crystal look bottles with elaborate
brass caps. The bottles had classic designs,
and the brass caps matched the ornate gold labels
and boxes. Examples of this style were Rose
Ispahan and Prince Igor by Riguard, Rose de
Chiraz by F. Wolff & Sohn, Stylis by Delettrez,
Eros by Richard Hudnut, Le Lilas by Riguard,
and Mavis by Vivaudou.
The
1910's brought a new tradition in perfume bottles. The
emergence of psychology and new perfume creations led
to much more complex perfume bottles and names. The power
of suggestion and dreams was having a huge effect on cultures
in general, and perfumes were also effected. Perfumes
were being marketed for specific times of day, seasons,
and people. Guerlain introduced the perfume "Voila
pourquoi j'aimais Rosine" (That is why I loved Rosine).
The bottle resembled a vase, and the stopper was concealed
under silk flowers. The bottle shape was again used in
Guerlain's "Muguet" (Lily of the Valley). It
was later re-introduced in all white with a white ribbon
replacing the silk flowers. This presentation was an immediate
success. Guerlain later introduced "Le Mouchoir de
Monsieur" (The Gentleman's Handkerchief) which had
an innovative bottle with the shape of a triangle and
a spiral motif on each side.
Other
creative perfume bottles of this time were "Rediviva"
(Revived) by La Compagnie Francais du Lysogene. It was
shaped like a porcelain coffeepot, and the perfume was
dispensed through the end of the spout. Illusion was presented
by Dralle in 1908. It had a silver case shaped like a
lighthouse, and the perfume bottle was held in this case.
Rene Lalique was approached in 1906 by the perfumer Francois
Coty to design the bottles for his perfumes. Coty was
well established in the perfume industry and desired both
beautiful and affordable bottles to hold his perfumes.
Lalique was successful in fulfilling Coty's wishes, and
continued to design bottles for his future creations.
His most famous designs include Au Coeur des Calices,
L'Entrainement and Ambre Antique. He also designed bottles
for other perfumers. Some of his most famous creations
were developed for Houbigant, Roger et Gallet, D'Orsay,
Forvil, and Arys and Molinard.
The
Oriental Movement in Paris began in 1910 by Paul Poiret,
a famous designer. Pioret introduced an Oriental style
in clothing, furnishings and perfumes. Women who longed
to wear the gowns he designed, but could not afford them,
could still wear the perfume. For women who did wear his
collections, the perfume was the final touch. Poiret developed
a new perfume "Chez Pioret" with beautiful and
innovative packaging. The bottle was made of clear glass
with a colored glass stopper. It was decorated with gold
tassels, and had a new label with a classic "R".
Pioret used his boxes as a tool for expressing the style
of the fragrance.
Bichara Malhame was a very successful perfumer in Paris.
His famous label on his perfumes portrayed himself seizing
a mythological figure of Fortune by the hair. He also
appeared on a Baccarat stopper wearing a wig, and appearing
as an English judge.
