By Silvia Manzoni. Cover image by Antonella Ramos.
Sometimes, iconic perfume bottles can mirror historical eras through their allure, elegance and innovation, anticipating times with scandalous, irreverent and revolutionary designs. To celebrate International Perfume Day (21 of March), here you’ll find a fascinating history of perfume, as told through some of its most unforgettable bottles. These masterpieces of design showcase boundless creativity and reflect their era bearing the signature of their innovative creators who went against the grain. The stories behind these fragrances are truly captivating and more engaging than any Netflix series. Dive into these fantastic stories and prepare to be enchanted!
12 iconic perfume bottles to discover and virtually indulge in
The first one of our iconic perfume bottles is Chanel N°5 (1921)
A square-shaped bottle, with clean, geometric lines was introduced by Mademoiselle Chanel in 1921, in stark contrast to the baroque crystal bottles of that time. Reworked in 1924 to improve its durability, it was inspired by travel bottles for whiskey or men’s toiletries. Some believe it is inspired by the right angles of Place Vendôme, which Coco frequented daily. The octagonal cap certainly is. The label and box, in white drawing paper underlined by a black border, are also a tribute to a minimalist countercurrent aesthetic. “A perfume box should dress the bottle like a coat dresses the whole it covers”, commented Mademoiselle Chanel. N°5 remains the ultimate icon and the most famous perfume in the world, and also owes its success to this transparent bottle, which remains unchanged even after a hundred years.
Iconic perfume bottles for dreaming, Shalimar (1925)
Shalimar is a fragrance that features oriental scents and tells the love story between the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal. Their love was sealed by the construction of the Taj Mahal, which the emperor commissioned in honour of his departed consort. Jacques Guerlain created this evocative fragrance in 1925, and it is still one of the bestsellers of the French house today. His cousin Raymond Guerlain designed the bottle, in collaboration with the great glassmaker Baccarat. Inspired by the basins and water jets of the Shalimar garden, the bottle features arabesques and a coloured cap, which was a first at the time. The bottle was awarded at the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts.
L’Air du Temps (1948)
Created in 1948, the perfume is an ode to peace, love, and freedom. Roberto Ricci, the creator of the perfume, wanted to put a dove on the “torsadé” glass bottle to represent these values. The original designed was made by Joan Rebull, but three years later, Marc Lalique, son of the great glass sculptor René, added a pair of doves to the sculpture-like cap. In 2000, it was given the title of “perfume bottle of the century,” a well-deserved recognition. The bottle has been reinterpreted several times by famous artists like Andy Warhol, Philippe Starck, David Hamilton and Olivia Putman, and still remains a symbol of beauty and grace.
Opium (1977)
In 1977, Yves Saint Laurent launched a new perfume named “Opium,” which evokes the Orient and flirts with provocation. He created this perfume the same year he presented the collection inspired by China and chose its name to break taboos.
Saint Laurent explained: “If I chose Opium, it is because I fervently hoped that, through all its incandescent powers, it would release the divine fluids, the magnetic waves, the heart-captures, and the spells of seduction that give rise to crazy love”.
The intense juice, with patchouli, myrrh, and vanilla, is presented in a bottle inspired by the Inrô, a small precious case worn at the belt by warriors from the Far East. The bottle has a dense and lacquered red colour with a small central glass eye that reveals the amber liquid, making it a traditional object transformed into a modern, avant-garde masterpiece by Saint Laurent’s vision.
Anaïs Anaïs (1979)
“In 1985, everyone wore Anaïs Anaïs. The May 68 students who had become women, theirs younger sisters, and their daughters”, wrote perfume historian Élisabeth de Feydeau. Cacharel’s first perfume was a hit with everyone. Girls wanted to wear it, and their mothers (or grandmothers) wanted to buy them the opaline bottle designed by Annegret Beier.
It was round, translucent white, and had a silvery cap that echoed the atmospheres of the campaign images taken by Sarah Moon, in a milky, deep white. This bottle perfectly captured the flowery and caressing notes of the fragrance, which became a global sensation in the 80s. Girls everywhere dreamed of living the adventures of Vic-Sophie Marceau, the protagonist of The Party, while wearing this perfume.
L’Eau d’Issey (1992)
In the early 1990s, the Japanese couturier reluctantly decided to launch a perfume that was released in 1992. However, he had one condition: “it must smell like water”.
In short, he imposed a minimalist and artificial-free vision of perfume in a time when opulence was still prominent, as a legacy of the 80s. The idea for the bottle design came to him while observing the moon shining from behind the Eiffel Tower from his apartment window. The metallic cap that adorns the end of the sleek, pure, conical bottle features a crystal sphere. This simplicity is a manifesto of elegance that perfectly matches the soft, flowery freshness of the fragrance.
Angel (1992)
Thierry Mugler had a great fascination with stars, to the point that he wanted a perfume bottle shaped like one. He wanted star with tapered points, but French glassmakers initially refused to try as it seemed like an impossible challenge. All except Verreries Brosse. After months of research, it managed to develop a rotating mold that allowed him to pour the glass harmoniously into all parts of the star. The resulting bottle was unique with its magnetic bluish colour, which was unusual for a feminine perfume.
This celestial inspiration gave Angel, which was launched in 1992, a prominent place in the starry firmament of star creations, making it even more legendary and projecting it into a cosmic future. Mugler’s avant-garde approach was also extended to the creation of a refilling system called “Mugler Fountain” designed to reduce waste. It was the perfect bottle to bring Mugler’s dream of a perfume that would remind him of the amusement park and snacks of his childhood, with those famous gourmand notes of praline and cotton candy.
Le Mâle (1995)
Everyone knows Jean-Paul Gaultier for his irreverent and nonconformist creativity in fashion. His signature pieces include bustiers, famously worn by Madonna, and the marinière, a sailor’s striped T-shirt that he regularly wears. In 1995, he released Le Mâle, a men’s fragrance that revolutionised the industry with its shock bottle.
It is shaped like an athletic male bust wearing in a blue T-shirt with a striped pattern. To top it all off, the fragrance is sold in a tin jar of anthracite gray instead of a paper box. Le Mâle presented a new image of man, inspired by a heart-stealing sailor with an irresistible sense of irony.
J’adore (1999)
This highly artistic perfume bottle was designed by Hervé Van der Straeten. It is sealed with a golden ring ornament around the neck, which is reminiscent of Maasai necklaces, and a cap with a diamond-like transparent cabochon. The shape of this precious amphora resembles a female body and is reminiscent of the New Look models that revolutionised fashion in 1947.
The perfume was launched in 1999 and has been a huge a success ever since. A special edition was created in 2012 for L’Absolu with artist Jean-Michel Othoniel and Murano glassmaker Salviati. This fragrance speaks of luxury, Olympian goddesses, splendour, and dreams, embodied by Carmen Kass and later by Charlize Theron. The curvy design of the bottle is an expression of desire and elevation.
Flower by Kenzo (2000)
In the year 2000, Kenzo released a new perfume with a poppy as its emblem, a flower significant to its Japanese Creator. A stem that rises luminous, proud, and speaks of peace, tenderness, and nature. Sculptor Serge Mansau (aptly nicknamed “l’homme aux 250 flacons”) designed a light and slightly inclined monolith with the image of a poppy, looking like a Pop decal, an odorless flower whose colour represents joy.
The initial idea of creating a perfume around a flower that simbolises fragility was initially proposed by the then-creative director, Patrick Guedj. He was inspired by a photograph taken by Marc Riboud in 1967 during a pacifist demonstration in Washington amidst the Vietnam War. The photograph shows a young woman holding a flower in her hands, facing a group of soldiers armed with bayonets. Since then, Kenzo’s poetic flower has since been reinterpreted several times, while still maintaining its essence of optimism and encouraging people to smile.
One Million (2008)
Paco Rabanne, the Spanish who had made metal his preferred material, dared to introduce a masculine fragrance in a bottle shaped like a gold bar, with the name One Million, to tell a story of success, wealth, and opulence. This provocative move was completely aligned with designer’s codes and style. He was the first designer to introduce it into collections. One of his most famous creations was a dress for Françoise Hardy, known as “the most expensive dress in the world”.
The dress was composed of 1,000 9kg gold plates, 300-carat diamonds, 5,000 gold rings, and 22 diamonds. One Million was launched in July 2008 and quickly became the world’s best-selling men’s eau de toilette. Just two years after its launch, 20 million units had already been sold. The bottle’s creator, Noé Duchaufour-Lawrance, is a famous name in the design’s landscape. The logo with the name is inspired by the world of the Wild West with a graphic style that pays homage to the gold rush. One Million is a sculpture with a scent of power, and is a true object of desire.
La Vie est Belle (2012) closes the loop of our best 12 iconic perfume bottles ever
This perfume, which became a worldwide bestseller, is an invitation to enjoy life and happiness. The bottle itself has a poetic name – “le sourire de cristal” (the crystal smile), because of its wide base that resembles a smile. It was created by Georges Delhomme, who was the artistic director of Lancôme, in 1949. The house’s founder, Armand Petitjean, had requested a glass container that evoked a feminine aura. However, the bottle was not used immediately and ended up in the archives.
It remained there until 2012, when it was revealed to be perfect for a new olfactory project based on an optimistic vision, as announced by the name La Vie est Belle. The bottle is now refillable, and an excellent example of how major perfume houses work to minimise environmental impact. The usage of glass has been reduced by 50%, plastic and cardboard by 46%.
