Lalique

Lalique is a French fragrance brand that clearly demonstrates the connection between art and perfume. It began with the establishment of a French glass design house, founded by the ceramic artist and jeweler René Lalique. The young René, born in the small village of Ay in 1860, grew up both in Paris and in Ay. He developed a fascination with the natural world, which would later be fully expressed in his works of art. He began his formal studies in art at Turgot College, but had to leave when his father died. At the age of 12, he began an apprenticeship with a Parisian goldsmith, while taking evening classes whenever possible. Later, he was able to continue his education at the Sydenham College of Art in London. After returning from England, Lalique began working as a freelance artist and, alongside this, designed jewelry for renowned design houses such as Cartier and Boucheron, before entering the field independently in 1885. Jewelry at that time emphasized the quantity of precious stones in a piece, while the design was less important. Lalique changed jewelry design forever with nature-inspired pieces depicting animals and the female form. He thus became one of the best-known, and most imitated, jewelers of the famous Art Nouveau period. At some point, he shifted his focus from jewelry to glassware, with even greater success. His move into perfumery came when he collaborated with François Coty to develop beautiful perfume vessels. This was considered a revolutionary idea at the time, because perfume was then sold in plain glass bottles, while the women who bought it also had to purchase ornate and expensive bottles for their homes. Thus, Lalique designed the legendary and contemporary vessels that carried some of the most beautiful labels for many of Coty's early successes, such as L'Effleur and Ambre Antique. Another stroke of genius by Lalique was improving a production process that made it possible to manufacture bottles on a large scale, thereby reducing costs and making the product more affordable and widely available. Indeed, this new concept of marketable perfume in beautiful vessels was a success, and Lalique continued designing bottles for Roger & Gallet, Guerlain, Molinard, D'Orsay and Worth. One of his most memorable creations is the beautiful dove bottle for Nina Ricci's L'Air du Temps.