Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Qui Sait? by Lancome c1946

Qui Sait? by Lancome: launched in 1937. Created by Armand Petitjean.

Peut-Être ("Perhaps" in French) became Qui Sait ("Who Knows" in French) in 1956, however I have found publications dating to as early as 1946 using the name Qui Sait (US Patent Office info). The reason for the name change is that it would be easier for Americans to pronounce.

The name Qui Sait was used previously by another French perfumer, Lournay in 1925.


Thursday, October 15, 2015

Révolte by Lancome c1936

Révolte by Lancome: launched in 1936. The name means "Uprising" in French, and was originally a perfume for men, but soon, women were taken to wearing it. Reportedly, the name was unpopular in South and Central America as it translated to "anarchy" and "revolution".

It's name was changed to Leather in 1939 as the name Revolt was being used by another company in South America. The perfume was slightly improved, created by Armand Petitjean.

The fragrance was also rebottled into a new bottle.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Magie Noire by Lancome c1978

Magie Noire by Lancôme: launched in 1978. In USA by 1981. Created by Gérard Goupy. It was the first new fragrance from Lancome for a decade and has earned a place amongst its beloved classics.




Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Sunday, March 16, 2014

La Dragonne Perfume Bottle

The "La Dragonne" purse perfume bottle looks like a crystal prism, it has a gilded cap from which a ribbon is attached by a loop at the end



Climat by Lancome c1967

Climat by Lancôme: launched in 1967. Created by by Gerard Goupil of Robertet Perfumers. Pronounced "kleemah", this fragrance takes its name from the well-known eponymous novel by French author André Maurois. The English translation of “Climat de Lancôme” is "ambience of Lancôme.”



Etiquette Noire by Lancome c1935

Etiquette Noire by Lancome: launched in 1935. Created by Armand Petitjean. It was available as a cologne.


La Vallee Bleue by Lancome c1943

La Vallee Bleue by Lancome: launched in 1943. Created by Armand Petitjean.


Spoutnik Perfume Presentation c1958

In 1958, in order to commemorate the launch of Sputnik, Lancome introduced two Georges Delhomme designed "Spoutnik" limited edition perfume presentations, one was a blue tinted opalescent glass moon faced purse flacon for the perfume Magie. This bottle was also used for other perfumes. Only 100 bottles were manufactured.

Melisande Perfume Presentation c1954

Lancome introduced "Melisande" in 1954, a beautiful figural bottle of a standing lady made up of pink tinted opalescent glass. This luxury presentation was used for various perfumes including Magie, Fleches D'Or and Tresor and was designed by Georges Delhomme and produced at Verreries Parant.  Founded around 1824, this glassworks is more recent than the Verrerie Blanche, associated for a while with the Baccarat crystal factory.








Art et la Mode, 1954:
"MAGIE" de LANCOME présenté dans la statuette de cristal MELISANDE." 

L'Art et la mode, 1959:
"Tresor and Fleches d'or, contained in a frosted crystal bottle representing the beautiful Melisande with long hair: the exquisitely feminine art object..."


L'Art et la mode, Issue 2763,
"Mélisande is a lightly colored crystal statuette, whose material evokes and gives effects comparable to those of a hard stone. It is a small masterpiece of line and taste. Mélisande contains, at your choice, the Lancôme's famous perfumes: Magie, Trésor, Flèches or Kypre, which are the richest compositions of our time."