Paris by Parfums Coty was launched in 1921 and introduced to the U.S. market in 1922, at a moment when the world was emerging from the shadow of World War I and embracing a new era of modernity, glamour, and liberation. Francois Coty chose the name Paris to evoke the elegance, sophistication, and vibrancy of the French capital—a city synonymous with fashion, culture, and cosmopolitan allure. The word Paris is French, pronounced simply as “Pah-ree”, and instantly conjures images of sparkling boulevards, fashionable cafés, and women strolling along the Seine, full of confidence and daring charm. The name itself communicates brilliance, vitality, and an irresistible magnetism, perfectly reflecting the city’s dynamic spirit and the cosmopolitan woman Coty envisioned as the wearer.
The early 1920s, often referred to as the Roaring Twenties, were characterized by dramatic shifts in fashion and lifestyle. Women embraced shorter skirts, looser silhouettes, and bolder social freedom, while the cultural milieu celebrated jazz, nightlife, and innovation in the arts. Coty’s Paris captured the essence of this period, translating the city’s vivacious contrasts into a perfume: luminous, sparkling, and audacious, yet refined. Women of the time would have related to Paris as an olfactory accessory to their own sense of liberation and sophistication, a fragrance that matched the modern, confident femininity of the flapper era.
Created by perfumer Vincent Roubert, Paris is classified as an aldehydic floral, inspired in part by Houbigant’s trailblazing Quelques Fleurs. While it followed the trend of combining aldehydes with lush florals—a hallmark of early 1920s perfumery—it distinguished itself through its nuanced layering and vivacious brightness, evoking both the sparkling streets and the intimate elegance of Parisian life. In scent, the name Paris translates to a luminous bouquet, vibrant yet sophisticated, sparkling with aldehydes and softened by floral opulence—a fragrance that invites the wearer to embody the excitement, romance, and endless allure of the City of Light.
The New Yorker, 1938:
"Coty’s perfumes are so universal and inexpensive that people tend to forget that they are still events, yet his Paris is as chic and sophisticated an odor as you can find."
Fragrance Profile:
- Top notes: aldehyde C-10. aldehyde C-12, Calabrian bergamot, neroli, Tunisian orange blossom, hyacinth, carnation, clove, Saigon cinnamon, isoeugenol, bitter almond, Spanish geranium
- Middle notes: lily, hydroxycitronellal, peach, lilac, terpineol, Manila ylang ylang, heliotrope, heliotropin, Grasse jasmine, Bulgarian rose otto, tuberose, violet, ionone, Florentine orris, Provencal honey
- Base notes: Mysore sandalwood, tonka bean, coumarin, Mexican vanilla, Siamese benzoin, styrax, Abyssinian civet, Tibetan musk, frankincense, ambergris, Tyrolean oakmoss, Tolu balsam
Scent Profile:
Paris by Coty unfolds as an olfactory portrait of early 1920s sophistication, capturing the sparkle, gaiety, and subtle sensuality of the City of Light. The top notes immediately awaken the senses with a luminous, effervescent brightness. Aldehyde C-10 and C-12 contribute a clean, sparkling radiance, lending a metallic, almost effervescent shimmer that lifts the florals into a light, airy brilliance. Calabrian bergamot introduces a zesty citrus clarity, bright and slightly tart, characteristic of the sun-drenched southern Italian coasts, while neroli and Tunisian orange blossom add soft, honeyed floral warmth with a luminous, green facet. Hyacinth contributes a fresh, sweet-mossy bloom reminiscent of early spring gardens, and spicy carnation, clove, and Saigon cinnamon provide subtle peppery warmth. Isoeugenol and bitter almond lend a delicate, nutty depth, while Spanish geranium enhances the green, rosaceous lift, creating a multifaceted opening that feels both sparkling and grounded.
The heart of Paris unfolds into a lush, sensual bouquet. Lilac offers a soft powdery elegance, while hydroxycitronellal adds a bright, slightly soapy floral freshness that heightens the bouquet’s clarity. Peach lends a gentle, fruity softness, nuanced and juicy, complementing the airy lilac. Terpineol brings a light, lilac-like floral nuance that harmonizes with Manila ylang ylang’s creamy, tropical richness. Heliotrope and heliotropin introduce a sweet, almond-like warmth with a subtle powderiness, evoking old-world romanticism. Grasse jasmine and Bulgarian rose otto contribute the deep, natural opulence of their native regions—jasmine radiant and honeyed, rose rich, rosy, and slightly green. Tuberose adds heady, creamy floral intensity, while violet and ionone provide a soft powdery undertone. Florentine orris imparts the signature buttery, earthy elegance of iris root, and Provencal honey weaves a golden, floral-sweet warmth, gliding the heart from light and airy to lush and enveloping.
The dry down is a symphony of sensual depth and longevity. Mysore sandalwood offers a warm, creamy, and subtly resinous woodiness, while tonka bean and coumarin add sweet, almond-vanilla nuances with powdery sophistication. Mexican vanilla lends smooth, honeyed sweetness that entwines with Siamese benzoin and styrax, imparting balsamic warmth and gentle resinous richness. Animalic notes from Abyssinian civet and Tibetan musk imbue the base with a subtle, intimate sensuality, harmonizing with the incense-like frankincense and ambergris that add ethereal, mineral, and lightly marine accents. Tyrolean oakmoss provides earthy, forest-like depth, while tolu balsam contributes a final balsamic sweetness, rounding out the dry down with warmth, depth, and a lingering powdery elegance.
Experiencing Paris is to wander through a glittering early 20th-century Parisian ballroom: sparkling, fruity, and floral at first, then deepening into warm, spicy, powdery sophistication, ending in a lingering, velvety sensuality that feels at once cosmopolitan and intimately personal. Each ingredient, whether natural or synthetic, works in harmony to create a fragrance that epitomizes Coty’s vision of modern, spirited femininity.
Personal Perfumes:
In the 1920s and 1930s, perfume marketing embraced a blend of science, astrology, and social whimsy, guiding women to select fragrances that “matched” their hair color, complexion, birth month, or personality. Perfumers of the time propagated the idea that blondes were best suited to light, airy perfumes—delicate florals and sparkling aldehydes—while brunettes could carry heavier, more opulent Oriental compositions. Red-haired women, seen as fiery or impassioned, were recommended fragrances that combined richness with brightness, bridging both warmth and floral vibrancy. For example, blondes might choose Paris, L’Aimant, L’Effleurt, La Rose Jacqueminot, or L’Or, while brunettes could select from L’Aimant, L’Origan, Emeraude, Chypre, Ambréine, Fougeraie au Crépuscule, or Styx. Red-haired women were drawn to Emeraude, Paris, L’Origan, L’Ambre Antique, Iris, or Cyclamen. These classifications subtly reinforced the era’s fascination with personal style and identity, offering a sensory extension of appearance.
Astrology also played a role, with perfumes suggested according to birth month. April-born women, characterized as whimsical, changeful, and generous, were aligned with airy, sparkling scents such as Parfum Paris, Lilas Pourpre, L’Effleurt, and L’Ambreine. May-born women, seen as dual in character—aspirational yet grounded, noble yet capricious—were matched with Parfum Paris, La Rose Jacqueminot, and Heliotrope, balancing floral sophistication with subtle complexity. July-born women, described as ardent, impetuous, and gifted with charm, were encouraged to wear Paris, L’Oeillet France, or La Rose Jacqueminot, fragrances that could mirror their lively, magnetic energy. November-born women, noted for poise, courage, and artistic sensibilities, were recommended Emeraude, La Jacinthe, L’Or, or Paris, offering depth and elegance suited to their commanding presence.
Beyond physical traits or astrology, perfumers advised women to select scents reflecting personality or mood. Those of sunny, joyous temperament were paired with light, delicate florals like L’Effleurt, Muguet, and Violette, radiating cheerful warmth. Dreamy or elusive women gravitated toward ethereal, soft bouquets such as Jasmine de Corse, La Jacinthe, and Lilas Blanc, evoking a gentle, introspective allure. Exotic types were encouraged to wear rich, mysterious compositions like Chypre, Violette Pourpre, or Ambre Antique, capturing intrigue and sophistication. Mysterious personalities found resonance in the deeper, more complex Ambre Antique, Styx, and Cyclamen, while brilliant and sophisticated women might choose Emeraude, Paris, or L’Origan, fragrances that conveyed refinement, elegance, and assertive poise.
These marketing strategies were far more than whimsy—they created a narrative around perfume as an extension of identity, empowering women to express themselves through scent. They also encouraged gifting, offering a framework for choosing fragrances when one was unsure, and cemented the idea of perfume as a personal signature, intimately tied to character, appearance, and mood. The result was a proliferation of scents purchased not only for the wearer but also as a statement of taste, personality, and social awareness in the glamorous interwar period.
Bottles:
Paris by Coty was not only celebrated for its scent but also for the artistry of its presentation, which varied according to the concentration of the fragrance. Over the years, the perfume was housed in multiple formats—Parfum, Parfum de Toilette, Cologne, Eau de Toilette, and later Eau de Parfum—each tailored to a specific intensity and purpose, from intimate daily wear to lavish evening application.
Some of the earliest bottles were crafted by the renowned glassmakers René Lalique and Baccarat, whose exquisite craftsmanship elevated the perfume to a collectible work of art. Lalique’s delicate frosted and clear crystal flacons, often with intricate floral motifs or sculpted stoppers, captured the elegance and modernity of the early 1920s, complementing the sparkling, aldehydic floral contained within.
After 1920, Coty shifted much of production to his own glassworks in Pantin, France, ensuring both quality and consistency. These bottles, while simpler than the Lalique or Baccarat creations, were designed with thoughtful proportions, elegant lines, and often accompanied by presentation cases from Coty’s boxing factory in Neuilly. These cases added a sense of ceremony and luxury to the unboxing experience, reflecting Coty’s innovative vision: perfume was not merely a scent, but a complete sensory and aesthetic experience, uniting fragrance, flacon, and packaging into a single, harmonious expression of refinement.
Parfum Flacons:
The first bottles used were made for the Parfum (Extrait) and were made by Rene Lalique and Baccarat. Soon these proved to be too expensive for Coty to purchase, so he adapted the designs and had them made in his own glassworks in France, these bottles will be marked with "Coty France" on the base.
Moth Stopper Parfum Flacon:
One of the first bottles used was the Rene Lalique designed bottle that featured the double moth frosted glass stopper. This bottle was originally designed by Lalique for the Coty fragrance Muguet in 1912, but was later used for almost all of the Coty fragrances.
This bottle was also made by Baccarat in 1913, mold number 241. These bottles should be acid marked Baccarat on the base. The Baccarat bottle can be found standing at 3.25' tall.
This was later made by Coty's own glassworks and will be marked "Coty" on the base. The Coty marked bottle holds 1.6 oz of parfum and stands 3.25" tall, it was housed inside of a green leather covered box.
This bottle was adapted for travelling by the usage of an inner glass stopper and a brass screw cap, this bottle was made by Baccarat, model number 291.
Roseraie Package:
In 1927, Coty brought out a pretty new packaging design for the moth stoppered bottle. The bottle was now housed in a box covered with a brown suede like effect. This presentation was used for the perfumes Emeraude, L'Origan, Paris and Chypre. Newspaper ads differed on how much the bottle actually held as I found 1 1/3 oz, 1 3/4 oz, and 1 1/2 oz being noted. Errors in ads were numerous at the time.
Etui a Cigarette Presentation:
Also introduced in 1927, was the Etui a Cigarette presentation. Bottle stands 3 1/8" tall and is molded with Coty France on the base as it was made at Coty's own glassworks.
Metal Case Parfum Bottles:
A nice purse size bottle set was created and presented in a hinged metal case around 1928. The bottle used was the banded bottle with the frosted glass stopper. The case stands 2 3/4" tall. These containers were discontinued in 1933.
Banded Bottles with Frosted Stoppers:
The bottle has an embossed band along the upper part and a frosted glass stopper molded with flowers and ridge details. People have mistakenly attributed this bottle to both Lalique and Baccarat, however, the bottle does not appear in either companies catalogs and was not one of their molds. It was made by Coty's own glassworks in France.
The parfum bottle was available in three sizes: 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz and 1 oz. The 1/4 oz bottle itself was discontinued in 1934.
The bottle has an embossed band along the upper part and a frosted glass stopper molded with flowers and ridge details. People have mistakenly attributed this bottle to both Lalique and Baccarat, however, the bottle does not appear in either companies catalogs and was not one of their molds. It was made by Coty's own glassworks in France.
The parfum bottle was available in three sizes: 1/4 oz, 1/2 oz and 1 oz. The 1/4 oz bottle itself was discontinued in 1934.
Bottles stand:
- 2.25" tall - 1/4 oz
- 2.75" tall - 1/2 oz
- 3.75" tall - 1 oz
Larger sizes of this bottle were also created for the boudoir, standing at 6" tall, 7.25" tall and 8" tall and hold Eau de Toilette. These bottles were also used for other Coty perfumes: Eau de Coty, L'Origan, Chypre, Paris,, La Rose Jacqueminot and L'Aimant.
Louvre Parfum Flacon:
Crystal Bottles with Gilt Cap:
Flat Frosted Stopper Parfum Bottles:
Introduced around 1928 was a square crystal bottle with a flat, but faceted frosted glass stopper. This bottle held 1 2/3 oz of parfum and was used for Emeraude, Paris, Chypre and L'Origan.
In the early 1920s, a slim, but wide, square shaped crystal bottle was used to hold Paris parfum. The bottle had a frosted glass stopper molded with stylized flowers. The bottle was made by Coty's own glassworks. The bottle was housed in a fancy blue and silver presentation box with a pull out drawer that featured a silky tassel. This was a 2 oz cut crystal flacon.
Gold-tone case holds a glass bottle and has a green plastic cap and base. It appeared in the 1937/1938 Coty catalog.
This is what I call the Rococo Stopper Flacon. Paris was presented in a superb flacon fitted with a frosted glass stopper in the ornate rococo style. Designed by Pierre Camin. The packaging reflected the rococo style and as you can see from the ads below, Paris was also available in Toilet Water, Air Spun face powder, dusting powder, bath salts, sachet and talcum powder.
Eau de Toilette Flacons:
The early Eau de Toilette flacons followed the designs used for the Parfum, elegant and beautiful, often with colorful lithographed or silver foil paper labels. Later bottles were much more simplistic in design.
The early 1920s Eau de Toilette bottles had a tall, square shape with a flat cut glass stopper. The bottle came in two sizes. One bottle stood 4 3/4" tall. The bottles are marked with Coty France on the base and were made at Coty's own glassworks.
In 1926, both a 1 1/5 oz and a 3 oz bottle for the Eau de Toilette were introduced that had patented metal sprinkler tops that allowed one to shake out only a few drops at a time when needed. These bottles were designed for traveling and were non-refillable.
Eau de Toilette Flacons:
The early Eau de Toilette flacons followed the designs used for the Parfum, elegant and beautiful, often with colorful lithographed or silver foil paper labels. Later bottles were much more simplistic in design.
The early 1920s Eau de Toilette bottles had a tall, square shape with a flat cut glass stopper. The bottle came in two sizes. One bottle stood 4 3/4" tall. The bottles are marked with Coty France on the base and were made at Coty's own glassworks.
In 1926, both a 1 1/5 oz and a 3 oz bottle for the Eau de Toilette were introduced that had patented metal sprinkler tops that allowed one to shake out only a few drops at a time when needed. These bottles were designed for traveling and were non-refillable.
Parfum de Toilette:
Coty's Parfum de Toilette, first introduced in 1960, was equal to today's Eau de Parfum strength fragrances. A happy medium between eau de toilette and parfum. The Emeraude Parfum de Toilette was housed in various bottles over the years.
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