During the 1920s, Carnegie transformed her business into one of America's premier fashion houses. Rather than simply copying Parisian fashions, she traveled regularly to Paris, purchasing original creations from leading couture designers including Chanel, Lanvin, Patou, Vionnet, and Molyneux. These garments were sold to wealthy American clients while simultaneously serving as inspiration for Carnegie's own exclusive collections. Her keen business sense, combined with an exceptional eye for style, enabled her to interpret European couture into fashions that appealed to American women. In 1925, the company's continued success allowed Carnegie to purchase an impressive headquarters at 42 East 49th Street, just off Park Avenue, firmly establishing the house among New York's elite fashion establishments.
Recognizing that fragrance was an essential extension of a fashionable woman's wardrobe, Hattie Carnegie entered the perfume business in 1925 with the introduction of her first signature fragrance, Hattie Carnegie. The perfume was created in France by the renowned house of Rallet, one of the world's oldest and most prestigious perfume manufacturers, and was presented in an elegant black glass bottle shaped like a traditional inkwell. The distinctive bottle was produced by the French glass manufacturer Depinoix, whose refined Art Deco designs complemented Carnegie's sophisticated image. This marked the beginning of a perfume line that would eventually become an important complement to her clothing, hats, jewelry, handbags, gloves, and cosmetics, allowing customers to embrace the complete Hattie Carnegie lifestyle.
Throughout the late 1920s, the company experienced remarkable commercial success. By 1929, Hattie Carnegie, Inc. reported annual sales of approximately $3.5 million, making it one of the largest and most profitable fashion enterprises in the United States. Carnegie's success stemmed from her ability to offer luxurious designs at prices below those of imported Paris couture while maintaining exceptional quality and style. Her boutiques became destinations for affluent women seeking fashionable clothing, accessories, jewelry, perfumes, and cosmetics, all unified under the prestigious Hattie Carnegie name.
The onset of the Great Depression forced many luxury retailers to adapt, and Carnegie proved exceptionally skilled at responding to changing economic conditions. Understanding that many women still desired fashionable clothing despite reduced incomes, she introduced a more affordable sportswear line called Spectator Sports. This moderately priced collection allowed customers to continue purchasing Hattie Carnegie fashions while preserving the elegance and sophistication associated with the brand. The strategy helped the company weather the economic downturn and maintained its position as one of America's leading fashion houses.
For many years, Hattie Carnegie perfumes were available exclusively through the company's own elegant salons and boutiques, reinforcing the exclusivity of the brand. However, in 1949 the company significantly expanded the distribution of its fragrance collection by making the perfumes available through selected department stores and specialty retailers across the United States. This broadened availability introduced Hattie Carnegie fragrances to a much wider audience while maintaining the prestige and quality for which the house had become famous. By extending its perfumes beyond its own fashionable Manhattan shop, the company ensured that women throughout America could experience a touch of Carnegie's celebrated elegance.
Henrietta "Hattie" Carnegie remained actively involved in her business until her death in New York City in 1956. Although she never formally studied fashion design, her remarkable instincts for style, merchandising, and branding built one of the most successful American fashion empires of the twentieth century. Today, Hattie Carnegie is remembered not only for her influential fashions and costume jewelry but also for her beautifully presented perfumes, which reflected the same elegance, refinement, and Parisian inspiration that characterized every aspect of her celebrated fashion house.
The perfumes of Hattie Carnegie :
- 1925 Hattie Carnegie
- 1939 Hypnotic (a sharp, tangy, aldehydic floral perfume, lily dominant, for evening)
- 1939 No. 7 (a sweet jasmine floral chypre spicy amber perfume)
- 1941 No. 49 (pungent floral)
- 1944 No. 11 (a light floral chypre perfume, for outdoors)
- 1944 Carnegie Blue (a crisp, sharp, spicy, aldehydic floral jasmine perfume)
- 1944 Carnegie Pink (a dry aldehydic floral chypre perfume)
- 1944 Carnegie White
- 1944 Carnegie Beige
- 1944 Whirlpool
- 1944 Jeune Fille
- 1945 Four Winds (a fresh, light, vibrant, sporty, earthy, forest-like outdoor cologne)
- 1946 Anytime
- 1946 Anywhere
- 1946 Anyplace
- 1949 Golden Lotus
- 1949 Golden Lily
- 1949 Golden Lilac
- 1949 50
- 1949 Carte Bleue
- 1949 Carte D'Or
- 1949 Carte Blanche (spicy)
- 1949 Carte Verte
- 1958 Miss Hattie
- 1964 Mr. Carnegie (sandalwood, men's aftershave lotion)
- 1964 AGogo (jasmine, rose, and dusky woods perfume, took 12 years to complete)
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| image colorized and enhanced by Grace Hummel/Cleopatra's Boudoir |
Bottles:
Bust Flacons:
Among Hattie Carnegie's most iconic perfume bottle designs is the elegant Art Deco woman's bust, which has become one of the most recognizable American perfume bottles of the mid-twentieth century. The bottle depicts the graceful head and shoulders of a fashionable woman, with the sculpted head ingeniously serving as the removable stopper. Reflecting Carnegie's couture heritage, the design embodies sophistication and glamour through its smooth, streamlined lines and stylized feminine features. While most examples are found in clear molded glass, some of the most desirable versions were lavishly decorated with an overall coating of 22-karat gold enamel, transforming the bottle into a striking decorative object worthy of display even after the perfume had been used.
The distinctive bust bottle was designed by the noted industrial designer Tommi Parzinger (1903–1981), one of the leading figures of modern American decorative arts. Born in Germany, Parzinger immigrated to the United States in 1932, where he became renowned for his elegant furniture, lighting, silver, and glass designs that blended European modernism with American luxury. His refined aesthetic translated beautifully into perfume packaging, and the Hattie Carnegie bust bottle remains one of his best-known commercial designs. The sculptural quality of the bottle reflects the clean lines and restrained elegance that characterized much of his work during the 1940s and 1950s.
Production of the bottle was entrusted to the T. C. Wheaton Glass Company of Millville, New Jersey, one of America's foremost specialty glass manufacturers. Founded in 1888 by Theodore Corson Wheaton, the company initially specialized in producing pharmaceutical and laboratory bottles before expanding into the cosmetic and perfume industries. Located in southern New Jersey, Millville (close to me!) developed into an important center of American glassmaking, and by the 1930s Wheaton had earned a reputation for producing high-quality perfume bottles for both domestic and international fragrance houses. The company became particularly respected for its precision molding, decorative finishes, and ability to translate sophisticated artistic designs into commercially successful glass containers.
Over the decades, Wheaton manufactured perfume bottles for numerous prestigious fragrance and fashion houses. In addition to Hattie Carnegie, the company supplied bottles for Galanos, Adrian, Prince Matchabelli, Liz Claiborne, Anne Klein, Corday, Nettie Rosenstein, and Shulton, among many others. Their work ranged from simple utilitarian bottles to elaborate sculptural creations, demonstrating the firm's versatility and craftsmanship. The Hattie Carnegie bust remains one of Wheaton's most celebrated perfume bottle designs and is highly sought after today by collectors of both perfume bottles and American Art Deco glass.
The sculptured bust bottles most commonly contained parfum (perfume extract), the most concentrated and luxurious form of fragrance, making them fitting presentations for Hattie Carnegie's finest scents. Larger examples, however, were produced to hold the Cologne Concentrate, allowing customers to enjoy the same elegant presentation in a more generous size intended for more liberal application. Regardless of the fragrance concentration, each bottle maintained the same graceful sculptural form, reinforcing the strong visual identity of the Hattie Carnegie perfume line.
The bust bottles were produced in several sizes to accommodate different fragrance presentations. The smallest held 3/16 ounce of parfum and stood just under 2 inches tall, making it an ideal purse or travel size. The 1/2-ounce bottle measured approximately 2½ inches in height, while the popular 1-ounce version stood about 3¾ inches tall. A larger 1½-ounce bottle reached approximately 4¼ inches in height, providing an impressive display piece for the dressing table. The largest and most dramatic example held 3 ounces of Cologne Concentrate and measured approximately 3⅜ inches high by 4 inches wide, emphasizing the sculptural beauty of Parzinger's design. Today, all sizes are collected, although the larger examples and the fully 22-karat gold enameled bottles are among the rarest and most prized by collectors.
These bottles came in various sizes:
- 3/16 oz bottle stands almost 2" tall.
- 1/2 oz bottle stands 2.5" tall.
- 1 oz bottle stands 3.75" tall.
- 1.5 oz bottle stands 4.25" tall.
- 3 oz bottle stands 3 3/8" tall x 4" wide.
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| image colorized and enhanced by Grace Hummel/Cleopatra's Boudoir. |
Advertising throughout the 1940s and 1960s emphasized not only the quality of Hattie Carnegie's perfumes but also their distinctive presentation in the house's celebrated sculptural head bottle. A 1946 advertisement in Harper's Bazaar described the collection as "five original fragrances captured and sealed in the famous—and lovely—Hattie Carnegie head bottle," referring to the perfumes Carnegie Blue, Hypnotic, No. 7, No. 11, and No. 49, which were offered at prices ranging from $5 to $35 in representative department stores across the country. The following year, Ladies' Home Journal singled out Hypnotic, proclaiming that "Hypnotic, in the golden head, is sophistication from Hattie Carnegie," highlighting the luxurious gilt bust bottle as a symbol of elegance and refinement.
More than two decades later, Hattie Carnegie continued to modernize its fragrance image while retaining its established classics. A 1968 Mademoiselle advertisement promoted the Special Edition Perfumes, assigning each fragrance a distinct personality: Carnegie Pink as "mellow-dreamy," Carnegie Blue as "crisp," Four Winds as "inscrutable," and Go Go as youthful and energetic, concluding with the playful recommendation, "When you're at your lowest, Hypnotic." Together, these advertisements demonstrate how Hattie Carnegie successfully marketed fragrance as an extension of fashion, combining memorable scent names, evocative personalities, and the instantly recognizable sculptural head bottle to create one of the most distinctive perfume collections in American fashion history.
Other Bottles:
Although the sculptural bust bottle remains Hattie Carnegie's most celebrated perfume presentation, the company offered its fragrances in a variety of attractive and practical containers designed to suit different products and occasions. Beginning in 1953, Hattie Carnegie's colognes were packaged in simple yet elegant tall rectangular bottles of clear glass fitted with black plastic screw caps. Their clean, modern lines reflected the streamlined aesthetic of the 1950s while allowing the fragrance itself to remain the focal point. These bottles were available in 2-ounce, 4-ounce, and 6-ounce sizes, making them suitable for everyday use and emphasizing practicality without sacrificing sophistication.
For customers seeking a more luxurious presentation, Hattie Carnegie's Parfums and Cologne Concentrates were also sold in handsome square clear-glass bottles topped with elegant ball-shaped glass stoppers. The substantial stopper added weight and refinement while echoing the understated geometric styling popular during the mid-twentieth century. The 2-ounce bottle measured approximately 4 inches in height and possessed a timeless simplicity that contrasted beautifully with the elaborate sculptural bust bottles. These square bottles demonstrated Carnegie's ability to balance decorative appeal with restrained modern elegance.
Hattie Carnegie also embraced the growing popularity of spray flacons, which offered consumers a more convenient and hygienic method of fragrance application. These atomizers reflected changing lifestyles during the postwar period, when women increasingly favored portable, easy-to-use perfume containers. Spray presentations became especially fashionable during the 1960s, combining modern styling with everyday practicality.
The company's innovative approach to fragrance packaging extended beyond traditional perfume bottles. In 1948, Cue magazine introduced Four Winds Body Mint Julep, describing it as Hattie Carnegie's solution to staying cool during warm weather. Rather than functioning solely as a perfume, it was promoted as a refreshing body splash that could be patted onto the skin, sprayed over the body, or added to bath water, making it a versatile personal-care product. Sold in a generous 6-ounce bottle for $2, Four Winds Body Mint Julep anticipated the popularity of scented body splashes and refreshing body mists that would become commonplace decades later.
As fashions evolved during the late 1960s, Hattie Carnegie adapted her packaging to appeal to a younger generation. A 1969 Vogue advertisement introduced Agogo in a "sleek little stash-size spray cylinder," describing the container as "all gilty-bright as the perfume inside." The slim metallic spray case reflected the bold, youthful styling of the era and was designed to fit easily into a handbag or pocket, making fragrance fashionable, portable, and accessible throughout the day.
The company also ventured into decorative fragrance accessories intended for the home. A 1949 advertisement in Harper's Bazaar featured Hattie Carnegie's Perfume Burner, recommending it as being "especially pleasant" when used with the company's Golden Lotus perfume. Rather than being worn on the body, the perfume burner allowed the fragrance to perfume an interior, illustrating how Hattie Carnegie expanded its brand into lifestyle products that brought the elegance of its perfumes into the home itself.
One of the firm's most ingenious fragrance accessories was the "Scentwrite" Perfume Pencil, introduced in 1949. Advertised in The New Yorker, this luxurious accessory consisted of a 24-karat gold-plated perfume pencil filled with Golden Lotus perfume. Resembling an elegant writing instrument, the perfume pencil allowed women to carry fragrance discreetly in their handbags while applying it with precision whenever desired. Combining practicality with glamour, it perfectly reflected the sophisticated lifestyle Hattie Carnegie sought to promote.
The following year, Harper's Bazaar further highlighted the appeal of the Scentwrite Perfume Pencil, describing it as "a pretty new way to carry perfume in your handbag." The advertisement noted that the gold-plated, gem-studded pencil concealed a small fragrance reservoir beneath its decorative cap. Each pencil was sold with half a dram of Golden Lotus perfume and included a crystal funnel for convenient refilling, making it both a beautiful piece of jewelry and a practical, reusable perfume accessory. Long before today's travel atomizers became commonplace, Hattie Carnegie had created an elegant portable fragrance applicator that combined innovative engineering with luxurious design, demonstrating once again the company's flair for blending fashion, beauty, and functionality.
The Hattie Carnegie Fragrances:
Hattie Carnegie No. 7 is classified as a floral chypre fragrance for women.
- Top notes: aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, petitgrain, neroli, lavender, clary sage
- Middle notes: rose, jasmine, ylang ylang, lilac, orange blossom, violet leaves, orris, carnation, narcissus, hyacinth, heliotrope, lily of the valley lily
- Base notes: labdanum, guaiac, oakmoss, vetiver, patchouli, sandalwood, benzoin, opoponax, cedar, tonka bean, castoreum, ambergris, civet, musk, styrax
Hattie Carnegie Blue is classified as an aldehydic light floral fragrance for women.
- Top notes: bergamot, lemon, neroli, sweet orange, rosewood, hyacinth, aldehydes, acacia, coriander
- Middle notes: carnation, clove, cinnamon, tuberose, gardenia, ylang ylang, rose, jasmine, violet, orris, heliotrope, lilac, lily of the valley
- Base notes: tonka bean, benzoin, opoponax, sandalwood, cedar, labdanum, vetiver, oakmoss, sandalwood, vanilla, musk, civet, castoreum, amyris
Carnegie Pink is classified as a dry aldehydic floral chypre fragrance for women.
- Top notes: aldehydes, bergamot, neroli, petitgrain, tarragon, rosemary, coriander, lavender, artemisia
- Middle notes: rose, carnation, mimosa, ylang ylang, jasmine, lily of the valley, violet, violet leaf, orris
- Base notes: oakmoss, sandalwood, musk, vetiver, amber, patchouli, oakmoss, patchouli, cedar, styrax, guaiac, labdanum, benzoin
Four Winds: is classified as a light floral woody fragrance for women.
- Top notes: bergamot, lemon, orange, neroli, petitgrain, basil, galbanum, lavender, rosemary hyacinth
- Middle notes: rose, juniper, fir, lily of the valley, jasmine, lilac, iris, honeysuckle
- Base notes: sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, oakmoss, patchouli, musk, ambergris, benzoin
AGogo: is classified as an aldehydic floral woody fragrance for women.
- Top notes: aldehydes, bergamot, mandarin, neroli, hyacinth, clary sage, cardamom
- Middle notes: jasmine, rose, orris, lily of the valley, gardenia, carnation, clove, lilac, narcissus, mimosa, violet, orange blossom, ylang ylang
- Base notes: oakmoss, sandalwood, cedar, vetiver, patchouli, benzoin, styrax, vanilla, ambergris, labdanum, tonka bean
Vogue, 1966:
"a Gogo by Hattie Carnegie means galore. What a Gogo is galore with: jasmine, rose, dusty overtones, new aromatic techniques twelve years in the blending."
Vogue, 1970:
"Join the New Movement. The action starts with Parfum AGogo by Hattie Carnegie, French perfume $25.00 the oz. In other fragrant forms, from $4.00. At today-type stores."