The launch of Chypre by Coty in 1908 marked a significant moment in the history of perfumery. This period, the early 20th century, was characterized by a shift in fragrance trends and the emergence of new olfactory styles. The word "chypre" itself comes from the French word for Cyprus, and this genre of perfumes is known for its woody, mossy, and citrusy accords.
The early 1900s were a time of cultural and artistic change, with the Belle Époque giving way to the more modern and progressive sensibilities of the early 20th century. Perfumery was undergoing a similar transformation, moving away from the heavy, floral scents of the Victorian era towards lighter, more abstract compositions.
François Coty, the founder of the Coty perfume house, was a pivotal figure in this evolution. He was instrumental in popularizing the concept of designer perfumes and making them accessible to a wider audience. Coty's Chypre fragrance was groundbreaking for its innovative blend of citrus, floral, and woody notes, which departed from the traditional single-flower scents that were prevalent at the time.
The launch of Chypre by Coty in 1908 would have occurred against the backdrop of a rapidly changing society, where new ideas and artistic movements were flourishing. It represented a departure from the past and a bold step into the future of perfumery, setting the stage for the diverse range of fragrances that would follow in the decades to come.
The 1917 relaunch of Chypre by Coty represents a significant moment in its history, and it's this version that many people are more familiar with. During this relaunch, it's likely that Coty reformulated the fragrance, possibly incorporating new materials, including synthetic ones. This reorchestration could have been driven by various factors, such as advancements in perfumery technology, changes in ingredient availability, or evolving consumer preferences. Regardless of the specific alterations made, this relaunch underscores Coty's commitment to staying relevant in the dynamic world of fragrance and ensuring that Chypre continued to captivate audiences with its timeless appeal.
A classic Chypre base utilized the following ingredients at the time:
The discrepancy in the launch date of Chypre by Coty is an interesting aspect of its history. While many sources attribute its introduction to 1917, evidence suggests that François Coty actually began selling his Chypre fragrance as early as 1908. This earlier date underscores the innovative nature of the scent and its role in shaping the trajectory of perfumery during the early 20th century.
The fact that Chypre was available as early as 1908 highlights Coty's pioneering spirit and his willingness to push boundaries in the world of fragrance. It also speaks to the complexity and enduring appeal of the scent, which managed to capture the imagination of consumers despite being ahead of its time.
This revelation adds an intriguing layer to the story of Chypre by Coty, showcasing how historical records and popular perceptions can sometimes diverge. It emphasizes the importance of careful research and critical analysis when exploring the history of perfumery and other cultural artifacts.
Across several newspaper advertisements spanning from 1908 to 1912, Coty's fragrance Chypre emerges as a consistent presence amidst a varied array of perfumes, reflecting the brand's evolving approach to scent creation and marketing strategies during this transformative period in perfumery history.
In the 1908 advertisement, Chypre is prominently featured alongside an assortment of other Coty perfumes, including La Rose Jacqueminot, La Vertige, Ambreine, Lilas Blanc, and Les Violettes. This lineup suggests Coty's early foray into offering a diverse range of fragrances, with Chypre likely standing out for its innovative blend of citrus, floral, and woody notes, setting the stage for its enduring popularity.
Moving forward to 1910, we see Chypre continuing to hold its place among Coty's perfume offerings. In one advertisement, it shares the spotlight with fragrances such as La Rose Jacqueminot, Muguet (Lily of the Valley), and La Violette Pourpre (Purple Violet), showcasing Coty's ability to cater to a variety of olfactory preferences and trends prevalent at the time.
Another 1910 advertisement presents Chypre alongside a different selection of Coty perfumes, including Peau d'Espagne (Spanish Leather), Violette, Heliotrope, and Lilas Blanc (White Lilac). This lineup highlights Coty's versatility in exploring diverse scent profiles beyond floral compositions, indicating the brand's adaptability to evolving consumer tastes and preferences.
By 1912, Chypre remains a staple in Coty's fragrance lineup, featured alongside fragrances like La Rose Jacqueminot, L'Origan, Jasmin de Corse, La Violette Pourpre, L'Effleurt, and Muguet. This advertisement further solidifies Chypre's position as a cornerstone of Coty's perfume collection, demonstrating its enduring appeal and significance within the brand's olfactory repertoire.
Collectively, these newspaper advertisements offer a fascinating glimpse into Coty's perfume offerings and marketing strategies during the early 20th century, showcasing Chypre's central role in shaping the brand's identity and its ongoing commitment to innovation and diversity in perfumery.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a fresh mossy aldehydic chypre fragrance for women. It begins with a fresh top note, followed by a classic floral heart, layered over a warm, mossy base. One of the more popular perfumes, it has an underwood moss and resin fragrance enhanced by sweet floral notes of jasmine, iris and rose. Coty described it as "Perfume of amber moss emanating at certain times from the woods and forests."
- Top notes: bergamot oil, lemon, neroli, orange, fruit note, sage
- Middle notes: carnation, ylang ylang, gardenia, lilac, orris butter, Grasse rose, Grasse jasmine
- Base notes: castoreum, ambergris, oakmoss, styrax, patchouli, Mexican vanilla, Tibetan musk, labdanum, Venezuelan tonka bean, vetiver, Ethiopian civet, Mysore sandalwood
The Times Herald, 1925:
"Chypre: Essence of the fragrant East; nightingales in a temple garden; indolent spiced winds adrift from Moghra flowers in bloom; jade gods in jewelled shrines; veils of mystery and the clash of golden anklets; the fragrance of the woman of oriental temperament, dark-eyed, dark-haired, of swift, tempestuous emotions."
L'Amour de l'art, 1950:
"Chypre de Coty: its formulae is equivalent to success and has the charm of an exoticism that the most scrupulous elegance would have perfected. The oak moss is worked according to a very personal method and this perfume is flowered by jasmine and the rose supported by musk, amber and vanilla from Mexico."
Combat, 1955:
"Chypre (perfume by Coty) - In all its versions, here is another fair aroma for the hot season. With its smell of moss and resins that cannot dry up, in the humid forest, the pump of the solstice, the nymph betrays itself in the Parisienne thus embalming. Green effluvia is joined by rosy warmth. The city fauns, ambushed under their coats, are not mistaken."
Each of these excerpts captures a distinct essence of Chypre by Coty, showcasing the enduring allure and multifaceted nature of this iconic fragrance.
In the excerpt from The Times Herald in 1925, Chypre is evocatively portrayed as an essence of the fragrant East, transporting the senses to a realm of exoticism and mystery. The imagery conjured includes nightingales in temple gardens, spiced winds carrying the scent of Moghra's Egyptian jasmine flowers, and veiled women with tempestuous emotions. It paints a picture of Chypre as a fragrance synonymous with the allure and enigma of the Orient, resonating with dark-eyed, dark-haired women of swift passions.
Moving to L'Amour de l'art in 1950, Chypre de Coty is depicted as a perfume of unparalleled charm and sophistication. The formula is praised for its exotic allure, with oak moss, jasmine, and rose intertwining to create a bouquet of timeless elegance. Musk, amber, and vanilla from Mexico add depth and warmth, elevating the fragrance to a realm of refined luxury and allure.
Finally, in Combat in 1955, Chypre is celebrated for its adaptability and allure in different seasons and environments. With its evocative blend of moss and resins, it captures the essence of a humid forest on the cusp of summer solstice. The fragrance is likened to the scent of a nymph, subtly betraying itself in the bustling streets of Paris. Green effluvia mingles with rosy warmth, creating a scent that is both captivating and enigmatic, enticing even the most discerning city dwellers.
These descriptions collectively illustrate the timeless appeal and versatility of Chypre by Coty, transcending decades and cultures to remain an icon of sophistication and allure in the world of perfumery.
Bottles:
Chypre de Coty was housed in numerous bottles over its lifetime.
One of the first bottles used was the Rene Lalique designed bottle that featured the double moth/butterfly frosted glass stopper, patinated in brown. This bottle was originally designed by Lalique for the Coty fragrance Muguet (Lily of the Valley) in 1912, but was later used for almost all of the Coty fragrances. The flacon is a simple square shape, measuring slightly over 3" per side, with straight shoulders, slightly convex, an indented base, a small neck and a fancy molded stopper.
The Lalique flacons came in two sizes: 3.34" tall and 3.93" tall. The mark of a genuine Rene Lalique bottle is an impressed intaglio-molded long-tail L "LALIQUE" signature. See photo below. The bottle also has an elongated oval indentation in the center of the base. They were not marked "R. Lalique" so beware of fake signatures applied to old non-Lalique produced bottles.
This flacon is pictured in the following books:
- Marcilhac, R.Lalique Catalogue Raisonne, page 929 of the 2011 French printing, under the reference "Coty 19" (photo 9).
- Utt, Lalique Perfume Bottles, 1990, page 26.
- Jones-North, Commercial Perfume Bottles, 1987, page 36
In 1914, to save money, Coty commissioned Baccarat to make the flacons based on the original Lalique designs. This caused a falling out in the friendship which resulted in the two men not talking for 13 years. Eventually, the two friends made up and Lalique designed one last bottle for him in 1927. Baccarat started making the bottles in 1916, the bottle being mold number 307. These bottles have sloping shoulders, not as straight as those found on the Lalique flacons. These bottles should be acid marked Baccarat on the base. Like the Lalique flacons, the bottle also has an elongated oval indentation in the center of the base. The Baccarat bottle can be found standing at 3.25" tall. You can see this bottle pictured in the book "Baccarat: The perfume bottles" by Addor Press, 1986, as #307.
However, the Baccarat bottles also proved to be too expensive, and François Coty, who was excessively cheap, had the Lalique-copied bottles produced at his own glassworks. Like those by Baccarat, these bottles have sloping shoulders, not as straight as those found on the Lalique flacons. The bottles made at the Coty glassworks are marked "Coty" on the base either embossed in the glass or acid stamped. Unlike the Lalique and Baccarat examples, the Coty made bottle does not have the elongated oval indentation in the center of the base, presumably to cut costs. The Coty base is flat. 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. Another size is 2.75" tall.
The beautiful moth stoppered bottle was finally discontinued in 1961.
However, the Baccarat bottles also proved to be too expensive, and François Coty, who was excessively cheap, had the Lalique-copied bottles produced at his own glassworks. Like those by Baccarat, these bottles have sloping shoulders, not as straight as those found on the Lalique flacons. The bottles made at the Coty glassworks are marked "Coty" on the base either embossed in the glass or acid stamped. Unlike the Lalique and Baccarat examples, the Coty made bottle does not have the elongated oval indentation in the center of the base, presumably to cut costs. The Coty base is flat. 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. Another size is 2.75" tall.
The beautiful moth stoppered bottle was finally discontinued in 1961.
This bottle shape was adapted in 1916 originally for L'Origan for travelling by the usage of an inner glass stopper and a gilt brass screw cap, this bottle was made by Baccarat, model number 291. In 1928, these flat, square shaped crystal bottles were available in French leather cases. These bottles held Emeraude, Ambre Antique, L'Origan, Chypre and Paris. I have seen these bottles with L'Aimant labels too.
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. The face of the package has a small dotted circle with "Coty Paris" inside and is topped with fanciful ribbons. 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.
Heliotrope Flacon:
The "Heliotrope" flacon, also known as "Coty Perfume No. 14" was first made by Rene Lalique in 1911 for the Coty perfume Heliotrope. It is roughly a triangular shape with canted corners along the bottom. The bottle was used for various Coty fragrances: Emeraude, L'Aimant, L'Origan, Styx, Chypre, Muguet, Jacinthe, Jasmin de Corse, La Rose Jacqueminot, and Paris.
Briar Stopper Flacon:
Rene Lalique designed this flacon in 1911, and it was later made by Coty's own glassworks after 1920. The clear glass bottle is tall, with a square base, and features a frosted glass stopper molded with the "briar" motif. The bottle was originally made to house the various Eau de Toilettes, but the design was later adapted to include different sizes including a miniature versions to house parfum. The most common miniature size is dubbed "Petite Modele" and debuted in 1936 and held 0.27 oz.
In the 1920s, the boxes had messages inside reminding the owners of the bottles that ""These exquisite crystal flacons are hand-cut in the Paris ateliers of COTY - Care must be taken in placing them on the dressing table to avoid breakage of the corners."
Sizes:
- 2" tall miniature (0.13 oz)
- 2.5" tall miniature (0.27 oz) - Petite Modele
- 3" tall (0.60 oz)
- 4" tall
- 4.25" tall (1.70 oz)
- 5" tall
- 5.25" tall (3 oz)
- 5.5" tall
- 6" tall
- 6.25" tall
- 6.5" tall
- 8.75" tall
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. Don't be fooled by sellers who claim this is a Lalique or Lalique-designed bottle. Lalique had nothing to do with it. 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 bottles were discontinued in 1932. 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.
- 3 oz bottle
- 6 oz bottle
As you can see from the advertisement below, the eau de toilette bottles could also be found with shaker tops.
Cylindrical Frosted Stopper Bottles:
As early as 1923, a new style of bottle was introduced, it seems for the perfumes Chypre, L'Origan, Paris and L'Effleurt. It is a cylindrical shape and fitted with the familiar frosted stopper. I have found there are two types of stoppers, you can see in the photos below.
Don't be fooled by sellers who claim this is a Lalique or Lalique-designed bottle. Lalique had nothing to do with it. 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 and are acid stamped "Coty France" on base. Bottles have been found in various sizes:
- 2.5" tall.
- 0.80 oz stood 3" tall.
- 3.25" tall.
- 3.75" tall.
There are several different boxes used, a rectangular paper covered box reads: "The bottle, label and box of this item have been registered in accordance with the law and are the property of Coty. This specialty and its accessories were created by Coty in factories at the Cite des Parfums in Suresnes after Paris (France). Our products are the exclusive property of Coty incorporated for the United States of America where they are manufactured. Counterfeits will be rigorously pursued. All our specialties are sold under the Coty name without any first name."
Metal Case Parfum Bottles:
A nice purse size bottle set was created and presented in your choice of a crackle finished or a platinum tone nickel hinged metal case around 1928. The bottle used was the banded bottle with the frosted glass stopper. The case stands 2 3/4" tall. It was invented by Philip A. Reutter and manufactured by Scoville Manufacturing Co. These containers were discontinued in 1933.
Etui a Cigarette Presentation:
Also introduced in 1927, was the "Etui a Cigarette" presentation. Bottle stands 3 1/8" tall. 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 and is molded or acid stamped with "Coty France" on the base as it was made at Coty's own glassworks.
Lilas Pourpre Flacon:
"Lilas Pourpre" is the name given for a bottle made by Rene Lalique which was first used for Coty's Lilas Pourpre perfume in 1911. This bottle featured an arched shape with sloping shoulders and was fitted a frosted glass stopper with a molded stepped or scale design. The bottle was later used for all of Coty's perfumes in the 1910s through the 1930s. Most bottles made after 1920 were made by Coty’s own glassworks in Pantin and his flacons were fitted with presentation cases made at his boxing factory in Neuilly. You can find this in the 0.35 oz size as well.
In 1929, it was part of what is known as the "Louvre" presentation and was advertised as a "new flacon". The bottle held 1 2/3 oz of Parfum and as you can see in the ad below, it was housed in a faux reptile skin covered presentation box. According to newspaper ads, the bottle was still being used in 1930 for Emeraude, L'Origan, Chypre, Paris, and La Jacee. The name "Louvre" was a throwback to the very store that Coty first approached to sell his La Rose Jacqueminot perfume in 1909. It is also worthy of to note that the name Louvre was chosen because the bottle was originally made by Lalique and used for the Magasins du Louvre department store for their signature perfumes.
Other bottles in the 1920s:
The "simple" flacon for Eau de Toilette: This was used for other Coty fragrances. Made at Coty's own glassworks.
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Cathedral Flacon for Parfum:
In 1930, a newspaper ad for Gimbel's claimed that a special bottle dubbed the "Cathedral", was designed and created exclusively for them to hold Coty's extracts of L'Aimant, Emeraude, Styx, L'Origan, La Jacee, Chypre, Muguet, L'Or, L'Effleurt, Lilas, La Rose Jacqueminot and Paris. The claim however, was untrue as I found other newspaper ads from other stores such as LS Ayres using the same bottle also claiming it was their "special" bottle too. This was just a special edition bottle, not made expressly for any one store. The modernistic bottle came in two sizes: 1 oz and 1 2/3 oz.
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 and is molded or acid stamped with "Coty France" on the base as it was made at Coty's own glassworks.
The Cathedral bottle originally had a glass stopper, but by 1934, this bottle was later changed to have a plastic screw cap and made in different sizes. Also the slope shouldered Cathedral shape was adapted for use for other products in the line such as bath salts, most notably in the "Neptune Green" line of packaging.
Arched Crystal Flacon:
Also in 1930 another perfume bottle was introduced, it was a nice flat, arched shaped crystal flacon, very Art Deco, with a stepped glass stopper. It was available in two sizes: 1 oz and 1 5/8 oz. For the perfumes: Emeraude, L'Aimant, L'Origan, Rose, La Jacee, L'Effleurt, Chypre, Paris, Styx, and L'Or. This is pretty hard to find. One bottle stands 3" tall.
Again, 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 and is molded or acid stamped with "Coty France" on the base.
Other packaging:
Yellow Mimosa Print Packaging:
In 1935, the Coty floral parfums were packaged in new limited edition ensembles featuring mimosa prints on yellow backgrounds. I think this was also named Feuilles d'Automne (Autumn Leaves). The following perfumes were included: Muguet, Oeillet France, La Rose Jacqueminot, Ambre Antique, Lilas Pourpre, and Violette Pourpre. Eventually, the other Coty perfumes were added to the packaging design such as Emeraude, Iris, L'Aimant, and L'Origan.
Reste Jaune, 1936:
"All the other Coty perfumes benefit from a new standard presentation: flat crystal bottle, green and gold plastic stopper, box decorated with "autumn leaves", red, blue and gold. The powders are also presented in a new box decorated with "autumn leaves."
Peacock Presentation:
Debuting in 1935, the "Peacock Presentation" featured a peacock feather design on the packaging and stylized peacock eye motifs on the bottles. The bottles came in three sizes: purse, travel and boudoir. The fragrances represented were: Chypre, L'Aimant, L'Origan, Paris, Emeraude, Ambreine. By 1937, Emeraude and Ambreine were no longer offered in this line as you can see from the 1937/1938 catalog image below.
Obelisque Flacon:
The "Obelisque" flacon is a tall, slender bottle topped by a flat, square frosted glass stopper molded with stylized foliate motifs with the name COTY molded in each corner. This bottle made its debut in 1935. It was available in the following fragrances: Styx, Paris, Chypre, Emeraude, L'Aimant, and L'Origan. The flacon was also available in a miniature version holding just 0.34 oz and using the same scale motif stopper as the Lilas Pourpre and Louvre packaging styles.
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 and is molded or acid stamped with "Coty France" on the base.
Neptune Green Packaging:
In 1935 Coty introduced a new look for its packaging. Dubbed "Neptune Green", the boxes, talc and bath salts, and dusting powder canisters were covered in a seafoam green color with air bubbles and starfish to evoke an undersea motif. The scents represented were Styx, L'Aimant, Emeraude, L'Origan, Paris, and Chypre. The line included toilet water, bath salts, dusting powder and talcum. Bottles were satin glass molded with bubbles.
Purser Flacon:
Gold-tone case holds a glass bottle and has a green plastic cap and base. It appeared in the 1937/1938 Coty catalog.
Amphorae:
In 1940, Coty introduced an Eau de Toilette concentration which they termed "Informal Fragrances." These were their most popular fragrances which were housed inside amphora shaped stoneware bottles. Each amphora was color coordinated with the fragrances they contained.
- Emeraude was in a light green
- Chypre was in a lighter green
- L'Aimant in pink
- L'Origan in brown
- Paris in blue
These amphoras were created by Zanesville Stoneware Company of Ohio starting in 1940. They measure 5.5" at the lip of the spout. Each bottle holds five ounces of the toilet water. The stoppers are a unique bronze colored metal capped cork. Some of the bottles might retain their original labels on their bellies and bases. The bottom label reads: "Coty New York Paris Informal fragrance. Use this lovely Eau de Toilette as lavishly as you choose. A generous sprinkle in your bath--a dash in your hand basin--in your final shampoo rinse--on your lingerie or 'kerchief'. Impart a touch of fragrance to your accessories or your furs. Take it with you to 'freshen up' while traveling. Cont. 5 oz. Compounded in U.S A."
Other Informal Fragrance Bottles:
Coty also introduced their Informal Fragrances in glass bottles similar to those from the 1930s. These bottles were packaged with a plastic atomizer head.
Flacon avec Bouchon Triangle Pointe de Diamant:
The “Bouchon Triangle Pointe de Diamant” model with its gold foil paper label and cut glass stopper. Bottle designed by Pierre Camin. Used for a variety of Coty perfumes.
Chypre Cylindrical Bottle:
The bottle below is cylindrical in shape and is fitted with a frosted glass stopper in a slightly domed oblong shape.
Fate of the Fragrance:
The newspaper ad reads "No other firm in the world possesses such a variety of great perfume as our, These are at once our wealth and the source of our pride. Inasmuch as two of our world-famous perfumes, Chypre and Le Vertige, will shortly not be available, we feel we owe an explanation to the American women who treasures these particular fragrances. A minimum of thirty ingredients from world-wide sources is required to make a great Coty blend. Many of these sources have been closed by enemy occupation. What is more, we have eben entirely cut off from France ever since her complete invasion in November 1942. Therefore, despite our foresight and planning, the available stocks of some of our perfumes are limited. Great blends, the only ones which deserve the name of perfume - such as the Coty classics -can be produced only from the highest grade ingredients. There are no substitutes for the production of such perfumes."
The advertisement explained that creating great Coty blends required a minimum of thirty ingredients sourced from around the world. Due to enemy occupation, many of these sources were no longer accessible. Additionally, the complete invasion of France in November 1942 had cut off Coty's supply lines, further exacerbating the situation. Despite the company's foresight and planning, the stocks of certain perfumes had become limited.
Coty's commitment to quality was highlighted in their decision to halt the production of Chypre and Le Vertige rather than compromise by using inferior substitutes. The ad underlined that only the highest-grade ingredients could produce the classic Coty perfumes, and there were no acceptable alternatives. Therefore, until they could once again access the proper raw materials, the production of these fragrances was put on hold, demonstrating Coty's dedication to maintaining the integrity and quality of their perfumes.
In 1964 a national announcement from Coty revealed the return of Chypre (pronounced "sheep"). The classic fragrance was discontinued for many years because the natural musk fixative, derived from the musk ox, found only in Tibet, was not available to the free world. This forced the brand to use synthetic musk aromachemicals. However, Chypre was discontinued once again.
The Chateau Collection:
In 1986, Coty released three forgotten scents in a set called "The Chateau Collection." This collection of old favorites was comprised up of La Rose Jacqueminot, Chypre and Muse which was rechristened as Les Muses. The original fragrances were brought up to date to satisfy the changing tastes of the 1986 woman. The full parfum concentrations were not released as they were feared to be "too heady for modern tastes" as the originals were "more full-bodied and romantic in earlier days". The setting and inspiration for the collection's display and advertising was the famous Chateau D'Artigny, the sumptuous former estate of Coty in France.
Chypre was available in 1 oz eau de parfum splash for $12.50 and 1.75 oz eau de toilette spray for $10.00. A gift set included a bottle of eau de parfum, and purse atomizer and a funnel to decant the edp splash into the atomizer, this set retailed for $17.50.
1986 version:
So what does it smell like? It is classified as a classic contemporary chypre fragrance for women with delicate notes of gardenia and tuberose mellowing into rich notes of woods and mosses.
- Top notes: gardenia, tuberose
- Middle notes:
- Base notes: oakmoss, sandalwood
This version has also been discontinued, however, bottles can still be found online.
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