Lalique is a renowned French design house specializing in glassware. It was founded by the talented artist, master ceramist, and jeweler René Lalique. Born in the village of Ay in 1860 and raised in Paris and Ay, René developed a deep fascination with the natural world, which later became a prominent theme in his artwork. He received formal art education at College Turgot but unfortunately had to leave after the passing of his father. Despite this setback, René’s passion for art led him to embark on an apprenticeship with a Parisian goldsmith at the age of 12. He balanced his work with evening classes to further his education. René expanded his artistic knowledge at Sydenham Art College in London. Following his time in England, he worked as a freelance artist while also creating exquisite jewelry designs for prestigious houses like Cartier and Boucheron. In 1885, Lalique established his own business.

During this era, jewelry design predominantly emphasized the quantity of precious stones, with less focus placed on the overall artistic concept. René Lalique revolutionized the industry by introducing nature-inspired pieces that showcased animals and the female form. His innovative approach to jewelry design forever changed the course of the craft. Renowned for his unique artistic vision and inspired by the art movement known as Art Nouveau, Lalique’s jewelry designs gained tremendous recognition, although unfortunately, they were also frequently copied. Eventually, René shifted his focus from jewelry to glassware, a move that would bring him even greater success.

One pivotal moment in Lalique’s career came when he partnered with Francois Coty to create exceptional vessels for perfumes, a concept that was revolutionary at the time. Prior to this collaboration, perfume was typically sold in plain glass vials, and if one desired a more aesthetically pleasing container, they had to purchase elaborate and expensive decanters separately. Lalique’s innovative designs encompassed both the exquisite containers and beautiful labels for Coty’s earliest perfumes, such as L’Effleur and Ambre Antique. However, René’s brilliance didn’t end there. He also developed a manufacturing process that allowed for the mass production of these bottles, reducing their cost and increasing their accessibility. This groundbreaking concept of combining perfume with beautiful vessels quickly gained popularity, leading Lalique to work with other renowned fragrance houses such as Roger & Gallet, Guerlain, Molinard, d’Orsay, and Worth. Notably, Lalique’s creation of the iconic dove-shaped flacon for Nina Ricci’s L’Air du Temps remains one of his most memorable works.

Glass became the primary medium through which René Lalique expressed his artistic talents for the remainder of his life. His artistic prowess extended beyond perfume bottles, as he also designed architectural installations and hood ornaments for luxury automobiles. Although Lalique passed away in 1945, his creative legacy lives on. His granddaughter, Marie-Claude, also a talented glass-maker, decided to continue her grandfather’s tradition by launching her own line of perfumes in 1992. These fragrances, produced in collaboration with Art & Fragrance, have since been presented in limited edition sculptural bottles every year since 1994. This ongoing collaboration has resulted in a collection of 97 Lalique perfumes. The fragrance line boasts perfumers such as Michel Almairac, Mylène Alran, Beatrice Piquet, Max Gavarry, Emilie Bevierre-Coppermann, Jean-Claude Ellena, Raphael Haury, Bertrand Duchaufour, Christine Nagel, Mathilde Bijaoui, and many more.