Lalique and Baccarat became linked to perfume because both were prestigious French glass and crystal houses commissioned in the early twentieth century to turn ordinary bottles into genuine works of art, at a moment when perfume houses realised packaging could sell a fragrance almost as much as the scent inside it.

Turning Packaging Into Craft

René Lalique in particular became closely tied to the perfume industry through collaborations with major fragrance houses, producing ornate, sculptural glass flacons that were collected and admired independently of the perfume they once held. Baccarat, already renowned for fine crystal, brought a similar level of craftsmanship to luxury perfume packaging.

Why This Mattered So Much

Before this era, perfume bottles were largely functional. These collaborations helped establish the idea that a bottle could be a genuine collector’s object — a shift that still shapes how luxury fragrance is packaged and marketed today, from elaborate limited editions to more restrained but carefully designed everyday bottles. Our history of perfume guide covers this design history properly, part of the complete guide to perfume.