The Etui à Cigarette presentation, introduced in 1927, offered a clever blend of elegance and practicality that reflected Coty’s flair for innovative packaging. The perfume was housed in a compact flacon standing 3⅛ inches tall, molded at Coty’s own glassworks and marked “Coty France” on the base. The bottle itself echoed the clean, modern lines typical of Coty’s late 1920s designs, making it visually refined while still suitably sized for daily use.
What set this presentation apart was its multifunctional outer box. Designed as an étui—a slim, protective case—it originally cradled the perfume but was intended to be repurposed once the fragrance was finished. After the bottle was removed, the box could be used as a cigarette case, giving it a second life as a fashionable personal accessory. This dual-purpose concept aligned with the era’s fascination with stylish smoking accoutrements and added a touch of novelty to the Coty line.
The Etui à Cigarette presentation remains an appealing example of Coty’s ingenuity, marrying practical design with decorative charm at the height of his company’s creative output in the late 1920s.
Each bottle is slim, with sloping shoulders and fitted with a frosted glass stopper modeled as a small bundle of flowers. The domed stopper has gently rounded four edges.
Coty's refined and practical packaging style for its Étui and Cylindrical presentations—designs that reflected the brand’s commitment not only to beauty but also to functional elegance. These containers were crafted from chrome-tinted yellow paper, a material chosen for its subtle metallic sheen and warm golden undertone. This distinctive paper was then printed in brown and embossed with a delicate caned pattern, giving the surface both visual texture and a tactile, handcrafted quality.
The caned embossing created an appealing interplay of light and shadow, enhancing the illusion of woven material while maintaining the durability and structure needed for modern cosmetics packaging. The combination of the warm chrome-yellow base and the rich brown detailing produced a harmonious, understated palette—stylish without excessive ornamentation.
The overall impression, as noted at the time, was one of “neatness and usefulness.” Coty’s design struck a careful balance: elegant enough to feel special, yet practical enough for everyday handling and storage. These Étui and Cylindrical boxes exemplified Coty’s talent for elevating functional packaging into thoughtful, aesthetically pleasing design—adding charm and refinement to even the simplest product presentations.
Scents:
- Ambre Antique
- Chypre
- Emeraude
- Jasmin de Corse
- Heliotrope
- L'Aimant
- L'Or
- L'Origan
- La Rose Jacqueminot
- Muguet
- Oeillet France
- Paris
