Roulhac Toledano

Francois Coty: Fragrance, Power, Money Roulhac Toledano

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 296-307) and index. Jacket Description/Flap:"Perfume is a love affair with one's self."--Frani1/2ois CotyCaptured in an exquisitely crafted translucent Baccarat bottle adorned with a gently shimmering gold-leaf label, the liquid gold of a classic Coty fragrance represents the epitome of luxury, style, and sophistication. At the dawn of the twentieth century, a time when perfumes were sold by pharmacists in dark, inelegant medicinal flasks marked with unsightly labels, Frani1/2ois Coty was developing the first fragrance in what would become the most coveted and glamorous line of cosmetics in the world. He engineered a revolution in the fragrance industry, and in doing so, he became a member of Europe's cultural elite, France's first billionaire, and the Emperor of Perfume. A talented, passionate, and obsessive man whose Corsican pedigree linked him to Napoleon Bonaparte, Frani1/2ois Coty became a figure of tremendous consequence during his lifetime. This spellbinding chronicle of the life and legacy of the fragrance king traces the rise of the man who would single-handedly transform the way cosmetics were produced, packaged, and marketed around the world. In addition to being one of history's greatest parfumeurs, Coty was a politician, artist, industrialist, news magnate, and amorous adventurer. Embroiled in the glamor, culture, and romance of turn-of-the-century Paris, and later in the tensions and politics of Europe on the eve of World War II, Coty attracted no small amount of scandal, speculation, and awe. The allure continues to this day. This dynamic biography provides an intimate glimpse into the life and loves of Frani1/2ois Coty, whose exceptional and volatile story is marked by the bittersweet smell of tremendous success. Jacket Description/Back:"It's not often that one gets the inside story about France's most powerful and secretive billionaire, and even rarer to get the story told with such verve. The authors have an eye for telling detail, and their research is admirable. Frani1/2ois Coty's unparalleled business savvy (he was one of the world's five richest men in 1926) belied his major missteps in his political and private life. If anyone wants to understand the fate of France in the twentieth century, this is the book to read."--Arthur Herman, historian and bestselling author of How the Scots Invented the Modern World and Gandhi and Churchill"'Perfume ruled the world' could be the subtitle of this fascinating study of Frani1/2ois Coty. Coty not only created fragrances and became one of the world's richest individuals and lived the high life, he also entered the political arena owning one of France's most popular newspapers from which he editorialized his causes. Well written and researched, this book demonstrates how power can corrupt and yet create great beauty."--Richard Guy Wilson, commonwealth professor, architectural history, University of VirginiaFrani1/2ois Coty transformed the international fragrance industry into one of sensuous glamor, luxury, and beauty. His stroke of genius came when he commissioned Baccarat to design beautiful bottles for his perfumes, and he later worked with Lalique to create new glass designs. A perceptive look into the private life of an unusual intellect and intense monomaniac, this biography traces Coty's story from his childhood through the enduring legacy of Coty Inc., which continues to shape the fragrance industry today. The owner of more than forty French newspapers, proprietor of dozens of chi1/2teaux and estates throughout Europe, statesman, artist, and lover to several enchanting women who didn't quite mind that he was married with children, Frani1/2ois Coty lived an extraordinary life that makes for a breathtaking story. Publisher Marketing: Artist, financier, politician, industrialist, philanthropist, lover, and above all-parfumeur-Frani1/2ois Coty revolutionized the fragrance industry during the first thirty years of the twentieth century. The genius visionary behind such legendary scents as Chypre and La Rose Jacqueminot, Frani1/2ois Coty rose to extraordinary fame and fortune during his lifetime, following his extraordinary "nose" to exalt women with his innovative luxury products. Presenting a dazzling study of the sensational "Emperor of Fragrance" and France's first billionaire, this unprecedented biography traces Coty's life and legacy from his familial roots through his death in 1934 and the transformations of Coty, Inc. into the cosmetics powerhouse it remains today. Born in 1874, next-door to the house of his relative and idol Napoleon Bonaparte, Frani1/2ois Coty was orphaned at the age of seven. He spent his childhood under the care of the Jesuit priests and elderly women of his ancestral Italian family in Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica. After briefly serving in the reserves of the French army, Coty became a parliamentary attachi1/2 for a well-connected family friend and prominent Parisian senator. Coty spent four years absorbing Paris's political and cultural scene of the fin de sii1/2cle before discovering his extraordinarily sensitive sense of smell. He set out to create his first fragrance in 1904; by 1906, he was a millionaire. Drawing upon Coty's personal correspondences, memoranda, and papers, the authors have crafted a modish and masterful biography of France's first man of fragrance. Rich in intimate anecdotes involving such figures as Coco Chanel, Reni1/2 Lalique, former kaiser Wilhelm Hohenzollern II, and Sergei Diaghilev, this comprehensive treatment of one of history's most captivating, elegant, and complex fashion and business leaders will be appreciated by history aficionados, fashion industry devotees, and anyone who enjoys a fine fragrance and a good story.

Contributor Bio:  Toledano, Roulhac B Roulhac B. Toledano is a native of New Orleans and an authority on the city's architecture. She worked on volumes II, IV, V, and VI of the New Orleans Architecture Series, published by Pelican.