Coty, Complice, 'Accomplice', 60 ml. or 2 oz. Flacon, Parfum Extrait, 1934, Relaunch 1973, Paris, France ..

François Spoturno, originally from Corsica, studied perfumery with Antoine Chiris in Grasse for one or two years before moving to Paris, adopting a variation on his mother's name, which was 'Coti', and launching his perfume business with La Rose Jacqueminot in 1904.

Coty was one of the first to understand the importance of fragrance packaging, and more specifically a beautiful bottle .. "A perfume is seen as much as it is smelled", he said. His business expanded, eventually encompassing cosmetics and powders as well as perfumes, until he was one of the wealthiest men in France. In addition to revolutionizing the packaging and marketing of perfume, Coty was also a respected perfumer.

Francois Coty created Complice .. ‘Accomplice’ .. in 1934, but he died before it could be launched. It remained on ice until 1973, when the Coty company launched it in a period design bottle.

"Complice .. conceived by Francois Coty. A perfume decades ahead of its time, a fragrance orchestrated in a thousand tones, an infinity of textures. And pronounced, by acclaim, the fragrance of the century .. Complice de Francois Coty."

The bottle and its packaging are designed in the Art Nouveau style. The bottle is made up of clear crystal, and the stopper in the shape of an abstract flower is made up of molded frosted glass or pâte de verre. Pâte de verre is a kilncasting method that literally means "paste of glass". The general premise is to mix glass granules with a binder such as gum arabic, then apply the glass to the inner surface of a negative mould.

Though the bottle was made by Coty’s own glassworks, or by Pochet et du Courval, it directly evokes images of Rene Lalique who was Coty’s neighbour in Paris, and with whom he forever changed the perfume industry by being one of the first to sell perfumes in gorgeous crytsal bottles. The stopper shape is directly inspired by the ornate Tiara stoppered flacons manufactured by Lalique in the early part of the 20th century. Even the label smacks of Lalique’s style, the gilded embossing and lettering font was very indicative of the labels first designed by Rene Lalique for Coty.

Complice perfume is dry, elegant and beathtakingly lovely. There are notes of peach and lilac, but what makes Complice so attractive is its long lasting heart of orris and narcissus. The dry down, both mossy and woody, and has just a hint of animalic heat. This is a sweet, sexy and very feminine composition.

Top notes are Bergamot, Orange Blossom, Peach, and Spices
Heart notes are Rose, Orris, Narcissus, Lily of the Valley, Lilac, and Carnation
Base notes are Benzoin, Oak Moss, Sandalwood, and Vetiver

Offered here is an amazing 2 oz. flacon. Increasingly hard to find a bottle of this size with about 3/4 of the scent remaining! The string has been cut and it has been opened and partially used. Still lovely, and I can attest to the beautiful fragrance! A magnificent addition to any collection .. and most collectible for Coty lovers! Beautify heavy crystal flacon. No box.