About

Beginnings

 

Portrait of Pierre Dinand

Pierre Dinand, an engineer’s son, began his art studies in Paris in the early 1950’s.

He was drafted and sent to fight in the paddyfields of Indochina, but Dinand was more interested in art than in fighting.

Fortunately, an obliging senior officer allowed him to attempt courses at the Royal Art School of Cambodia in the Silver pagoda of Phnom Penh.Shortly thereafter, he was detached to work with a group of archeologists in Angkor Wat.

For over a year, he studied Asian temples and sculptures.

On his return to France, Dinand found a job in the automobile industry.

« I was a test driver, but they discovered I didn’t have a driver’s license… « 

Pierre was fired on the spot and ended up working for a chemical company. The firm was about to launch a new product.

 » But the package was hideous.

I decided to re-design it myself « 

The boss was delighted. Dinand was promoted to chief advertizing executive and his wages tripled. After a time, he was recruited by Contact advertising agency. One of the customers was the Rochas perfume company.

They were looking for a new bottle design. « Madame Rochas » was on the shelves in late 1958. For the first time ever, the stopper was not made of glass but rather, entirely of plastic and metal. The perfume was a success. Dinand was hired by Rochas, and designing perfume bottles became his profession.

 » And it just never stopped. « 

In 1964, Dinand was introduced to an up-and-coming designer, Yves Saint-Laurent.

 » I also met Givenchy, Balenciaga, Guerlain, Dior…

I was just rocketed to the very center of design and perfume. « 

Feat N.Y. 1990 Photo by Bob Stern

The Art of Perfume Bottle Design

There’s more to the designing of perfume bottles than shape.
It also takes a strong technical background. Thanks to his early experiences in the industry, Pierre Dinand was able to bring new materials to a field where the use of glass still reigned.

In the early sixties, Pierre Dinand wanted Paco Rabanne’s Calandre to be locked into a metal frame to set with the design of the Paco’s metal dress made for Brigitte Bardo.

 » Paco decided on a theme : ‘a couple making love on the backseat of a car at a drive-in.’In that case, I told him, better have a big car ! ‘yes’, he responded, a ‘Rolls-Royce’. From the Rolls came the idea of its front, the radiator grille or calandre, which eventually became the name of the perfume. « 

But in those days in the perfume industry, for various reasons, metal was practically impossible to use . And so he decided to experiment with ABS. At the time, it was a brand new material mostly used in the car industry. Once galvanized, this material can be metal-plated and looks like real metal.

 

Dinand’s most iconic designs is the bottle for Yves Saint Laurent’s Opium fragrance in 1977. Shaped like an inrō and inspired by the opulence and mystery of the Orient, Dinand created a bottle that exuded sensuality and allure. Its sleek silhouette and rich, deep color perfectly complemented the exotic notes of the fragrance, making it an instant classic.

 » Ironically, the design was first made for Kenzo who refused it. I presented a reworking  to Saint Laurent thrown in as a bonus between several designs. Yves grabbed the Kenzo bottle and said : « It’s a Japanese inrō, where the samurai stored their opium balls ! » The name  Opium came from the bottle design. « 

One of those rare, enduring successes in an industry define by change is Yves Saint Laurent’s Rive Gauche.

It’s the first perfume line in aerosol cans, echoing Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup cans. The design was inspired by the vase de Dunand found in an antique shop at the marché Byron in Saint-Ouen. 

This metal bottle still unchanged and on sale today.

 

Another notable creation by Dinand is the bottle for Calvin Klein’s Eternity. With its simple yet sophisticated design, the bottle became synonymous with timeless elegance.The concept was inspired by a wedding gift. Cavin Klein gave to his just married wife a band previously owned by the Duchess of Windsor. It was inscribed with the words « For Eternity ». 

 » Calvin and I went to Tiffany store to see the ambiance and the color codes for wedding presents. Almost everything was in crystal and silver with religious symbols. Thus we imagined a bottle in cut crystal and a silver cap, topped by a stylised cross. « 

Dinand’s approach to perfume bottle design is a harmonious blend of exchange with the perfume creator, its own observation of the world around him, and material’s technique from the industry. In the same way, Dinand says that’s a perfume become iconic only if the fragrance, the bottle design and the communication are intimately linked.

Madame Rochas - 1959 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1960 - Madame Rochas
Madame Rochas - 1959 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1960 - Eau d'Hermès
Madame Rochas - 1959 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1964 - Y
Madame Rochas - 1959 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1966 - Eau Sauvage
Calandre - Paco Rabanne - 1968 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1969 - Calandre
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1970 - Givenchy III
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1970 - Fashion
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1970 - Eau Cendrée
Yves Saint-Laurent Rive Gauche - 1970 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1971 - Rive Gauche
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1971 - YSL pour homme
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1973 - Coriandre
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme - 1973 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1973 - Paco Rabanne Pour Homme
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme - 1973 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1974 - Nympheas
Paco Rabanne Pour Homme - 1973 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1974 - Gentleman
Azzaro Femme - 1975 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1975 - Captain
Azzaro Femme - 1975 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1975 - Azzaro
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1975 - Bloomie's
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1976 - Isadora
Yves Saint-Laurent Opium - 1977 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1977 Opium
Valentino - 1978 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1978 - Valentino
Valentino - 1978 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1978 - Red
Van Cleef & Arpels - 1978 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1978 - Van Cleef for Men
Azzaro Homme – 1978 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1978 - Azzaro pour homme
Casbah - 1990 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1979 - Ivoire
Casbah - 1990 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1979 - Cavale
Casbah - 1990 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1979 - Michelle
Casbah - 1990 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1979 - Cerruti Fair Play
Casbah - 1990 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1979 - Man and Woman
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1980 - Versailles
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1981 - Nocturnes
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1982 - K de Krizia
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1982 - Farala
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1982 - Oleg Cassini
Armani - 1981 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1982 - Armani
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1982 - Missoni Uomo
Borsalino - 1982 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1982 - Borsalino
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1982 - JA Jun Ashida
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1983 - Ebène
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1983 - Paris
Givenchy Xeryus - 1986 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1984 - Gianfranco Ferre
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1984 - Privé
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1984 - Krizia Uomo
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1984 - Obsession
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1984 - Joy
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1984 - Azzaro 9
Givenchy Ysatis - 1984 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1984 - Ysatis
Givenchy Ysatis - 1984 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1984 - Via Condotti
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1985 - Le 3e Homme
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1985 - Gilda
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1985 - 6-0 Bjon Borg
Calvin Klein Obsession For Men - 1986 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1985 - Obsession
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1985 - Teatro alla Scala
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1985 - Dans la Nuit
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1985 - Privilège
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1985 - Carlo Corinto
Fendi - 1985 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1985 - Fendi
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1986 - Anne Klein II
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1986 - Kipling
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1986 - Audace
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1986 - Maëlle
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1986 - Gian Marco Venturi
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1986 - Liz Claiborne
Givenchy Xeryus - 1986 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1986 - Xeryus
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1986 - Basile
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1986 - Obsession for Men
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1986 - Sung
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1987 - Amalda
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1987 - Moschino
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1987 - Marte
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1987 - Eau Dynamisante
Tiffany - 1989 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1987 - Tiffany
La Perla - 1987 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1987 - La Perla
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1987 - Francesco Smalto
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1987 - Baglietto
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1987 - Capucci di Capucci
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1987 - A by Annabella
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1987 - Basile Uomo
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1987 - Enrico Coveri
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1988 - Eternity for women
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1988 - Soprani Uomo
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1988 - Maxim's
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1988 - Listen
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1988 - Les Copains
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1988 - Arrogantissima
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1988 - Luciano Soprani
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1988 - Maxim's pour Homme
Shu Uemura - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1989 - Shu Uemura
Eternity - 1988 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1989 - Caractère
Eternity - 1990 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1989 - Eternity for men
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 - Scaasi
Kao Parfum - 1989 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1989 - Kao
Kao Parfum - 1989 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1989 - Charro
Kao Parfum - 1989 Design by Pierre Dinand©
1989 - Navy
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 - Misha
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 - Moods and Moods Uomo
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 - Maserati
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 - Tiffany for Men
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 - Pomellato
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 -Spoiled by Theodore
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1989 - Echo
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1990 - Cassini
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1990 - Encore
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1990 - Vicky Tiel
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1990 - Perle Noire
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1990 - Diable au corps
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1990 - Ocean Rain
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1991 - Amarige
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1992 - Casbah
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1993 - XS
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1993 - Insensé
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1993 - Champagne
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1994 - Dolce & Gabbana
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1995 - Cheap & Chic
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1995 - Pleasures
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1995 - XS pour Elle
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1995 - Butterfly
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1996 - Exsultate
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1996 - Pleasures for Men
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
1997 - Eau de Saint Louis
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2000 - Verveine
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2001 - Light Blue
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2004 - Léonard
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2011 - Les jardins d'Aladin
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2012 - Gant
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2013 - Pozzo di Borgo
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2015 - Dear Polly
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2015 - Map of the Heart
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2016 - Jean Michel Duriez
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2017 - Beautiful Day
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2019 - Glasshouse
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2019 - Les soeurs de Noé
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2020 - La Perla
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2021 - Phantom
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2021 - Miles Wambaugh
Flacon Misha pour Mikhail Baryshnikov par Pierre Dinand©, 1989
2022 - Le Galion