Opium, a fragrance of character by Yves Saint Laurent Yves Saint-Laurent is a designer who, beneath his shy appearance, always enjoyed being talked about. Beyond the quality of his creations, he was a fervent advocate of scandal. Thus, several of his fragrances were subject to enormous controversy, sometimes for their advertising, other times for their name.
A legendary fragrance, Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent made its appearance in 1977. Bearing a rather enigmatic name, it evoked a moment of pure pleasure and a desire to break free from rules. It was aimed at a sensual and charismatic woman, literally dependent on her fragrance. Created by Jean-Louis Sieuzac and Raymond Chaillan, Opium contains noble ingredients and is the result of countless trials. Highly accomplished, it was thought through down to the smallest detail, both in terms of scent and bottle design. Let us take a closer look at how its bottle was designed.
The original bottle of Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent
First of all, it should be noted that the bottle of Opium has been slightly modified since its release. Indeed, originally, it did not quite have its current silhouette. It was a much more square case, with a cap that was lower than today's and a glass window that was off-center. As a matter of historical interest, the Opium bottle was inspired by an inro, a small precious case carried by warriors of the Far East. In 1977, Yves Saint-Laurent decided to offer women a more contemporary interpretation of it. Thus, the design of Opium is a perfect blend of modernity and tradition. This ancestral case was once molded in a nylon plastic shell, whose color evoked Chinese lacquer. In the 1970s, plastic was highly avant-garde and displayed its credentials with pride. A small glass eye allowed a glimpse of the amber color of its juice, appearing as a window open onto the sacred fire burning within Opium. Its cap, meanwhile, was attached to a braided black cord, dotted with a few golden flecks.
The new bottle of Opium by Yves Saint-Laurent
When Opium gave rise to a new fragrance named Black Opium, its original bottle was transformed in order to provide perfect coherence across the whole collection. Since 2014, it has had an entirely new look. This time it is an imposing square shape, with slightly rounded curves. Its round window of the past, meanwhile, has become more prominent. It is positioned exactly at its center. The plastic, for its part, has entirely disappeared in favor of glass. This is tinted with an amber glow, somewhat reminiscent of the shade of its predecessor. Likewise, the tube connected to its spray nozzle and dipping into the fragrance takes on the appearance of a small cord. Here again, this is a nod to its very first visual. The window of Opium now opens onto a golden-colored juice, like a shining sun, burning at its heart. The whole is topped with a small half-moon-shaped cap. This, too, is golden. It recalls Opium's very first cap, while being taller and more imposing.
The new bottle of Opium comes in different sizes. More or less imposing, it is available in spray bottles of 30, 50, or 90 ml.