05/27/2026
THEN AND NOW.....Evening in Paris (Soir de Paris) was launched in 1928 by French cosmetics house Bourjois. Created by legendary perfumer Ernest Beaux (the mastermind behind Chanel No. 5), it made luxury fragrance accessible to the masses and became a global sensation before being discontinued in the late 1960's. Originally retailing for as little as 65 cents, it became one of the most widely worn fragrances in the world. The fragrance is famous for its vibrant, cobalt-blue glass flacon designed by Jean Helleu. The intense blue bottle, paired with a silver label and stars, was designed to evoke a romantic midnight sky in Paris. The iconic blue bottles and cases matched the racing colors of the Wertheimer family, who owned Bourjois at the time. Bourjois occasionally released clear bottles featuring gold or silver details to offer a more upscale or "gilded" aesthetic. Top Notes of the perfume were violet and bergamot, Heart Notes were lilac, linden, clover, rose, and jasmine, and Base Notes were vetiver and styrax.
Despite selling millions of bottles, its popularity dwindled in the late 1960's, and the original scent was discontinued in 1969. In the early 1990's, Chanel reformulated and briefly relaunched the fragrance for a new generation.
The W.H. Tupper General Store has the Evening in Paris clear box set in their collection.
