Lalique
Global
changes
and sharp
turns
of destiny
Global changes and destiny’s sharp turns are the typical
way for René Lalique. It is said he has lived two artistic
lives. Started in 1880s as vanguard jeweller who dared
to mix gold with enamel, glass, horn and other not very
precious materials, Lalique has become known to the
wider public within few years.
Sarah Bernard had ordered dozens of necklaces and ti-
aras for her stage costumes, which made the ingenious
master famous. Lalique was lucky for fateful meetings: a
millionaire Calouste Gulbenkian became his loyal fan and
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world monitor
collector, Emil Gallet introduced him at the worldwide expo-
sition in Paris in 1900.
Triumph at the exposition, awarded title of the leading art
nouveau jeweller, was commercial success for Lalique, but
instead of expanding the manufacture, he gradually wraps
up jewellery and gives himself to glass – his new passion.
Another right person occurs on his way: Francois Coty offers
this ex-jeweller to create bottles (vials) for his perfume com-
pany. Inspired by nature and the female body, which was the
same with his jewellery, the vials become a frenzied success.