Le Roy Soleil by Schiaparelli c1946

Le Roy Soleil is a perfume by Elsa Schiaparelli produced in 1947, to celebrate the end of the World War by recalling the glory days of the Louis XIV of France.

The long-lost fragrance might have disappeared from memory completely, if not for its striking presentation, which remains firmly planted in the thoughts of many collectors. Schiaparelli commissioned the surrealist artist Salvador Dali to design the unique bottle. It was originally produced in a limited edition of only 2000 bottles and it is an homage to the Sun King.

Shocked: My Mother, Schiaparelli, and Me by Patricia Volk:

“To celebrate the liberation of Paris, she collaborates with Dali on her most dramatic perfume presentation: Press the catch. A gold scallop shell yawns to reveal a Baccarat bottle. The dauber is the sun. Its bursting rays are hand-gilded. The features of the sun’s face are composed of Schiap’s symbol of freedom, birds in flight. The base of the bottle is the rippling ocean. Waves crest in blue enamel. “Though too expensive and too sophisticated for the general public,” she wrote, “it was a lovely object destined not to die.” Schiap calls this presentation “Le Roy Soleil.” Two thousand Sun Kings are produced and sell out immediately. She sent a bottle to one of her best customers. A thank you note is hand-delivered.: 

Dear Madame Schiaparelli. It is really the most beautiful bottle ever made, and the Roy Soleil is a very lasting and sweet gentleman. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your giving me such a handsome present which has displaced the Duke’s photograph on the coiffeuse! I shall be back again either tomorrow or Friday morning. 

With every good wish for great success with your collection which deserves all the applause. 

I am, 

Believe me, 

Yours sincerely, 

Wallis Windsor."

Bottles:

photo from takasago

Presented in a three-dimensional bottle designed by Salvador Dali and made by Cristalleries de Baccarat.  The crystal base forms a seascape with touches of blue enamel to give the appearance of undulating waves which are then highlighted in areas with gold enamel representing the glint of sunlight against wet rocks in the surf. The sumptuous flacon is fitted with a large crystal stopper in the shape of a radiant sun, its blazing rays of various sizes. On its face, black swallows, representing aspirations of a bright future, form the facial features of the sun, each tiny bird hand applied with black enamel. "A fragrance as warm and golden as the reign of Louis XIV for which it was named, made and packaged in France." According to Baccarat, a total of only 3,012 were made between 1945 and 1946.

The exquisite bottle was housed inside of a glorious gilded, hinged presentation box, which opens like a clamshell. Resting against cream colored satin, the fabulous bottle would have been an absolute delight to see when the elaborate case was opened.

Harper's Bazaar, 1946:

"Schiaparelli's new and devastating "Le Roy Soleil."

Harper's Bazaar, 1947:

"In the same regal manner,- Schiaparelli's "Le Roy Soleil" perfume."

Esquire, 1947:

"And still another called "Le Roy Soleil," a French perfume named for Louis XIV whose epoch was considered the most glorious in the history of France. This is positively a sumptuous production ... a gold fleck bottle of baccarat crystal with a sunburst stopper."

Current Biography, 1952:

"For a separate perfume business, also housed at the same address, Schiaparelli designs bottles, labels, and boxes for “Shocking", “Salut", “Le Roi [sic] Soleil”, “Zut," and other perfumes."

Le monde des affaires en France, 1952:

"Schiaparelli s'est spécialisé dans les flacons étonnants en forme de mannequin, de chandelier auréolé de flammes, comme son dernier : « Roy soleil »"

Woman's Guide to Europe, 1954:

" Schiaparelli, 21 Place Vendome. "Succes Fou"— indeed a mad success; "Salut"— for young girls; "Snuff '—tweedy, masculine; "Sleeping"— wistful, delicate; "Shocking"— elegant, refined; "Zut"— shocking; "Roi [sic] Soleil"— luxurious."

Baccarat Cube Stoppered Bottles: 

First presented in 1938 and used throughout the 1940s, this clear glass bottle was created to hold the pure parfum, and was not only used for Shocking, but served as a standard bottle for several other Schiaparelli perfumes such as So Sweet, Sleeping, Salut, Le Roy Soleil, Zut, etc. I believe that this sober bottle style was used in response to World War II restrictions on importations, especially glass bottles and supplies from Czechoslovakia and Italy.

This bottle is a domestic French product, Baccarat model #788, manufactured for Schiaparelli only. It is a tall, upright rectangular shape and features a faceted glass cube as the stopper. The smallest size features a stopper that has an attached dauber. The base of the bottle is usually molded with "Schiaparelli" and "French Bottle". 

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued (date unknown)


A painting, the 1945 piece Le Roy Soleil, was inspired by the Sun King, France’s Louis XIV. Parfums Salvador Dalí chairman Jean-Pierre Grivory says that Dalí admired the 17th century ruler who was noted for his creativity and excesses in fashion and lifestyle. That in turn inspired the bottle for the men’s fragrances, Le Roy Soleil (1997) and Black Sun (2007) which comes in a bottle with the sun’s image etched on it.


In June 1997, the perfume Le Roy Soleil was released by Parfums Salvador Dali, inspired by the Schiaparelli perfume of the same name; created by Phillipe Ramano.

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a soft oriental parfum de toilette.

• Top notes: Calabrian bergamot, pawpaw, lemon, pineapple and rosewood
• Heart notes: clove, cinnamon, cyclamen, rose, Egyptian jasmine and apricot
• Base notes: Singapore patchouli, Mysore sandalwood, Haitian vetiver, tonka bean, vanilla and musk

Presented in a similar Schiaparelli bottle designed by Salvador Dali.

Le Roy Soleil - (1997) Presented in its luxurious cardboard box covered with fucshia suede paper with the logo of a gilded metal sun, surrealist bottle in clear Baccarat crystal of oval section, curved conical body, its imposing crystal stopper enhanced with gold lacquer depicting a stylized Sun with a dreamy face, signed and numbered 97/3000, H: 14cm

Le Roy Soleil pour Homme.

 Sweeter and less aggressive than most male fragrances Le Roy Soleil Homme by Salvador Dali is a special occasion eau de toilette, introduced in 1997.

• Top notes: neroli, Calabrian bergamot, ozone accord
• Middle notes: toronja, Egyptian geranium, jasmine
• Base notes: amber, cedar, Brazilian rosewood

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