François Coty founded Coty in 1904, helping create the modern fragrance industry.
Coty was established in Paris by François Coty, a Corsican-born perfumer and businessman. He helped popularize the idea that perfume could be sold as a complete luxury experience, combining a carefully designed scent with attractive packaging and presentation.
Coty worked with notable glassmakers, including René Lalique, and used department-store distribution and distinctive bottles to reach a broader market. This approach helped move perfume beyond small specialist shops and made branded fragrance more accessible to mass consumers.
The company’s name is sometimes confused with Coty’s own name or with later brands in its portfolio. Coty is the company, while François Coty was its founder and the historical perfumer associated with its early success. The modern corporation has owned or licensed many beauty brands, but its origin dates to the 1904 Paris enterprise.