Zut by Schiaparelli c1948

Zut by Elsa Schiaparelli: launched in 1948 and possibly created by a Jean Carles and Roure.

As for the name, it was quite controversial for the time, at least it was in France. The name "Zut," pronounced "zoot," in French means "damn". In the book Antique Trader Perfume Bottles, Kyle Husfloen and Penny Dolnick said that "reportedly inspired by an accident that occurred to Elsa Schiaparelli when the waist elastic on her slip broke at a train station and the slip fell to her feet."

In a 19850 issue of the Cincinatti Enquirer it stated that "the name doesn't mean a thing, Elsa says. It just popped into her head one day when she walked through the suit production room of her Paris atelier."

For 1948, Schiaparelli introduced her "jungle" inspired collections of haute couture and accessories. Clad in the very latest in sheer stockings and swishy dresses of the then-novel nylon fabric, models also wore her "jungle hats" - jaunty cloche hats and velvet tricornes, accented with pearl festoons, cocky ostrich feather aigrettes, and masks of tiger or fox affixed to the crowns to serve as visors.

The collection revolved around a particular shade of deep, medium green she dubbed "Vert Zut" which was accented with "Zut Mauve," a pinky mauve color she used in her fabrics. These two colors in a swanky combination were also used on the presentation box for the Zut perfume.

News-Press, 15 Aug 1948:

"Schiaparelli's jungle colors - green, pink, blue, bronze and silver - are repeated in a range of stocking shades of the sheerest nylon matched to new winter fabrics...Perugia of Paris made high shoes or "pattens" of astrakan or other furs for Schiaparelli's jungle theme. To heighten the tropical note, inspiration of many models, the salons were sprayed with an exotic new perfume called Zut, a fragrance scheduled for the Christmas market."

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It was described as bittersweet, warm floral oriental fragrance for women.

• Top notes: Calabrian bergamot and blackcurrant
• Middle notes: calendula, cyclamen, linden blossom, ylang ylang, jasmine, lily of the valley, rose
• Base notes: tonka, incense, leather, vanilla, ambergris, Mysore sandalwood, orris, musk

Basenotes.com member, danielremy has remarked that "Zut was half Russian Leather half Shalimar. The opening was a potent leathery note of birch tar, as for example in the Lubin's Cuir de Russie, or in Jet (Corday). The drydown is a very soft ambery base a la Shalimar. Zut was not as successful as Shocking but it's still very interesting to smell and to wear."

Vogue, 1951:

"Schiaparelli's Zut, a perfume bound to leave in its wake a spicy, warm, diverting note - always.  The perpetuating factor: a tiny replica of the famous Schiap bottle — to reinforce the scent, whenever."

Bottles:

Zut was presented in a beautiful frosted glass bottle depicting a woman's body from the waist down, I have informally dubbed it the "legs" bottle. The bottle was cleverly designed to complement the naked torso Schiaparelli had used years earlier for Shocking.

The woman is supposed to be Mistinguette wearing a pair of fancy striped and dotted panties, trimmed in fringe, unfortunately, her star spangled skirt has dropped to the floor around her ankles in a mound of fluff. Exasperated and embarrassed, she exclaims "Zut!" in response.

Five sizes were available in the "legs" bottle.

• 5.75" tall 
• 5.5' tall (2 oz) (originally retailed for $48 in 1949)
• 5" tall (1 oz) (originally retailed for $30 in 1949)
• 3 5/8"tall (1/2 oz or 3/8 oz) (originally retailed for $18 in 1949) This size was packaged in the suede pouch.
• 2 1/4" (1/8 oz)

c1949 Schiaparelli Zut perfume bottle and stopper in clear glass with gold detail, sealed, ribbon, box with rare silk garter; includes short-lived re-edition, sealed in box. 5 5/8 in. Photos from Perfume Bottles Auction.

Hearst's 1948:

"As a bottle for her new perfume, Schiaparelli introduces, and high time, too, the underpinnings of her famous shocking torso. A pair of tantalizing legs in spangled trunks holds two ounces of an exotic tropical bouquet. It is called "Zut."

 

Hartford Courant, 3 Oct 1948:

"Schiaparelli's new perfume "Zut" means "ooh la la!" in French. It's bottled in a divine naughty affair of a pair of legs in spangled trunks standing in a fluff of skirt. If you're interested, it's about $40...we said $40!"

The Cincinnati Post. 4 Oct 1948:

"Well, at last there are some legs to go with that poor glass torso that's been standing about on damsel's dressing tables the last few years. The new legs are wearing spangled trunks and a fluff of skirt, and they house the "other half" of Schiaparelli's Shocking. It's a new perfume called Zut. That's French for "ooh, la la." Zut is described as "warm, sensuous, alluring, tropical" and it comes in a package encircled with a jungle green ruffled garter. Might at least be a pair of garter for the price, a mere $40."

The New Yorker, 1948:

"Schiaparelli's Zut, which comes in a bottle that is shaped like a circus girl's legs, is just what it sounds like; it doesn't even pretend to be subtle."

Cue, 1948:

"Mme. Schiaparelli is another one of the old timers who has come up with a new perfume. Hers is called "Zut" which, as you know, is untranslatable, but epitomizes Gallic insouciance. Its two-ounce bottle (at a modest $40) is the other half of the now famous Schiaparelli dressmaker torso bottle."

Modern Packaging, 1949:

"Most unusual is the container just announced for Schiaparelli's new perfume called "Zut," a 2-oz. bottle forming the other half of the now famous Schiaparelli dressmaker torso bottle. Publicity releases describe the form of the bottle as "an uninhibited pair of legs in spangled trunks standing in a fluff of a skirt with a satin sash encircling the "waist" or neck of the flacon. The bottle is packaged in a jungle green and mauve box, gold lettered and circled with an elastic ribbon garter. A miniature version of this bottle, for the toe of someone's stocking, is $3.60, and Zut cologne, in torso bottles (no legs), costs $6 and $10.80."

Star Tribune, 13 Nov 1949:

"If perfumes could speak, Schiaparelli's ZUT would be the wit of them all. Straight from Paris to you, in luxurious presentations gaily reminiscent of the Mauve Decade. It's an amusing gift dressed up in its beautiful box or in a suede "Mad Money" bag. Prices from $15, $25 and $40."

Mademoiselle, 1949:

"Schiaparelli's new Zut. in a naughty leg-art bottle. $15. three-eighth ounce. Saks Fifth Avenue."

The New Yorker, 1949:

"And when it comes to dropping subtlety completely, there is Schiaparelli's Zut, in the familiar and rude bottle shaped like the lower half of a girl in tights. This perfume comes in three sizes ($18, $30 and $48) packed in a green and orchid box with a garter around it. A miniature version of this bottle, for the toe of someone's stocking, is $3.60, and Zut cologne, in torso bottles (no legs) costs $6 and $10.80. And don't forget Schiaparelli's luscious Shocking, which has more of a Mother-was-a-lady air."

Modern Packaging, 1950:

"Schiaparelli's "leg art" French bottle for Zut perfume is now housed in green suede, satin-lined drawstring bag."

Cue, 1951:

"Schiaparelli's latest creation new two-ounce bottle of Zut Eau Cologne, paired with a miniature of warm, intoxicating Zut perfume. A delightful gift in purple and green $5.75." 

Harper's Bazaar, 1951:

"To wear with it, another exclamation point — Schiaparelli's "Zut" perfume."

Package Design, 1953:

"Here, for example, the Schiaparelli perfume flacons, the ' Shocking ' tailor's dummy and the ' Zut ' " leg art," show the influence of surrealism.— In the advertisements, the flacon is the central theme." 

Fodor's Women'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 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:

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued around 1960-1961 or so.

It was reformulated into an Eau de Parfum concentration by Nathalie Feisthauer from Givaudan-Roure and relaunched in 1998. So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral amber (oriental) fragrance for women.

• Top notes: bergamot, black currant, cyclamen
• Middle notes: marigold, ylang-ylang, linden flower, jasmine, lily of the valley, rose
• Base notes:  iris roots, tonka, incense, vanilla, cedar, sandalwood and musk.

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