The "Gitane" in CAFE GITANE


Ever wondered where the "Gitane" in CAFE GITANE comes from?

Firstly "gitane" means "gypsy woman" in French, but some of you might know Gitanes, the French cigarette brand that launched in 1910 and was known for their filterless cigarettes.

Especially in the 70s and 80s Gitanes made many appearances in pop culture and celebs like Slash, guitarist for Guns N' Roses, Serge Gainsbourg, and The Thin White Duke, David Bowie's persona form 1975 to 1976 famously smoked Gitanes.

 

Now, we are not saying that cigarettes, or smoking are "cool", but In July 2016, the French government considered a ban on the Gitanes cigarette brand because they were deemed "too stylish and cool". But we do love the art deco packet designed by Maurice Giot in 1927 and especially the image of a Gypsy dancer, designed by Molusson, which first appeared on the cigarette packets in 1943, 

 

and all the colorful, iconic illustrations and posters that appeared since. 

Gitanes poster by Pierre Fix-Masseau Gitanes poster by Jean D’Ylen 1937Rousseau J.C. Gitanes 1969Gitanes poster by Laure ALBIN-GUILLOT 1930 Gitanes poster A Max Ponty, 1991Gitanes poster by René Vincent 1931Gitanes poster by Herve Morvan Gitanes 1958