Beauty and Fashion Dubai

This bottle and the fragrance within built our fame as a perfumer. They are given pride of place in our heritage and, indeed, play the starring role. A shape and a style that will always be recognisable and inimitable. A destiny and exceptional know-how. A rich and prestigious story in the sensory perfume world, one that Guerlain wished to showcase and illustrate in its own way in a grandiose exhibition based and centred on this iconic “Bee” bottle.

A story and a stroke of genius… In 1853, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain, founder of Guerlain, fell captive to the beauty of young Maria Eugenia de Guzman, Countess of Teba, known as Eugénie de Montijo. He dedicated his Eau de Cologne Impériale to her to celebrate her marriage to Napoleon III. As the bottle had to be as prestigious as its aristocratic recipient, he entrusted its creation to Pochet du Courval glassmakers. This bottle was a true technical feat, a perfect demonstration of a world in which the art of living was inseparable from extreme refinement. In recognition for his gift, Pierre-François-Pascal Guerlain received the highest imperial title, “His Imperial Majesty’s Official Perfume Maker”, which helped spread his fame throughout all of the great European courts.

Imperial ancestry… Its cylindrical blown-glass bottle is stamped with bees and festoons in relief highlighted with fine gold. Its dome is inspired by the column of the Place Vendôme, just a few metres from the boutique at 12, rue de la Paix, inaugurated in 1842. As for its label, it is decorated with the imperial coat of arms, featuring the very distinctive eagle.

The oldest House creation… Eau de Cologne Impériale is fresh, vibrant and refined. It starts with citrus scents of bergamot and lemon, set off with aromatic notes such as invigorating rosemary. Its heart brings out the languorous notes of orange blossom and petit grain. It is said that the Empress also used it to treat her migraines. As the very nature of fragrance keeps its creator unbound, even to the French Imperial Court, the first Guerlain perfumer also composed scents for Queen Victoria, Queen Isabella of Spain and Sissi, the Empress of Austria.

A lasting work of art… Over time, the Bee bottle would house other eau de cologne created by the five generations of Guerlain perfumers. More than a century has passed between Eau du Coq by Aimé Guerlain and Cologne du Parfumeur by Thierry Wasser, the current nose. In the Les Parisiennes collection, the bottle also holds the re-editions of the great fragrances that belong to the House legacy with extracts, eau de parfum and eau de toilette of all of the Guerlain fragrances. It even inspired the Aqua Allegoria eau de toilette bottle. Exceptionally, it dazzles in a limited edition or special order. In all cases, it marks its timeless personality with an elegant touch, like a distinctive characteristic for all eternity.

Outstanding artistic links… As early as 1828, Guerlain aimed to preserve and perpetuate exceptional craftsmanship. This is the case of the “Dames de Table” craftswomen whose specific age-old methods exclusive to Guerlain, notably the realisation of baudruches (a traditional House seal made up of special membrane) and the fabrication of barbiches (silk tassels) for the Guerlain perfume bottles, are passed down from one generation to the next. This attachment would never waver over time. Guerlain was even recognised as an “Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant” (“Living Heritage Company”) by the French Ministry of Industry. Whether these craftsmen are famous artists or illustrious “Maîtres d’art” (Master craftsmen) with rare or forgotten skills, their uncommon talents have always been called on to make singular creations in order to promote French fields of expertise and enrich our cultural heritage. To name a few, we can mention the collaborations with Jean-Michel Frank, Alberto Giacometti, Christian Bérard and Andrée Putman for the Maison Guerlain at 68, Champs-Élysées, and sculptor Robert Granai for the bottles from 1975 to 2000.

Nine “Maîtres d’art” at work… Inspired by the “Living National Treasures” of Japan, the title of “Maître d’art” was created in 1994 by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication with the aim of upholding and perpetuating fields of expertise to further the preservation of French heritage and artistic creation. The lifelong title of “Maître d’art” gives its holders the mission to transmit the excellence of their expertise to a pupil of their choice. 2014 marks the twentieth anniversary of the “Maître d’art – Pupil” project: 107 “Maîtres d’art” have been named since then and 107 pupils have begun their careers. The management of this exceptional approach has been overseen by the Institut National des Métiers d’art (the French National Institute of Arts and Crafts) since 2012.

Guerlain gave full artistic freedom to nine “Maîtres d’art” who represent excellence in their fields. It commissioned each of them to create a complete work of art exactly as they wished, based and centred on the Bee bottle in a one-litre format for its 160^th anniversary. These are original creations united in a unique and multidisciplinary exhibition. Visitors can admire the intricate quality of their works of art, which demand creativity, passion, an eye for detail, mastery and professional rigour: beautiful examples of exclusive pieces that are part of a rare artistic craft.

• Lison de Caunes, Maître d’art – Class of 1998. This granddaughter of interior designer André Groult has brought back the delicate art of straw marquetry, which she notably uses to create contemporary furniture and wall coverings.

“Le Théâtre” (“The Theatre”)

A wooden shrine in the shape of the Bee bottle. In the place of the label, an opening suggests the proscenium of a classic theatre. The interior and exterior feature straw marquetry: the first in an Empire blue sprinkled with stylised bees in embossed yellow straw, following the delicate 18^th-century technique, and the second in yellow gold chiselled with blue festoons, all with a waxed finish. The interior is lit, accentuating the natural shimmer of the straw and giving a dazzling effect to the bottle, decorated with a straw marquetry label.

• Laurent Nogues, Maître d’art – Class of 2011. This founder of the Creanog studio is the leading artist in the field of embossing, hot-stamping and insets on paper. He creates labels for luxury brands and the most prestigious institutions.

“La Ruche Impériale” (“The Imperial Hive”)

A graphic art version of the honeycombs that make up the hive. This precious honeycomb-shaped case is just waiting to be opened and unfolded to reveal the innovation and splendour of paper transformed through embossing. It is composed of six panels lined with white paper embossed with a tone-on-tone honeycomb motif. On closer view, one notices an optical illusion on the central stamp that represents the legendary bottle. The development of specific tools and a very singular embossing technique allow for a complex, tailor-made geometry for endless effects of light with striking definition.

• Nelly Saunier, Maître d’art – Class of 2008. This renowned plumassier takes feathers to a new level and enhances them with her keen sense of colour and volume. Her creativity, freed by her technical mastery and deep understanding of the feather-crafting tradition, led her to work for the world of art, luxury and beauty, for clients such as Jean-Paul Gaultier and Harry Winston.

“La Cage aux Oiseaux et aux Abeilles” (“The Bird and Bee Cage”)

Taking up the form of the iconic bottle, a golden structure reveals delicate feather marquetry that embraces the chiselled metal. The feather decoration fitted into the extremely precise cut-outs is stunning. With an effect of colours and contrasts, matt and iridescent variations between light and dark areas, the effect is mesmerising. Through the openwork dome, one can glimpse a silky, feathery nest on which the Bee bottle is perched, like a bird ready to take flight into lyricism.

• Ludwig Vogelgesang, Maître d’art – Class of 2010. A cabinet maker specialised in the restoration of very high-end Art Deco furniture (Ruhlman, Groult, Franck). His aesthetic and refined style is sought after by renowned interior designers, galleries, museums and private collectors.

“Le Présentoir à Secrets” (“The Display Case with Secrets”)

This precious cylindrical sculpture unites two luxurious materials: ivory shagreen and brown rosewood. On its façade, the rare wood traces and outlines the honeycombs. A few small and painstakingly sculpted bees act as clever handles for hidden drawers that can be used to hide one’s treasures. Like crowns, two carved friezes adorn the base and top of this delicate piece. The imperial bottle reigns from the top of the case on a radiant shagreen tray.

• Etienne Rayssac, Maître d’art – Class of 2010. This woodcarver and ornamental craftsman sketches his designs and then makes his models in plaster before creating the final sculpture. His skills are highly sought after to make decorative elements, for buildings classified as historical monuments and contemporary pieces alike.

“L’Envolée” (“The Flight”)

Draped pale sycamore wood partially envelops the levitating Bee bottle, making it evanescent. The work suggests incredible energy and the effect of curves and dips perfectly captures the light. Only hand craftsmanship with special chisels and scrapers makes it possible to alternate the flow of volumes and the sharpness of edges. The exterior design is delicately sculpted and echoes the intensity of the bottle and the richness of its intrinsic ornamentation.

• Sylvie Deschamps, Maître d’art – Class of 2010. The delicate craftsmanship of this gold thread embroiderer is particularly appreciated by the haute couture and luxury world for which her handcrafted creations are a guarantee of irreproachable quality. She also works with contemporary designers on one-of-a-kind pieces.

“L’Habit de Fête” (“The Festive Attire”)

A covering designed as an imperial coronation robe. The festoons of the dome and 69 bees are embroidered in a raised pattern with 24-carat varnished gold cannetille thread on a white organza sheath. The wings are made of gold leaf and gold powder was sprinkled between the bees to represent pollen. The label is embroidered following the principles of the art of heraldry: the imperial crown and bee on a shield over crossed swords, as well as two dates recalling the 160^th anniversary. For the finishing details: the iconic bottle neck is wrapped in gold thread, using the technique of the Guerlain “Dames de Tables” craftswomen. In addition, the stopper, dressed in organza, is finely embroidered with a majestic Queen Bee, who reigns proudly over the piece.

• Serge Amoruso, Maître d’art – Class of 2010. This leather craftsman and designer is the specialist of rare and precious hides. Trained at Hermès in the finest ancestral leather-making techniques, he has since focused his talent on making pieces as humorous as they are exceptional, such as an alligator-lined scooter or incredibly original tailor-made creations.

“La Malle de Voyage” (“The Travel Trunk”)

An artistic trunk presented in two identical pieces, like a lightning-shaped split or a single-use broken mould. Its covering features the rarest and noblest materials: red Morocco leather and parchment stamped with the imprint of the bottle on the interior, midnight blue shagreen and, in contrast, carbon fibre on the exterior. An unusual combination that transforms this work into a surprising and contemporary sculpture, whose highlight is a piece of meteorite that opens the doors of time.