Continuing a 110-year-old tradition, the ancient Parisian house of Guerlain releases the fragrance Muguet, dedicated to the most beautiful flower of spring – lily of the valley.
Lily of the valley is a symbolic flower for Guerlain. The first fragrance, Muguet (actually, it means “lily of the valley” in French), was created in 1908 by perfumer Jacques Guerlain.
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The delicate lily of the valley with its bell-shaped flowers does not yield perfume raw materials, so its aroma is reconstructed each time by perfumers, based on their own ideas about the fragile beauty of the disappeared – and on their own skill.
Perfumer Thierry Wasser's version smells of transparent green lily of the valley with chords of freshly cut grass, dew and soft white musk, with a slight hint of spring air after rain. “In a burst of freshness, green grassy notes mix with the floral sophistication of jasmine and rose, giving this symbolic trail delicate, pearly nuances of green and pink. At the heart of this bouquet, the olfactory illusion of a freshly plucked sprig of lily of the valley arises,” is how Guerlain poetically describes the composition.
Every year, Guerlain carefully selects the artists it entrusts with the decoration of the precious bottle. The shape of the bottle is the iconic Bee Bottle, a bottle encrusted with golden bees that sparkles in the May sun. It was created for Guerlain in 1853 to celebrate the marriage of Empress Eugenie and Napoleon III in the ancient French manufactory Pochet du Courval. The manufactory has been operating since the 17th century. and still does, fulfilling orders for many luxury brands (often without public disclosure – as a white label manufacturer).
But the decoration is different every time. Vogue UA has been tracking the history of Guerlain Muguet vintage fragrances since 2018, and you can follow them to see how the decoration of the perfumes has changed.
This year, the Bee bottle features a bow made from soft green silk taffeta, formed using the Japanese technique of shibori, the ancient art of folding and heat-setting fabric. Under the fingers of Ateliers Vermont embroiderers, the material is folded, knotted, and fixed, creating shifting reflections.
The fabric forms a flexible geometry around the neck of the bottle, as if the silk itself is trying to curl into a vegetal scroll. From this textile sculpture emerge lacy bells of lilies of the valley, delicately embroidered by hand, each revealing a crystal sparkle at its core.
One thing remains the same: Guerlain always strives to support traditional French artisanal techniques. This year, the House partnered with the Parisian atelier Les Ateliers Vermont, which has specialized in intricate artistic embroidery since 1956.
The atelier fulfills orders for the most prestigious haute couture houses, preserving its craftsmanship for over half a century.
“True architects of the invisible, the skilled hands of embroiderers create a miracle: pearls, sequins, crystals and threads come to life under their touch, transforming the fabric into a work of art,” Guerlain says.
The collector's edition is limited to 3,433 pieces of 125 ml each, released worldwide. This year, Guerlain has also released an additional 30 ml spray bottle with the symbolic name Nomad (“travel”), which can be refilled and taken with you in any circumstances.
