L’Envolée - Bee Bottle 160 Year Anniversary c2013

L’Envolée—translated as “The Flight”—was one of the most poetic and sculptural interpretations created in 2013 to celebrate the 160th anniversary of Guerlain’s iconic bee bottle. For this ambitious project, Guerlain invited nine Maîtres d’art of the Institut National des Métiers d’Art to reinvent the legendary flacon, granting them complete freedom of expression. Among these, Etienne Rayssac, a master woodcarver renowned for his work on both historical monuments and contemporary design, created a piece that seems to defy gravity itself.

Rayssac, known for his precision in carving and his ability to marry decorative craftsmanship with architectural vision, began his work with sketches and plaster prototypes before shaping the final piece in pale sycamore wood. The result is a breathtaking dialogue between solidity and airiness: a sculpted sheath of wood partially envelops the one-litre bee bottle, cradling it yet allowing it to appear as though it is suspended mid-flight. The smooth curves and dips of the design create an impression of movement, like air currents lifting the bottle into motion.

 

Every line of L’Envolée reveals the artistry of handcraft—chisels and scrapers were used to alternate flowing volumes with sharply defined edges. This interplay of curves and angles allows light to dance across the surface, amplifying the sensation of energy and levitation. The natural warmth and delicacy of the sycamore wood adds an organic softness that contrasts beautifully with the bottle’s glass brilliance, enhancing its aura of refinement.

In its final form, L’Envolée becomes more than a case or sculpture—it is a metaphor for Guerlain’s spirit of elevation and timeless innovation. By enveloping the bee bottle in this delicate wooden drapery, Rayssac captures both the strength and fragility of flight, suggesting a moment of grace where perfume, craft, and imagination take wing together. It is a piece that not only celebrates Guerlain’s heritage but also embodies the eternal lightness of creation itself.