In 2015, Guerlain unveiled an extraordinary collector’s masterpiece to commemorate the 90th anniversary of Shalimar, one of the most iconic perfumes in fragrance history. Created just in time for the holiday season, this opulent edition celebrated both the timeless love story that inspired the perfume and the pinnacle of French craftsmanship. The bottle itself, an enlarged interpretation of the classic Shalimar flacon, was realized in deep cobalt blue crystal by the prestigious glassworks Waltersperger—an atelier celebrated for its mastery of large-scale crystal creations for nearly a century. Standing as both a vessel and a work of art, the monumental flacon held an impressive 1.5 litres of Shalimar extrait, reflecting the luxurious spirit and grandeur associated with Guerlain’s heritage.
Encircling the neck of the bottle was a sculptural, 22-carat gilded branch, delicately shaped and hand-applied, lending the impression of fine jewelry rather than mere ornamentation. Resting upon this golden branch were two exquisitely detailed glass birds—symbols of the eternal love between Emperor Shah Jahan and his beloved Mumtaz Mahal, whose devotion inspired Shalimar. Each bird was meticulously handmade by the renowned Maison Desrues, the French haute couture jeweler founded in 1929, and adorned with rich layers of silver, blue, and gold enamel. Their luminous plumage and poised stance brought a poetic vitality to the composition, elevating the bottle into a sculptural allegory of romance and devotion.
Guerlain described the creation as a “real feat that combines unique expertise with the most advanced technologies.” The cobalt glass, molded and finished with exceptional precision by Waltersperger, gave depth and mystery to the perfume within, while the adornments by Desrues reflected the harmonious partnership between haute parfumerie and haute couture. Only seventeen of these numbered flacons were made available worldwide, each representing the pinnacle of artisanal excellence and rarity.
Inside, the essence of Shalimar remained unchanged—its legendary symphony of notes unfolding with the familiar radiance of bergamot and citrus at the top, melting into a tender heart of iris, opopanax, and vanilla, and concluding with the sensual warmth of tonka bean and balsamic resins. This monumental edition thus captured not only the romance of Shalimar’s origins but also the enduring craftsmanship and artistry that continue to define Guerlain’s legacy.
From Guerlain:
"The famous Guerlain Shalimar bottle deploys its monumental scale and is cloaked in midnight blue by the French glassmaker Waltersperger specialist in exceptional formats for almost a hundred years. A real feat that combines unique expertise handbook of best advanced technologies. A delicate golden branch with fine 22.5 karat gold carefully wraps around the bottle's neck and grips his shoulder. A couple of birds called inseparable just asked them. Poetic allegory of the eternal love between Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal, this masterpiece craft reveals the expertise and talent of Maison Desrues, French Haute Couture jeweler since 1929. Only 17 numbered pieces are available in the world. In his music version Shalimar is a flight of citrus notes that fuels a heart and gently wrapping powdered. The footprint of a carnal bewitching vanilla, the penetrating charm of the iris, the balmy roundness opopanax, gourmet hot tonka bean orchestrate an intimate symphony of scents in which to languish. Maison Desrues brings his artistic talent and expertise to the adornment inseparable birds adorning the bottle Shalimar Edition 90th anniversary. This French Haute Couture artisan founded in 1929 is combined for the first time to Guerlain sublimate for this creation of a rare and modern technique."
