The Château de Versailles and Guerlain have joined forces to produce a limited, numbered edition of an original perfume, sold by subscription to benefit the restoration of the royal apartments until June 17.
The brainchild of two prestigious houses that embody French savoir-faire and excellence, Le bouquet de la Reine, created by perfumer Thierry Wasser, is inspired by the gardens of Versailles and Trianon.
We were able to visit the Trianon a few days ago, as well as the Queen’s Little Theatre, to discover this magnificent project.
Le bouquet de la Reine perfume
Perfumer Thierry Wasser has chosen the most precious essences to compose an olfactory bouquet of majestic scents. These include jasmine, one of Queen Marie-Antoinette’s favorite flowers, which she elegantly perfumed in her Petit Trianon château. The fragrance opens lightly with the green, citrus notes of galbanum and bergamot. Then, sensual and voluptuous, Grandiflora jasmine from Calabria leads the way, adorned with fresh spring flowers: cyclamen, freesia and lily of the valley. A base note of amber and white musk sublimates the fragrance with majestic grace.
An exceptional bottle: the emblematic quatrefoil bottle
Created in 1908 for the Rue de la Paix fragrance, Guerlain’s Quadrilobé bottle takes its name from the singular shape of its cap. Available in a generous 125ml format, the bottle for Bouquet de la Reine is faceted like a precious stone. The manufacture of this jewel-like bottle continues to perpetuate French craftsmanship excellence at Verreries Brosse, founded in 1892 in the now-famous Vallée de la Bresle.
A royal set signed by Desrues
In homage to Versailles, Guerlain adorns its Quadrilobé bottle with a jewel signed by Haute-Couture designer Desrues. This French house, founded in 1929, deploys its exceptional expertise in demanding metalwork, gilding and gem-setting to create a scultpural star gilded in 23-carat fine gold and crafted by goldsmiths.
The star, a common emblem
Louis XIV chose the sun as his emblem, in the manner of Apollo, god of peace and the arts.
The Astre also adorned some of Guerlain’s legendary creations, such as the soaps known as Sapoceti (1828) and La Poudre c’est moi (1925), named after Louis XIV’s famous phrase. Today, the Astre is the emblem of the House of Guerlain.
The art of flaconnage according to Guerlain
Small hands with meticulous, precise gestures, the Dames de Table of the Ateliers Guerlain perpetuate an ancestral know-how, unique to Guerlain. They dress the Quadrilobé bottle with hand-bearded silk cords, Haute-Couture finishes requiring dexterity and expertise. It is thanks to the preservation of these artisanal skills that Guerlain has been recognized as a “Living Heritage Company” by the French Ministry of Industry.
Subscription
Le bouquet de la Reine perfume is sold exclusively by subscription from February 17 to June 17, 2016. Limited and numbered edition.
– Unit price: 550€
– Online subscription at: bouquetdelareine.chateauversailles.fr
Subscription forms are also available:
– Librairie des Princes ( Château de Versailles)
– Guerlain boutique at 68, avenue des Champs-Élysées, 75008 Paris
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