01 A LOVE STORY TURNED LEGEND

Once upon a time in northern India, all of four centuries ago now, Shah Jahan was one of the world’s most powerful rulers. Madly in love with the princess Mumtaz Mahal, he gifted her a garden of delights, known as the Shalimar Gardens. When his beloved left this world, the emperor was inconsolable, and had her built a mausoleum cut from white marble carved like lace and adorned with precious gems: the Taj Mahal. 

02 SHALIMAR
IS BORN

The story of this heady romance set Jacques Guerlain’s imagination alight, inspiring him to compose the legendary Shalimar fragrance in 1925. Known as modern perfumery’s very first oriental, the scent continues to capture voluptuous femininity in all its glory to this day. Designed by Raymond Guerlain, the bottle was awarded first prize at Paris’ decorative arts exhibition. Its curves were inspired by the famed Shalimar Gardens’ water features, while its crystal-clear sapphire-hued fan stopper is evocative of its eternal fountains.

03 SYLVIA TOLEDANO, PARISIAN DESIGNER

In an ode to the scent of eternal desire, Parisian talisman-inspired jeweller Sylvia Toledano created an exceptional jewel designed to hug the sensual curves of a monumental one-and-a-half-litre bottle of Extrait, transforming Shalimar into a piece of jewellery in its own right. This incredible artist perfectly captured the spirit of Shalimar: "an invitation to immerse oneself in love, sensuality and headiness".

04 MAJESTIC ADORNMENT

This made-to-order creation is gilded with 24-carat fine matte gold, embellished in a scattering of semi-precious stones in glistening shades sourced from Jaipur – the very same used to decorate the Taj Mahal: lapis lazuli, amethyst, carnelian, malachite, chalcedony, tiger’s eye, rose quartz, and citrine. Set asparkle with shimmering glints that catch the light, this exclusive edition serves as a scintillating sheath for the legendary love potion, dazzling as brightly as the costume of an oriental dancer.

Dimensions of the bottle (h x w x d) :
11,5 x 36 x 45,5 cm

05 A PERFUME NAMED DESIRE

This Extrait de Parfum is the very essence of femininity itself, a soaring symphony of citrus-infused notes that deepen into a delicately powdered, enveloping heart. The heady whisper of sensuous vanilla, the silvery charm of iris, the balmy voluptuousness of opopanax, and the warm, buttery sweetness of tonka bean intertwine in an intimate tapestry of scent that falls softly over the skin. This captivating vanilla is harvested in Madagascar. Thanks to in-house know-how passed down from generation to generation for nearly two centuries now, our craftsmen make our "vanilla tincture" from pods and alcohol. Guerlain is one of the rare few perfume houses to continue making its own vanilla tincture, which lends fragrances a woody, gourmand note with a hint of leather and spice.