01 HEADING EAST
With the Bee Bottle, the young designer has cast a bridge between past and future; between East and West. An artistic encounter between two worlds. For Guerlain, Begüm Khan has created a work of art all in gold-plated bronze and encrusted with pavé gemstones; an encounter between East and West, as told by the designer: “Since embarking on this collaboration, I have been constantly amazed by the synergies between myself, a young Turkish designer, and the centuries-old house of Guerlain.”
02 THE WORLD OF BEGÜM KHAN
Jewellery designer Begüm Kiroglu grew up in a family of Ottoman art collectors. Inspired by the East and by the opulence of Istanbul, she decided to create jewellery brand in 2012. With an abundantly whimsical imagination, she designs works of art that reinterpret nature, flora and fauna, forming a rich compendium of beasts and floral symbols.
03 THE BEE, SOURCE OF INSPIRATION
The theme of the bee is very dear to Guerlain, as a source of inspiration, a decorative motif and the hallmark of an ecological commitment. . A source of inspiration for Begüm Khan: ‘Bees have always intrigued me: they are a common sight, buzzing all around us, and yet their beauty is often overlooked. They are fragile yet strong, and there is something inspiring in this dichotomy. Bees are also synonymous with Guerlain, so they were a natural choice for our collaboration.” says the artist.
04METAMORPHOSIS OF THE BEE BOTTLE
Begüm Khan chose to create a jewel comprising elements that resonate with the West and the world of Guerlain. In the fantastical design, an imperial bee, the Guerlain symbol, escapes from its fanciful and luxurious universe to land for a fleeting moment on the bottle, fringed by four majestic flowers. Each piece is handmade by Turkish craftsmen in a historic workshop near the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, through a labour of love that imbues every bottle with its own personality and soul.
05 AN EXCEPTIONAL SAVOIR-FAIRE
Crafted in Istanbul workshop, the bronze-set decorative adornment is plated with 24-karat gold and paved with approximately 6,500 coloured gems. One by one, each stone is added by hand. Once placed on the bottle, the precious motif blots out the cartouche. This inimitable, meticulous feat of metalwork takes over fifty hours to complete.
06 LE SONGE DE LA REINE
The exclusives fragrance that comes with the creation, Le Songe de la Reine, brings us before the gateway into the East. This Eau de Parfum opens on a fresh and vibrant mix of mandarin and bergamot, revealing the freshness and the delight of fig notes in its heart, set upon a woody base of sandalwood and cedar notes. “This is a fragrance full of contrasts, wherein the woody notes, in their strength and sensuality, are confronted with the vegetal vitality of fig sap.” says Thierry Wasser, Guerlain House Perfumer.
